Post Offices and Zip Codes

Princeton Junction post office, Aug. 2011.

​West Windsor Township is, at the time of this writing (2023), split into two Zip Codes: 08550 ("Princeton Junction") and 08540 ("Princeton," which overlaps into the town Princeton itself). Each is served by a post office - the "Princeton Junction" post office and the "Princeton" post office​[1] However, West Windsor Township is *not* the same thing as the town of Princeton, *nor* is it the same thing as Princeton Junction. This page clarifies how these zip codes came to be and what the difference is between West Windsor, Princeton, and Princeton Junction.

Historical Overview

West Windsor Township was founded in 1797.[1] It is the overarching legal entity governing over 26 square miles - bound by the Millstone River to the northeast, Line Road/Meadow Brook Road/the Assunpink Creek to the south, various property lines to the southeast, Quakerbridge Road to the southwest, and the Delaware and Raritan Canal to the northwest. It is this last landmark - the canal - that forms a continuous boundary between the townships of West Windsor and Princeton. Thus, despite many businesses and developments east of the canal branding themselves with the "Princeton" name (presumably for Princeton's perceived pedigree), they are, in fact in West Windsor Township.

Over many generations, West Windsor Township saw several historic communities arise within its borders. One of these villages, which developed starting in the 1860s, was Princeton Junction - so named because it centers around the junction (or intersection) of the Northeast Corridor and the Princeton Branch Railroad (AKA the "Dinky") leading into Princeton. However, Princeton Junction was only a district within the larger West Windsor; in other words, most of West Windsor, historically, was not Princeton Junction.

Several post offices developed in some of these communities in the mid-late 1800s: in Dutch Neck,[2] Edinburg,[3] Princeton Junction,[4] Vanhiseville,[5] and possibly others. Each of them served their immediate surroundings.

Edinburg, 1875. Note the abbreviation "P.O." (Post Office).

This reality still held true in the mid-1960s, although by this point only the Dutch Neck and Princeton Junction post offices still operated within West Windsor's borders, and other post offices outside of the township also served West Windsor's residents depending on what road/postal route they lived.

In 1963, the United States Post Office Department introduced Zoning Improvement Plan (ZIP) codes across the nation, for the purpose of making mail deliveries faster and more efficient.[6] This introduced ZIP codes 08550 (Princeton Junction), 08540 (Princeton), 08516 (Dutch Neck), and many others.[7]

Pictured adjacent is a map from (around) 1964 showing various postal routes. These often correlated with what someone called "home." For instance, a person living along the "Cranbury" postal route would often identify as a "Cranbury" resident even thought they were actually in West Windsor Township. This was still a time when each person's neighborhood, rather than the overarching township, was the prevailing "sense of place" for most residents.

However, many in West Windsor wanted recognition for their township as a whole (West Windsor often did not appear on maps or in phone books and was relatively unknown as a township). Some complained about errors on voting lists and other bureaucratic problems due to the multiplicity of postal codes.[8] Although the Dutch Neck post office shut down in 1966,[9] the Township was still divided among these many identities. In 1970, the Princeton Junction post office moved from Howard's Luncheonette in Berrien City to a strip mall along Princeton Hightstown Road,[10] and that same year a "Princeton" post office opened on Alexander Road[11] (and was replaced by the current Roszel Road post office in 1984[12]).

In 1982, seven ZIP codes served West Windsor residents: 08512 (Cranbury), Lawrenceville (08648), Hightstown (08520), Robbinsville (08691), Trenton-Hamilton (08690), Princeton (08540), and Princeton Junction (08550). That year, petitions circulated to eliminate all but the Princeton and Princeton Junction zip code, and rename 08550 to "West Windsor,"[13] but the Post Office declined, arguing that it would cost too much money and make service less efficient.[14] ​

Still, many West Windsor residents continued to advocate for Zip code unification - and a stronger municipal identity. Several more petitions over the years were repeatedly declined by the post office,[15],[16] until the late 1990s, when, among other efforts, a "Postal Advisory Committee" was established.[17] In 1999, five of the postal routes - Hightstown, Lawrenceville, Cranbury, Robbinsville, and Trenton - consolidated with 08550.[18] Just a few months prior, the Princeton Junction Post Office had moved to its present quarters at 331 North Post Road.[19]

At the time of this writing (2023) West Windsor Township still has two zip codes - Princeton (08540) and Princeton Junction (08550), largely separated by the Northeast Corridor. People still often confuse the three identities, but it has been West Windsor Township, since 1797, that has always been the legal governing entity of these 26 square miles - despite Post Office designations.

West Windsor's zip codes, 2023.

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Bibliography

1. "An Act for Dividing the Township of Windsor in the County of Middlesex into Two Separate Townships. New Jersey State Archives, 1797. February 9, 1797. This split Windsor Township into West Windsor and East Windsor.
2. “New Post Offices.” State Gazette. January 31, 1851. Page 3 of this Trenton-based newspaper. Full text: "New Post Offices have been established at Van Hiseville and Dutch Neck - both in this County. Abraham Van Hise and John S. Robbins are the Postmasters." 
3. “A New Post Office has been established at Edinburg in this county, and R. Rogers appointed Post-master.” State Gazette, January 30, 1851.
4. “Jersey Post Offices and Post Masters.” Trenton Evening Times. January 3, 1904.
5. “New Post Offices.” State Gazette. January 31, 1851. Page 3 of this Trenton-based newspaper. Full text: "New Post Offices have been established at Van Hiseville and Dutch Neck - both in this County. Abraham Van Hise and John S. Robbins are the Postmasters."
6. “The Untold Story of the Zip Code.” Office of Inspector General. Accessed August 10, 2023. https://www.uspsoig.gov/reports/white-papers/untold-story-zip-code#:~:text=In%201963%20the%20Post%20Office,an%20organizing%20and%20enabling%20device. 
7. "Letters to Zip to Destination." Trenton Evening Times. June 30, 1963.
8. "W. Windsor bewails postal identity crisis." Trenton Evening Times. September 25, 1982.
9. "Canceled: One Post Office ... Dutch Neck." The Evening Times. September 22, 1966.
10. "Weekend Move By Post Office A Surprise." Trenton Evening Times. July 29, 1970.
11. "Post Office Moves." Town Topics. September 3, 1970.
12. "Post office in Princeton reopens." Trenton Evening Times. September 10, 1984.
13. "W. Windsor bewails postal identity crisis." Trenton Evening Times. September 25, 1982.
14. Ibid.
15. "West Windsor's ZIP code request is zapped by P. O." Trenton Evening Times. July 26, 1986.
16. "Postal service zaps requests to change confusing ZIP codes."
17. ​​“West Windsor Township Meeting Minutes, 1797-2012.,” n.d. Original Township Committee meeting minute database located in the Municipal Center.
18. Ibid.
19. "Princeton Junction Post Office Will Open July 6." Town Topics. July 1, 1998.