Holmdel Township, New Jersey
Holmdel Township is a township in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township's population was 16,773, reflecting an increase of 992 (+6.3%) from the 15,781 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn increased by 4,249 (+36.8%) from the 11,532 counted in the 1990 Census.
Holmdel Township was formed by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 23, 1857, from portions of Raritan Township (now Hazlet). The origin of the township's name is unclear, with some sources indicating that is was named for the Holmes family, who were early settlers of the area, while others point to Dutch language words Holm and Del, meaning "pleasant valley".
Holmdel is located 15 miles (24 km) west of the Jersey Shore. The township is notable, among other things, for its historical and present connection to Bell Labs. Important evidence for the Big Bang was discovered at a Bell Labs facility in Holmdel by Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson, both of whom won the Nobel Prize in Physics for their work here.