I get many pictures and notes related to Blawenburg from readers of my blog. Thank you! These have been very helpful in building the history of Blawenburg. In this blog, I will share some of these treasures along with comments. I hope some of these graphics will trigger memories for you.
If you find it challenging to orient yourself on the aerial photos, you aren’t alone. They are both taken from the north facing south.
This picture of the intersection in Blawenburg was taken in 1974 along Great Road just south of Route 518. Notice the Dairy Queen on the left. It is long gone with a series of stores known as Blawenburg Village Square replacing it. Most of the other buildings in the picture are still there, but with some modification. For example, That Foreign Car Place was replaced by New World Pizza. The old gas station was rebuilt with stores on the ground level and apartments above. There were no traffic lights at the intersection of Routes 518 and 601 (aka Great Road) when this photo was taken. The open field below the Dairy Queen and across from the home on the bottom right is still open, but the rest of the field that you can’t see became the Cherry Valley Golf Course and homes.
Another View of Blawenburg
South
North
Do you recognize any buildings in this aerial picture of the Blawenburg intersection? It was probably taken in the 1940s or 50s.
Former Businesses of Blawenburg
These business ads were clipped from Montgomery High School yearbooks in the 1970s, the school’s first decade.
May Agency 1979
The May family had a convenience store and gas station fronting on Route 601 near the corner of Route 518 in the 1930s. Years later, Everett May Sr. started the May Agency in what had been a home on Route 518. Everett Jr. took over the business. The building on Route 518, just east of the Blawenburg intersection still serves as a business today.
BC Gas 1978
B.C. Gas was located near the door on the right below the flat roof.
In the 1970s there were two gas stations facing Route 601 just north of the Blawenburg intersection — the old Sunoco station pictured below and B.C. Gas owned by John Aubert. During the gas crisis in 1973, the line of cars waiting for gas extended from the Blawenburg intersection east past the church.
Aubert went on to create a software business and partnered with Michael Bloomberg, to expand the Bloomberg financial advisement company. This partnership is likely the reason they built the Bloomberg complex in Montgomery. Aubert ran the Montgomery branch of the business on Route 518 across from Opossum Road for many years. Bloomberg went on to be a three-term mayor of New York City.
The “other” gas station was located in very close to B.C. Gas.
This picture is from a much earlier era; note the 1930s car near the pumps.
Seitz Brothers - 1978
The Seitz brothers had their auto repair business in a former Sunoco station pictured above on Route 601. Note that the road was called Blawenburg-Belle Mead Road at the time.The building was rennovated to become businesses on the ground level with apartments above.
Remodeled gas station today.
Blawenburg Luncheonette - 1974
Over the years, there were several luncheonettes and convenience stores near the Blawenburg intersection that served local residents as well as employees of the North Princeton Development Center (aka State Epileptic Village). The luncheonette advertised here was owned by Jimmy Ajamian. It was located at the Blawenburg intersection on the northeast corner in the same building that was used for B.C. Gas.
Dairy Queen 1972
The Dairy Queen was Blawenburg’s only franchised restaurant ever! It’s first owner was Bill Wellemeyer, who successfully ran it until the late 1970s. The new owner, Adrian Johnston, chose not to continue the franchise and renamed the business the Hilltop Restaurant. It continued to be a popular location for fast food and ice cream until the 1990s, when it was torn down along with two houses to make room for Blawenburg Village Square.
See Blog 21, Sweet Memories at the DQ for more information.
Lewis and Smith 1978
Many people had Cub Cadet lawn mowers in Blawenburg. They bought them and had them serviced at Lewis and Smith, which was located in a building on the property where the Van Zandt Company was located. It is the site of the Princeton Elks club today.
Princeton Elks
An Overview of Blawenburg
SOUTH
NORTH
This aerial photo of Broad View (Van Zandt) Farm and surrounding areas was taken more than 50 years ago. The picture was taken on the north side of Blawenburg facing south.
See if you can find these locations beginning on the north side of the picture.
1. Montgomery High School – The open fields on the lower right are where the high school is today.
2. Route 601 (formerly Blawenburg-Belle Mead Road) runs diagonally in the lower part of the picture. Along 601 close to the high school field is a barn that still exists today. It was part of the Village for Epileptics.
3. SAVE Animal Shelter – Just east of the old barn is the current animal shelter. It was the home/farm of James Van Zandt beginning in the late 19th century.
4. Camp Van Zandt – The area used for camping by the Boy Scouts of Troop 46 is near the dense patch of trees near the center of the picture.
5. Route 518 – Georgetown-Franklin Turnpike – This prmary east-west road through Blawenburg appears as a dark line just above the center of the picture.
6. Cherry Valley Country Club – The empty fields south of Route 518 (upper part of the picture) were developed into homes and a golf course in the 1990s.
7. Great Road – This primary road, which was built as an access road to Michael Blaw’s mill, runs between Blawenburg and Princeton on the left side of the picture.
If you have memories of businesses, residents, or properties in or related to Blawenburg, please share them at blawenburgtales@gmail.com or on blog comments.
Sources
Pictures
Blawenburg from Great Road – Ken Chrusz
Yearbook ads – Ken Chrusz
Aerial photo of Blawenburg intersection – Larry May
Building on northeast corner of Blawenburg intersection – Dave Cochran
Sunoco station – Larry May
Remodeled gas station – Dave Cochran
Hilltop Restaurant – Clem Fiori
Princeton Elks – Dave Cochran
Aerial photo of Blawenburg/Broad View Farm – Dick Van Zandt
Editor—Barb Reid
Copyright © 2023 by David Cochran. All rights reserved.
Email: blawenburgtales@gmail.com
Website: http://www.blawenburgtales.com
Author site: http://www.dcochran.net