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    North Brunswick
    North Brunswick
    North Brunswick
    Ebook195 pages48 minutes

    North Brunswick

    By North Brunswick Historical Committee

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    About this ebook

    North Brunswick, a large town spread over 12 square miles, has a rich history extending back to the early 1600s, when its only occupants were members of the Lenni-Lenape tribe. Some of the earliest establishments included the Black Horse Tavern building, which in 1670 was a stagecoach stop, and the Lion Tavern. By 1750, a gristmill operated near where a dam is currently located on Farrington Lake and was later joined by a snuff mill and tannery. From 1775 through 1900, the area was almost entirely agricultural. The first church, the Georges Road Baptist Church, was erected in 1847, and the first school committee was elected in 1829. By the dawn of the 20th century, North Brunswick began to come into its own, projecting the image of the thriving community it is today.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherArcadia Publishing
    Release dateSep 18, 2012
    ISBN9781439638965
    North Brunswick
    Author

    North Brunswick Historical Committee

    The North Brunswick Historical Committee has organized photographs from the North Brunswick Historical Society, the North Brunswick Public Library, and numerous local residents to compile this historical tribute. North Brunswick—albeit a large community—is a small town at heart with an abundance of community pride.

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      Book preview

      North Brunswick - North Brunswick Historical Committee

      Zielinski

      INTRODUCTION

      In the early 1600s, North Brunswick’s only occupants were members of the Lenni Lenape tribe who lived and hunted along much of the Atlantic coastline. Things have certainly changed since then.

      Earliest records of the town note the Black Horse Tavern, which was built in 1670 and served as a stagecoach stop and the Lion Tavern. Both were on Georges Road, which was named after England’s King George.

      Although there had been scattered population in the area for several years, the first permanent settlement came in 1761. People arriving in New Amsterdam on their way to establish homesteads and build new lives were lured south by stories of fertile lands. Settlers purchased their land from the Native Americans and proceeded to build homes and plant crops. Despite hardships, the pioneers stayed on and this section of New Jersey became a flourishing agricultural community as well as one of the most populated rural areas in the New World.

      By 1750, a gristmill had been put into operation on Farrington Lake near the spot where the present dam is located. It was later joined by a snuff factory and a tannery. From 1775 through 1900, the area remained almost entirely agricultural. Nonetheless as population increased, so did auxiliary development, and by 1784 the area boasted 19 merchant shops, eight taverns, three gristmills, one sawmill, one fulling mill, three tanyards, and one brewery.

      North Brunswick was one of the first townships to be organized after the formation of Middlesex County by the General Assembly of East Jersey in 1682. At that time it included a total of 23,000 acres of land. Over the years, it was divided, with approximately 15,000 acres having been separated from it in 1860 for what were to become East Brunswick and New Brunswick. In 1903, the Borough of Milltown broke away. It has proudly been known as North Brunswick since its first incorporation date of February 28, 1779. However due to previous minutes that were lost, the township had a second incorporation recorded on February 21, 1798.

      During the American Revolution, North Brunswick’s central location placed it along main transportation routes, and it saw both Washington’s troops and the British march along what is now Route 27 (also known as Lincoln Highway) on their way to and from critical engagements in New York, Trenton, Princeton, and beyond.

      The early schoolhouses were built by subscription, and the teachers paid by those who were able to do so. The first reference in township records for the provision of education of those who were unable to pay was made in 1827, when it was ordered that $500 be raised for the education of the poor children of the township. The first school committee was elected two years later, in 1829, and the first school budget was set at $250. A free school system was adopted in 1851. There were two schools in the township at that time, one being the Red Lion and the other Oak Hill.

      The Georges Road Baptist Church, erected in 1847, was the first religious structure in the area and is still standing and serving the community. The building is known for its distinctive steeple as well as for its charm and beauty.

      North Brunswick is a large township, encompassing approximately 12 square miles situated in central Middlesex County. The current population is approximately 39,800. Located in one of the most populous regions of the United States, snuggled between New York City and Philadelphia and located at the halfway point between Boston and Washington, D.C., North Brunswick retains a small-town heart. Carrying on the traditions of community and neighborliness passed down from its earliest settlers to the newest residents, North Brunswick stands out as a community of caring people and volunteers. All of the township’s fire, first aid, and rescue services are volunteer driven, and people come together year after year to ensure its youth sports programs, food bank, and other community service organizations remain people-based and compassionate.

      This book is dedicated to the wonderful North Brunswick residents of generations past and present, whose fortitude, foresight, compassion, and volunteer involvement have truly made North Brunswick a wonderful place to live.

      One

      THE EARLY DAYS

      SNUFF MILL. Portrayed here in 1860 is Brookford, the residence and snuff mills of William G. Parsons. The greatest impact on growth within North Brunswick was made by the mills. As early as 1750, waterpower from the Lawrence Brook was harnessed to provide energy to operate the mills along its banks. A snuff mill was built about three-quarters of a mile from the border of Milltown at a point called Brookford.

      THE PARSONS BROOKFORD SNUFF MILL. In the 1800s, the mill was taken over by Jacob Bergen, and the area became known as Bergen’s Mills. Ownership of the various mills changed frequently, and in 1856 the one pictured

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