PLAINFIELD  , a

city of Union county, New Jersey, U.S.A., about 24 M . W. by S. of New York City . Pop . (r9ro U.S. census), 20,550 . It is served by the Central Railroad of New Jersey and by electric lines connecting with neighbouring towns . It is situated for the most part on a plain; north-east are heights occupied by the suburb of Netherwood, and north in Somerset county, on the slope of the first Watchung Mountain, is the borough of North Plainfield (pop . 1910 U.S. census, 6117), which forms with Plainfield virtually a single residential and business community . Plainfield is one of the most attractive residential suburbs of New York . The city has an excellent public school system, a good public library, with an art gallery and museum . The Muhlenberg hospital, club houses and a driving track are features'of the city . The value of the factory products increased from $2,437,434 in 1900 to $3,572,134 in 1905, or 46.6% . Plainfield was settled in 1684, but it was not until 1735 that the first frame house was erected .

In 176o a grist

mill was erected, and for several years the place was called Milltown . The township of Plainfield was created out of Westfield township in 1847, and in 1867 Plainfield was chartered as a city .