The history of New Providence can be first traced back to 1664 when James, Duke of York and brother to King Charles II, purchased the land from Native Americans. Its first settlers were a Puritan colony that came to the area in 1720. The abundance of large flocks of wild turkeys led to the initial name for the area of “Turkey”. By 1737, the Presbyterian Church was formed and was the center of life in the small settlement. In 1759, a crowded church balcony collapsed. It was considered a miracle that no one was seriously injured in the disaster. The miracle was soon referred to as a divine act of “providence.” The small town thereafter became known as “New Providence” and included present-day Summit and Berkeley Heights. According to legend, when British soldiers were marching to Morristown to engage the Revolutionary Army led by George Washington, colonists dumped salt (a precious commodity in those days) into the local brook to keep it undesirable to the soldiers. That brook, depicted on the borough seal, became known thereafter as the Salt Brook.
In 1869 Summit seceded from New Providence Township over disagreement with town management and also because of its rapid increase in population and businesses due to its railroad facilities. New Providence Borough was formed in 1899 and present-day Berkeley Heights retained the name New Providence Township until 1952.
