Princeton Junction, New Jersey

Princeton Junction is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP)<ref>State of New Jersey Census Designated Places - BVP20 - Data as of January 1, 2020, United States Census Bureau. Accessed December 1, 2022.</ref> located within West Windsor township, Mercer County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey.<ref>New Jersey: 2010 - Population and Housing Unit Counts - 2010 Census of Population and Housing (CPH-2-32), United States Census Bureau, August 2012. Accessed November 20, 2012.</ref><ref>Locality Search, State of New Jersey. Accessed April 19, 2015.</ref> As of the 2020 census, the CDP's population was 2,475.<ref name=Census2020/>

History

The earliest known photograph of the Princeton Junction Train Station - c. 1870s

The earliest known photograph of the Princeton Junction train station - c. 1870s. The station building was originally located on the northwest side of the railroad tracks.

Following the mid-1860s relocation of the Camden & Amboy rail line from next to the Delaware & Raritan Canal to the present location of the Northeast Corridor, and the subsequent construction of a train station south of the intersection of Washington Road and the new rail line, a community called "Princeton Junction" developed. This community originally featured several farmhouses, a hotel, a general store, a feed mill, and several other businesses centered around the intersection of Station Drive and Washington Road, profiting off of access to other cities provided by the rail line.<ref name=":0">Template:Cite web</ref>

The construction of the neighborhood of Berrien City (focused around Scott Avenue, Alexander Road, and Berrien Avenue) starting in the 1910s represented West Windsor's first planned development. Following the reconstruction of the Washington Road railroad bridge in 1939, the business center of the community shifted to the intersection of Washington Road and Cranbury Road, where a lumber yard, service station, liquor store, strip mall, several gas stations, and several more businesses operated for decades.<ref name=":0" />

Following World War II, the Princeton Junction population grew with the construction of residential developments such as Sherbrooke Estates, Windsor Chase, and Wellington Estates.<ref name=":0" />

Princeton Junction is currently the proposed site of a "transit village" to be built northwest of the train station.<ref name=":0" />

In October 2019, the Historical Society of West Windsor published an online museum exploring the history of West Windsor - including that of Princeton Junction.<ref name=":0" />

Geography

File:Princeton Junction, NJ along CR 615.jpg

Typical neighborhood in Princeton Junction, photo taken along Cranbury Road (County Route 615)

Princeton Junction is in eastern Mercer County, in the northern part of West Windsor Township. The northeastern boundary of the community is the Millstone River, across which is Plainsboro Township in Middlesex County. Bear Brook, a tributary of the Millstone, forms the eastern border of Princeton Junction, and the CDP extends north as far as U.S. Route 1. Trenton, the state capital, is Template:Convert to the southwest, the borough of Princeton is Template:Convert to the northwest, and New Brunswick is Template:Convert to the northeast. Part of the Berrien City development is in the southwest corner of the CDP.

Princeton Junction's name comes from the train station of the same name, now on the Amtrak and New Jersey Transit Northeast Corridor. The station is the junction between this main line and a spur served by the "Dinky" train, run by New Jersey Transit, to Princeton itself.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the Princeton Junction CDP has a total area of Template:Convert, including Template:Convert of land and Template:Convert of water (1.72%).<ref name="CenPopGazetteer2023"/>

Demographics

2010 census

The 2010 United States census counted 2,465 people, 921 households, and 696 families in the CDP. The population density was Template:Convert. There were 940 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. The racial makeup was 74.81% (1,844) White, 2.43% (60) Black or African American, 0.16% (4) Native American, 18.62% (459) Asian, 0.00% (0) Pacific Islander, 1.42% (35) from other races, and 2.56% (63) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.44% (134) of the population.<ref name=Census2010>DP-1 - Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data for Princeton Junction CDP, New Jersey Template:Webarchive, United States Census Bureau. Accessed November 20, 2012.</ref>

Of the 921 households, 35.0% had children under the age of 18; 68.6% were married couples living together; 5.4% had a female householder with no husband present and 24.4% were non-families. Of all households, 20.8% were made up of individuals and 11.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.66 and the average family size was 3.08.<ref name=Census2010/>

25.0% of the population were under the age of 18, 4.6% from 18 to 24, 23.0% from 25 to 44, 30.6% from 45 to 64, and 16.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43.3 years. For every 100 females, the population had 95.3 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 90.2 males.<ref name=Census2010/>

2000 census

As of the 2000 United States Census<ref name="GR2" /> there were 2,382 people, 842 households, and 681 families living in the CDP. The population density was Template:Convert. There were 858 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. The racial makeup of the CDP was 86.99% White, 2.02% African American, 0.13% Native American, 8.86% Asian, 0.76% from other races, and 1.26% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.06% of the population.<ref name=Census2000>DP-1 - Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2000 from the Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data for Princeton Junction CDP, New Jersey Template:Webarchive, United States Census Bureau. Accessed November 20, 2012.</ref>

There were 842 households, out of which 41.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 71.0% were married couples living together, 7.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 19.1% were non-families. 15.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.82 and the average family size was 3.14.<ref name=Census2000/>

