Princeton Station Garage

Princeton Station Garage, June 2023.

Historical Overview

Standing at 11 Washington Road, shortly before that road dead-ends at the western edge of the Northeast Corridor train tracks, is an arched-roof mechanic's garage. Although, at the time of this writing (December 2024) this concrete and cinderblock building is called the "Princeton Station Garage," it has had several other uses during its lifetime. The property has long had both commercial and industrial uses in old Princeton Junction.

In fact, this garage was not the first business here. In 1880, Jacob R. Wyckoff purchased 0.57 acres directly next to the tracks[1] and set up an agricultural distribution here, presumably benefiting from proximity to the railroad - and thus easy access to transportation for materials. Jacob dealt in rye, straw, animal feed, and more[2],[3] - all valuable commodities at a time when West Windsor was dominated by agriculture. A hay scale in Jacob's yard allowed farmers to weigh their loads of hay by driving onto the scale without unloading. The hay would then be compressed by a hay press and baled.[4] The earliest known of Jacob's hay presses burned in 1898.[5] He also presumably also stored much of his materials in his feed mill just down the road at 37 Station Drive, which still stands at the time of this writing (albeit now as offices).[6],[7]

Jacob was also involved locally in other ways. He was a Director of the First National Bank of Princeton[8] and for some time a state Assemblyman.[9] He was also a West Windsor Township Committeeman for 32 years, making him the second-longest ever serving Committeeperson after Hiram Mount (35 years).[10] In 1916, he and his wife, "Nannie," also sold the land to West Windsor Township upon which the Dutch Neck School was built.[11]

Barn on the property, ca. 1937. Note the old bridge configuration.

Jacob presumably operated his business near the railroad until his death around 1927.[12],[13] Ownership thereafter becomes unclear, although, by the year 1935, a man named "M. R. Swinger" had taken over operations.[14],[15] However, in 1936, tons of hay and many pieces of valuable machinery were destroyed in another fire, causing an estimated $10,000 in damages - a huge sum at the time.[16] Moreover, when the adjacent Princeton Hightstown Road bridge over the train tracks was rebuilt in 1939,[17],[18] Swinger balked at selling his land at the rate the County was offering for the right-of-way.[19],[20] Of course, the bridge did end up being rebuilt, although it's unknown whether this was through an action of eminent domain.

It's also unknown when Swinger sold the rest of his property, and ownership again becomes unclear until 1943, when Lewis C. Bowers bought the tract.[21] Lewis was the founder of a regionally-influential building firm known as "L. C. Bowers and Sons, Inc."[22] Founded in Princeton in 1901,[23] the company constructed numerous buildings in the area for decades - from homes to office buildings to commercial centers and more.[24],[25] Lewis himself also owned several other historic West Windsor properties, including the Bower-Hawk house and the Hooper-Bowers house.[26] His company used the property next to the train tracks as a cabinet shop and storage yard.[27]

Yet another fire broke out in November 1952, destroying the old wooden barn (see adjacent photo).[28] This was probably what prompted the construction of the current concrete-and-cinderblock garage by the end of the following year, to replace it as a storage building and workshop.[29] L. C. Bowers and Co. kept the property until 1992, when they sold multiple lots to Gary, Ercole, and Luigi Carnevale.[30] ​It was presumably after this point that the property began functioning as an auto detailing shop. The property has since passed to other owners.

Looking southeast down Station Drive from the railroad bridge, 1950. In the foreground is L. C. Bowers' yard.

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Bibliography

1. Warren, Robert D. Warren, Susan, Wyckoff, Jacob R. “Indenture.” West Windsor, 1880. Located in the Mercer County Clerk's Office, Mercer County Deed Book 136, Page 196.
2. Jacob R. Wyckoff. (1918, November 13). Man, first class, for threshing rye and straw. Trenton Evening Times. Trenton.
3. Jacob R. Wyckoff. (1921, March 26). Home Mixed to a Standard Not to a Price Mercer Feeds. Trenton Evening Times. Trenton.
4. “Broadside,” 1998. Newsletter about the history of Princeton Junction (Part 1 of a 2-part series) produced by the Historical Society of West Windsor. Spring 1998.​
5. "Large Hay Press Burned." Waterbury Evening Democrat. January 22, 1898.
6. Voorhees, George W., Voorhees, Sarah., Wyckoff, Jacob R. “Indenture.” West Windsor, 1898. Located in the Mercer County Clerk's Office, Mercer County Deed Book 189 Page 19.
7. “Broadside,” 1998. Newsletter about the history of Princeton Junction (Part 1 of a 2-part series) produced by the Historical Society of West Windsor. Spring 1998.​​
8. The First National Bank of Princeton. (1919, June 9). The First National Bank of Princeton. The Daily Princetonian. Princeton.
9. "Large Hay Press Burned." Waterbury Evening Democrat. January 22, 1898.
10. “West Windsor Township Meeting Minutes, 1797-2012.,” n.d. Original Township Committee meeting minute database located in the Municipal Center.
11. Board of Education of the Township of West Windsor, Wyckoff, Jacob R., Wyckoff, Nannie. “Deed.” West Windsor, 1916. Located in the Historical Society of West Windsor's archives at the West Windsor History Museum.
12. Jacob R. Wyckoff. (1923, May 8). Conkey's Buttermilk Growing Mash. Trenton Evening Times. Trenton.
13. "First National Re-Elects Officers and Directors." Princeton Herald. January 21, 1927.
14. “Broadside,” 1998. Newsletter about the history of Princeton Junction (Part 1 of a 2-part series) produced by the Historical Society of West Windsor. Spring 1998.​
15. "Hightstown Man Injured In Fall From Hay Truck." The Freehold Transcript & Monmouth Inquirer. December 6, 1935.
16. "Local Firemen Aid In Junction Blaze." The Local Express. July 23, 1935.
17. "Junction Bridge Start Assured." The Local Express. February 23, 1939.​
18. "Lions Clubs Open Junction Bridge." Princeton Packet. December 7, 1939.
19. "Junction Bridge Start is Assured." Princeton News. September 22, 1938.
20. "Board Increases Property Figure." Trenton Evening Times. December 27, 1938.
21. Bowers, Lewis C., First National Bank of Hightstown. “Indenture.” West Windsor, 1943. Located in the Mercer County Clerk's Office, Mercer County Deed Book 854, Page 159.
22. "Lewis C. Bowers." The Princeton Herald. October 3, 1941.
23. L. C. Bowers and Sons. (1978, March 1). Lewis C. Bowers and Sons, Inc. Princeton Recollector. Princeton.
24. "Topics of the Towns - Housing Picture a Jigsaw Puzzle." Town Topics. April 7, 1946.
25. "New Home for McLean Labs." Town Topics. March 29, 1953.
26. ​Bowers, Lewis C., Rogers, Eli, Rogers, Emma. “Indenture.” West Windsor, 1906. Located in the Mercer County Clerk's Office, Mercer County Deed Book 285 Page 359.​
27. “Broadside,” 1998. Newsletter about the history of Princeton Junction (Part 1 of a 2-part series) produced by the Historical Society of West Windsor. Spring 1998.​​
28. "Bowers Warehouse Demolished by Blaze." Princeton Herald. November 5, 1952.
29. “West Windsor Aerial Photography Composite Map, 1953.” Map. Historical Society of West Windsor - Map Archives. West Windsor, NJ, 1953.
30. Carnevale, Ercole, Carnevale, Gary, Carnevale, Luigi, Lewis C. Bowers and Sons Inc. “Deed.” West Windsor, 1992. Located in the Mercer County Clerk's Office, Mercer County Deed Book 3411, Page 93.