Bridgetown is the oldest town in the South-West of Western Australia. The first settlers to this area were E. Hester and John Blechynden in 1857. The township of Bridgetown was built on land then owned by Blechynden.

In 1861 convicts formed and maintained the section of road from Donnybrook to Bridgetown, opening up the region and encouraging settlers and the development of the tourist trade to Bridgetown in 1898.

Blechynden built a small one-roomed brick cottage for his wife and child to live in until he completed the family home “Bridgedale” in 1862. Both buildings still stand and are managed by the National Trust. Bridgedale was in a prime location as 23 settlers had successfully petitioned the Governor to install the first bridge across the Blackwood River at Austins Ford (now washed away), but previously on land now owned by Ford House. The first bridge across the Blackwood was swept away just before completion in 1862.

A second bridge was built and in 1867 the Surveyor T. Campbell arrived to draw up the plans for a town site. It was proclaimed as “Bridgetown” on 4 June 1868, and gazetted 5 days later by Governor Hampton. In the same issue of the Government Gazette was an advertisement for the 55 town lots for five pounds per lot.

Although some locals wanted to name the town “Geegelup” after the brook running through the valley, it was decided to name it instead after the ship BRIDGETOWN that loaded the first cargo of wool from the district.

By 1885 Bridgetown had developed into a prime producer of sheep, cattle, dairy products, timber, fruit and nuts.

The apple industry came into its own around 1905 when the first production orchard trees came to maturity. This product in its own right helped put Bridgetown on the agricultural map.

The Bridgetown Agricultural Society played an important role in convincing the Government of the day to extend the railway down to Bridgetown in 1889, facilitating the expansion of rural produce, particularly fruit for the goldfields and the growing timber industry.