In the CDP the population was spread out, with 28.3% under the age of 18, 4.0% from 18 to 24, 27.8% from 25 to 44, 28.9% from 45 to 64, and 11.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.4 males.<ref name=Census2000/>

The median income for a household in the CDP was $116,668, and the median income for a family was $127,617. Males had a median income of $100,000 versus $58,750 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $44,113. None of the families and 1.5% of the population were living below the poverty line, including no under eighteens and 5.3% of those over 64.<ref name=Census2000/>

Business and industry

The turn of the century saw the closure of Lick-It ice cream, a tiny kiosk-like yellow building that served ice cream to walk-in and drive-through customers, always including a trademark nonpareil in the ice cream. The site is now occupied by PNC Bank opened in 2006.<ref>"Building & Product Are Green", Community News, December 1, 2006. Accessed December 18, 2023. "On the corner lot where the popular Lick-It ice cream stand once stood, PNC Bank is opening its new West Windsor branch, at 38 Princeton-Hightstown Road, with a community celebration featuring a free money giveaway, celebrity guest Joe Morris, former running back of the New York Giants, free food, and prizes."</ref>

In 2009, Princeton Junction saw the closure of an Acme Supermarket, which had been an anchor tenant in the Windsor Plaza Shopping Center for nearly 40 years; the Template:Convert store closed in the face of the opening of larger and more modern supermarkets nearby.<ref>"Acme supermarket is closing after 39 years in West Windsor", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, April 18, 2009. Accessed December 18, 2023. "A key tenant is moving out of a shopping center that was the focus of much redevelopment talk during the township's recent planning for a town center in Princeton Junction. Acme Markets confirmed this week it is closing its 39-year-old supermarket on Princeton-Hightstown Road. The 33,000 square foot market, which will be shuttered on May 7, has been dwarfed by bigger supermarkets that have emerged in West Windsor and Lawrence over the past decade."</ref>

Some residents blame the "deterioration" of the central Princeton Junction area on a lack of political consensus.<ref name=2009Article>Template:Cite news</ref>

Education

All of West Windsor, including Princeton Junction, is served by the West Windsor-Plainsboro Regional School District.<ref>2020 Census - School District Reference Map: Mercer County, United States Census Bureau. Accessed September 24, 2024.</ref>

Notable people

Template:Category see also People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Princeton Junction include:

• Kevin Barry (born 1978), baseball playerTemplate:Citation needed
• Douglas Forrester (born 1953), former gubernatorial candidateTemplate:Citation needed
• Ethan Hawke (born 1970), actor<ref>Spiegel, Phyllis. "The Sun Rises on Ethan Hawke", U.S. 1, July 5, 2006. Accessed July 22, 2016. "Now 36, Ethan Hawke, who grew up in Princeton Junction, is an Academy Award-nominated movie star, a director, the author of two novels, and he has appeared in several major stage productions."</ref>
• Matt Lalli (born 1986), professional lacrosse player for the Boston Cannons of Major League Lacrosse<ref>Matt Lalli, Colgate Raiders men's lacrosse. Accessed September 21, 2015. "Hometown: Princeton Junction, N.J. High School: West Windsor Plainsboro... Born on March 27, 1986 in Princeton, N.J."</ref>
• Ben H. Love (1930–2010), eighth Chief Scout Executive of the Boy Scouts of America, serving from 1985 to 1993<ref>Staff. "Jersey Man to Head Scouts", The New York Times, October 21, 1984. Accessed November 21, 2012. "Mr. Love, who is 54 years old and lives in Princeton Junction, N.J., has headed the organization's Northeast region, based in Dayton, N.J."</ref>
• James Murphy (born 1970), singer, songwriter, DJ, electronic musician (as LCD Soundsystem)<ref>"LCD Soundsystem's James Murphy on Bringing Back New York's Disco Days – New York Magazine"</ref>
• John Forbes Nash Jr. (1928–2015), mathematician<ref>Blakinger, Mary. "After 30 Years, He Beat A Disease Winner Of Nobel Prize Has Another Amazing Feat.", The Philadelphia Inquirer, October 9, 2000. Accessed November 21, 2012. "These days, Nash, who lives in Princeton Junction, is a senior research mathematician at Princeton University."</ref>
• Bryan Singer (born 1965), film director, writer and producer<ref>Weinraub, Bernard. "FILM; An Unusual Choice for the Role of Studio Superhero", The New York Times, July 9, 2000. Accessed November 21, 2012. "As a child, Mr. Singer grew up in Princeton Junction, N.J."</ref><ref>Longsdorf, Amy. "Suspects Director Twists The Twist"Template:Dead linkTemplate:Cbignore, The Morning Call, September 10, 1995. Accessed November 21, 2012. "Though Suspects is set in New York and Los Angeles, Singer is a Jersey boy through and through. He grew up in Princeton Junction, the adopted son of an environmental activist mom and Maidenform exec dad."</ref>

Note

• Christopher McQuarrie (born 1968), screenwriter, was born either in Princeton Junction, where he was raised, or in nearby Princeton. Different sources — and in the case of All Movie Guide, the same source — give both places. Note that Princeton Junction has no hospital.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>