History

Historical Overview

​Soon after the incorporation of our town’s first fire department - the West Windsor Volunteer Fire Co. in Dutch Neck in 1921[1] - it was evident that the township would need more expansive emergency services to cover its population. The development of Berrien City - West Winsdor's first planned community - starting in the 1910s[2] - especially prompted further consideration. Thus, on June 3, 1926, a contingent of men from Princeton Junction and Penns Neck met at Barnet Press’s farmhouse on Clarksville Road (now the Windsor Chase development) and organized themselves as the Berrien City Fire Company.[3]


Lacking fire hydrants, the fire company owned a pumped and a brush truck to handle field fires. The equipment was stored in various facilities, including a private garage on Berrien Avenue and a brick building on Station Drive. The first fire engine - a Foamite Chemical truck - was purchased for $3900 on June 20, 1926. Soon after, the company reorganized as the Princeton Junction Volunteer Fire Co. No. 1. Construction of a dedicated firehouse at 952 Alexander Road followed in 1931. Over the decades, the roof was raised and the building was lengthened to accommodate ever-larger equipment. When space was needed for expansion of the fire house, a separate house - originally located at the intersection of Scott Avenue and Alexander Road - was moved to North Post Road.[4]

Trenton Sunday Times-Advertiser, November 15, 1931.


During the Great Depression, Bingo games were a popular fundraiser for the company. This practice continued until the 1980s, when Bingo games in Pennsylvania began to offer prizes of $1,000 which New Jersey law forbade.[5] During World War II, both fire squads’ headquarters served as Civil Defense stations, equipped for war-time emergencies.[6],[7]


In December of 1944, specifications for the first postwar engine were drawn up: a 1945 Mack 500 GPM pumper. This machine was in service until 1969 when it was sold for $1 to East Windsor Township to help start their own fire company. They returned it for retirement in 1975, after 30 years of faithful service.[8]


December 1948 marked the first Annual Fund Drive. This was soon followed by the fire company’s sponsorship of a West Windsor Little League team in the 1950s, as well as an Explorer Troop of Boy Scouts, which joined the company as junior fire fighters, even going through fire fighter training themselves![9]

PJ Fire Co's first truck, probably 1930s.


In the 1970s, the Princeton Junction Volunteer Fire Co. No. 1 also brought in the Hoxie Brothers Circus, a popular attraction. Doubtless, some of the township’s longest-residing residents remember acres of rides, candy, and fun for all.[10]


The 1970s marked a transformation for the fire company. Whereas women had assisted as support staff via their involvement in the Princeton Junction Ladies’ Auxiliary (helping to raise funds, host events, and cook meals), in the decade, the first woman fire fighters were made part of the team. Among these drivers were: Ann “Nancy” Blaney, Shirley LaBeur, Sandy Radcliff and Anneta Zinetti.[11],[12] Consequently, in the 1980s, the Women’s Auxiliary was written out of the company’s constitution, as women were fully incorporated into the team.

In 1976, the fire company turned 50 years old. At that time the company consisted of 45 men and women. Their equipment included a 1973 Hahn pumper, a 1974 Pierce mini-pumper, a 1969 LaFrance attack pumper, a 1955(?) Mack 1500 gallon tanker/500 gpm pumper, and a Dodge Utility Truck, built by its members in 1961.[13]

PJ Fire Co. ladies' auxiliary members, 1967.


Like its counterpart in Dutch Neck, the Princeton Junction Volunteer Fire Company witnessed the rapid growth and suburbanization of the township that reached its peak in the 1980s and 1990s. The township exploded in population – from around 4,000 residents in 1960 to nearly 30,000 by 2020, partially as the result of the installation of a regional sewer system in the 1970s . Moreover, significant commercial development along Route 1 saw the rise of mid-rise buildings along Route 1 – a challenge for older equipment and small teams.[14]


As a result, the brigades needed to grow, and along with it, their equipment and accommodations. Consequently, in 2002, the Princeton Junction Volunteer Fire Co. No. 1 relocated to a new facility at 245 Clarksville Road, retaining the old building in Berrien City for truck and equipment storage.[15] In 2010, the West Windsor Arts Council took out a lease on the building and now hosts events and exhibitions in the former firehouse, occupying the eastern half of the building.[16]

PJ Fire Co. truck, 2002.


Since the 1920s, the West Windsor and Princeton Junction fire companies have cooperated on a plethora of major emergencies. Although each monitors its own "half" of West Windsor, when a general alarm goes out, both rush to the scene.

Today, the Princeton Junction Fire Department plays an instrumental role in our community. Of course, they fight fires and perform other emergency services. However, like the West Windsor Volunteer Fire Co. No. 1, they also participate in myriad community events - from the cherished annual Pancake Breakfast to Santa’s Christmastime neighborhood drive-throughs community blood drives, and Chili Challenges. Their involvement in the National Night Out and actions during the COVID pandemic of the early 2020s further demonstrated their commitment to West Windsor.


Despite hundreds of yearly calls, the Princeton Junction Volunteer Fire Co. No. 1, like its counterpart in Dutch Neck, remains on top of emergencies within West Windsor. Generations after its formation, the organization continues to save lives, foster a sense of community, and demonstrate their invaluable dedication to our township.

PJ Fire Co. sticker, 1995.


Bibliography

https://www.westwindsorhistory.com/pjfireco.html