November 6, 2013
Take the Trolley to Princeton: 1899-1940
Dennis Waters
Lawrence Township Historian
Take the Trolley to Princeton: 1899-1940
Dennis Waters
Lawrence Township Historian
Minutes of the Ninth Meeting of the 72nd Year
A Hospitality Period preceded the Meeting held at the Friend Center
President Miller called the Meeting to Order at 10:15.
One Hundred Four Members and Guests were in attendance.
The Club Anthem was sung.
Guests were introduced:
John Sayer by Dick Hanson
Paul Hill by Lee Neuwirth
Eleanor Horne by Ben Colbert and Bob Altman
Joan Hicks by Reeves Hicks
The President recognized seven of our new Members.
The President threatened public exposure of non-dues paying members.
Bruno Walmsley set a fine example as Minute Taker by expeditiously presenting concise minutes of the 8th Meeting of the 72nd year. A challenging task well accomplished.
The foregoing permitted our esteemed Program Chair, Jock McFarlane, to complete his introduction of our Speaker, Dennis Waters, by 10:29.
Dr. Waters is the Municipal Historian of the Town of Lawrence. He has had a career in broadcasting, in on line business, and molecular biology, among other things, as befitting a PhD. holding a degree from Binghamton University. His subject was:
Take The Trolley to Princeton 1899-1940
Two members of the Old Guard even admitted to riding on the trolley. Presumably they will now be known as the old – Old Guard. One of our guests had experienced the character building, but physically demanding, benefits, of unloading the trolley used to deliver freight to his father’s business in Princeton.
Dr. Waters demonstrated he was eminently qualified to take the Old Guard for a trolley ride, probably its first, as he described the opening of the Princeton area to the wonders of modern trolley transportation in the early to mid 1900’s.
Travel was difficult in the 1800’s, mainly horse powered; As a result attempts to build trolley lines were quite common in the late 1800 and early 1900’s. Dr. Waters listed over 12 trolley companies that operated or tried to operate in this area. Fortunately he narrowed his presentation down to three, which were the most important in the Trenton – Princeton corridor, and gave particular emphasis to the two survivors that ultimately were able to provide service from Trenton to Princeton from 1899 to 1940. One of the lines sold over one million fares in a year.
What a tale it was – with a cast of characters including the Pennsylvania Rail Road; syndicates from Louisville, and Boston; non J&J - Johnson syndicates; law suits; “hanky panky”; lobbying; legislation; Princeton NIMBY; Moses Taylor Pyne; Samuel Stockton; crashes; college boys seeking entertainment in the Capital; stills in Lawrenceville; and baseball including Sy Young; to name a few.
Due to the machinations referred to, the trolley lines finally reached Princeton from opposite ends of Town. Portions of the two trolley routes leading to Princeton from Trenton can still be seen.
The OLD LINE* had its terminus at the stone building on University Place north of McCarter and ran overland through the Institute Woods where the right of way is still visible.
The JOHNSON “fast” LINE* which also carried freight, had its terminus on Spring Street and ran along Witherspoon Street and Mountain Avenue and then next to Elm Court where the right of way is now part of a trail to Stony Brook and the old bridge abutments are still visible. Each line had a station in Lawrenceville about 100 feet apart in the center of town.
The upshot is that trolleys ran for more than 40 years and provided a principal source of regional transportation in Princeton until the automobile and an improved road system undid them.
Fortunately, Dr. Waters provided a copy of his power point presentation that can be shared with any readers who would like to have a more complete rendering of this fascinating bit of history. The draconian time limits imposed on Minute Takers by the Old Guard Executive Committee does not permit a fuller explication of such a complex story in the time allotted.
Thirteen Members asked the usual penetrating questions or gave personal reminisces of their lives and the trolleys.
Altogether a delightful and illuminating romp through an interesting bit of Princeton history, superbly told.
Respectfully submitted,
Nick Wilson
President Miller called the Meeting to Order at 10:15.
One Hundred Four Members and Guests were in attendance.
The Club Anthem was sung.
Guests were introduced:
John Sayer by Dick Hanson
Paul Hill by Lee Neuwirth
Eleanor Horne by Ben Colbert and Bob Altman
Joan Hicks by Reeves Hicks
The President recognized seven of our new Members.
The President threatened public exposure of non-dues paying members.
Bruno Walmsley set a fine example as Minute Taker by expeditiously presenting concise minutes of the 8th Meeting of the 72nd year. A challenging task well accomplished.
The foregoing permitted our esteemed Program Chair, Jock McFarlane, to complete his introduction of our Speaker, Dennis Waters, by 10:29.
Dr. Waters is the Municipal Historian of the Town of Lawrence. He has had a career in broadcasting, in on line business, and molecular biology, among other things, as befitting a PhD. holding a degree from Binghamton University. His subject was:
Take The Trolley to Princeton 1899-1940
Two members of the Old Guard even admitted to riding on the trolley. Presumably they will now be known as the old – Old Guard. One of our guests had experienced the character building, but physically demanding, benefits, of unloading the trolley used to deliver freight to his father’s business in Princeton.
Dr. Waters demonstrated he was eminently qualified to take the Old Guard for a trolley ride, probably its first, as he described the opening of the Princeton area to the wonders of modern trolley transportation in the early to mid 1900’s.
Travel was difficult in the 1800’s, mainly horse powered; As a result attempts to build trolley lines were quite common in the late 1800 and early 1900’s. Dr. Waters listed over 12 trolley companies that operated or tried to operate in this area. Fortunately he narrowed his presentation down to three, which were the most important in the Trenton – Princeton corridor, and gave particular emphasis to the two survivors that ultimately were able to provide service from Trenton to Princeton from 1899 to 1940. One of the lines sold over one million fares in a year.
What a tale it was – with a cast of characters including the Pennsylvania Rail Road; syndicates from Louisville, and Boston; non J&J - Johnson syndicates; law suits; “hanky panky”; lobbying; legislation; Princeton NIMBY; Moses Taylor Pyne; Samuel Stockton; crashes; college boys seeking entertainment in the Capital; stills in Lawrenceville; and baseball including Sy Young; to name a few.
Due to the machinations referred to, the trolley lines finally reached Princeton from opposite ends of Town. Portions of the two trolley routes leading to Princeton from Trenton can still be seen.
The OLD LINE* had its terminus at the stone building on University Place north of McCarter and ran overland through the Institute Woods where the right of way is still visible.
The JOHNSON “fast” LINE* which also carried freight, had its terminus on Spring Street and ran along Witherspoon Street and Mountain Avenue and then next to Elm Court where the right of way is now part of a trail to Stony Brook and the old bridge abutments are still visible. Each line had a station in Lawrenceville about 100 feet apart in the center of town.
The upshot is that trolleys ran for more than 40 years and provided a principal source of regional transportation in Princeton until the automobile and an improved road system undid them.
Fortunately, Dr. Waters provided a copy of his power point presentation that can be shared with any readers who would like to have a more complete rendering of this fascinating bit of history. The draconian time limits imposed on Minute Takers by the Old Guard Executive Committee does not permit a fuller explication of such a complex story in the time allotted.
Thirteen Members asked the usual penetrating questions or gave personal reminisces of their lives and the trolleys.
Altogether a delightful and illuminating romp through an interesting bit of Princeton history, superbly told.
Respectfully submitted,
Nick Wilson