[21][22][23] The borough has grown to become a commercial hub for central New Jersey and commuter town of New York City.

Somerville was incorporated as a borough by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 16, 1909, based on the results of a referendum held on May 4, 1909, at which point it was fully set off from Bridgewater Township.

The early village grew up around a church, courthouse and a tavern built at a crossroads shortly after the American Revolution.

Somerville was originally a sparsely populated farming community, but rapidly grew after the completion of the railroad in the 1840s and development of water power along the Raritan River in the 1850s.

Early industry included brick making from the plentiful red clay and shale on which Somerville is built.

While much of the borough features distinctive Victorian architecture in several neighborhoods and along its Main Street, other periods are represented.

National Register sites in Somerville include the white marble 1909 Somerville Court House and the wooden and stone colonial Wallace House (today a museum) where George Washington spent a winter during the American Revolutionary War.

Near the Wallace House is the Old Dutch Parsonage, where Reverend Jacob Rutsen Hardenbergh, a founder and first president of Rutgers University, then called Queens College, lived.

Other notable, register eligible structures are the Victorian train station (privately owned) and the municipal building, the former Robert Mansion.

[28] Originally the center of local commerce, the borough has evolved into a destination for boutique retail and dining.

In many ways, Somerville remains Somerset County's downtown, and is the heart of its designated Regional Center.

Somerville today and historically has had an important African American community, a distinguished member of which was Paul Robeson.

One of the founders of modern American Dance, Ruth St. Denis, made her professional debut at Somerset Hall, once a vaudeville theatre and today a local restaurant.

The mix of modern amenities and an interesting and diverse past make Main Street, Somerville a unique destination for dining, strolling and visiting.

[32] Borough planners envision a transit village style redevelopment centered around the Somerville train station.

[33] Somerville was hit hard by Hurricane Floyd in September 1999, despite its having been downgraded to a tropical storm by the time it impacted the vicinity.

The borough received a record 13.34 inches (339 mm) of rain over three days during the slow moving storm, causing significant flooding and considerable damage.

[34] Numerous local and national media publications reported on how the state of New Jersey had eased regulations allowing for home baked goods to be made and sold from a home, but how Somerville in particular still suffers from, "...[a] draconian ordinance that creates a contradiction between Somerville's zoning policies and New Jersey's home baking law..." making it difficult for a small business owner or entrepreneur to try and earn a living in this fashion in Somerville.

[35] In order to be able to make her cookies and sell them from her home kitchen was required "... to pay a $1,000 application fee and put $4,000 into a borough escrow account", in addition to notifying neighbors, placing a public notice advertisement and having a public hearing on the application.

Each council member is appointed by the mayor to one of six standing committee's during the Annual Reorganization Meeting held on January 1 of each year.

[3] As of 2024[update], the mayor of Somerville is Republican Brian Gallagher, whose term of office ends December 31, 2027.

[3][54][55][56][57][58] In January 2022, the borough council appointed Gina Stravic to fill the seat expiring in December 2022 that had been held by Jane C. Kobuta until she resigned from office.

[61] For the 119th United States Congress, New Jersey's 7th congressional district is represented by Thomas Kean Jr. (R, Westfield).

[81] Among the borough's 2010 Census population, 54.3% (vs. 60.4% in Somerset County) were registered to vote, including 69.0% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 80.4% countywide).

[106] U.S. Route 22 runs along the northern boundary of Somerville and offers connections to the state highway network.

[110] Since June 1, 2014, the 355 bed facility has been affiliated with Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, the largest healthcare network in the state.