Hopelawn, New Jersey
Encyclopedia
Hopelawn is an unincorporated area within Woodbridge Township
in Middlesex County
, New Jersey
.
Luther Martin Hope, who was born at Modestown, Virginia, June 9, 1839, and came as a young man to Brooklyn, New York, and thence, later, to Perth Amboy, New Jersey.
For many years he carried on a mercantile business at the last named place, but during the latter years of his life retired and made his home on the what was known as the old Billy Watson's farm, now "Hopelawn," in Perth Amboy, his death occurring there January 25, 1907.
Hopelawn was originally two communities Ellendale Terrace from May Street south to New Brunswick Avenue and Hopelawn from May Steet north to West Pound Road sections such as Washington Heights, the area of Pennsylvania Ave. and Gardens State Parkway and Florida Grove along Florida Grove Rd. from West Pound Rd. to Lee St.
Hopelawn was famous for its abundance of high quality clay. The Such Clay Company and the McHose Clay Company extracted clay from the area south of New Brunswick Avenue, west of Florida Grove Road, from Hopelawn to Keasbey
. This area was referred to as "The Clay Banks". The Clay Banks contained several "Old Fashion Swimming Holes" and "Fishing Ponds" as well as the only baseball field in town until the baseball field next to #10 School was built in the late 1940s.
There were two sets of railroad tracks that crossed the Hopelawn Clay Banks, east to west. The rail line originated in Pennsylvania and terminated in Perth Amboy
and was operated by the Lehigh Valley Railroad
.
In the late 1930s and 40s, Hopelawn was the home of a Semi Pro Football team known as the "Hopelawn Greyhounds". The games against the "Woodbridge Golden Bears" were legendary. The team disbanded because of World War II. After the war many of the "Greyhound" (Maroon and Grey) players joined and went on to star with the "Golden Bears" (Gold and Black) owned and coached by Tony Caceola.
Mary C. Fee, teacher and school principal, served the residents of Hopelawn from 1919-1969 at Hopelawn's only school, Elementary School #10. After her retirement a street was named in her honor, Mary C. Fee Lane, adjacent to the school. The school is no longer in operation. A library in the basement of the building remained until the property was purchased and sold in the 1990s. The building is now a functioning church.
Although Hopelawn is within the borders of the Township of Woodbridge, it uses the same ZIP Code
, 08861, as the neighboring City of Perth Amboy
.
The first headquarters was in Ed O'Brien's barber shop on Florida Grove Road and the equipment was one dozen buckets. The first fire, a few weeks after organizing, was about a half mile at Al Black's farm, All the members responded, running with their buckets to put out the hay barn fire. Buckets were used until 1916 when the Fords fire commissioners purchased a chemical wagon which was pulled by manpower
The next fire was at the McHose building on the corner of Florida Grove Road and New Brunswick Avenue, and the firemen were able to save the building.
New equipment was purchased and housed in Barrett's barn on the corner of Florida Grove Road- and May Street. An alarm system consisting of a locomotive wheel and hammer was also set up at this site. In 1918 lots were purchased at the on the corner of May and Charles Streets and the building was erected in 1921. Hopelawn’s first fire chief was John Janclsko.
The Hopelawn First Aid Squad was organized in 1937 by the Hopelawn Engine Co #1. The first elected officers elected were: Will Hettiger, President: Frank Kaminaky, vice-president; Frank Sabo, secretary-treasurer; John Zudonyl, Simon Budzek and William Bagdi trustees. Other members of squad were; Frank Bayuk, John Csik, Anton Pollack and Paul Simon. it has since merged with the Woodbridge Township Ambulance and Rescue Squad.
Joe Heintjes- For the largest puppy collection :)
Brian Turcotte- The Longest Reigning Fire Chief..."a reign of terror"
Woodbridge Township, New Jersey
-Communities:Many distinct communities exist within Woodbridge Township. Several of these communities have their own ZIP codes, and many are listed by the United States Census Bureau as census-designated places, but they are all unincorporated areas and neighborhoods within the Township that,...
in Middlesex County
Middlesex County, New Jersey
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 750,162 people, 265,815 households, and 190,855 families residing in the county. The population density was 2,422 people per square mile . There were 273,637 housing units at an average density of 884 per square mile...
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
.
History
Hopelawn was the homestead and farm of Luther M. Hope in the 19th century. After its incorporation, the original streets were named after Luther Hope's children (Juliette, Loretta, May, Luther, Lee, Warren, James, Howard, Clyde, John, Ellen, Charles, Herbert, Erin, Emmitt, William). Originally called Hope's Lawn, it was later shortened to Hopelawn.Luther Martin Hope, who was born at Modestown, Virginia, June 9, 1839, and came as a young man to Brooklyn, New York, and thence, later, to Perth Amboy, New Jersey.
For many years he carried on a mercantile business at the last named place, but during the latter years of his life retired and made his home on the what was known as the old Billy Watson's farm, now "Hopelawn," in Perth Amboy, his death occurring there January 25, 1907.
Hopelawn was originally two communities Ellendale Terrace from May Street south to New Brunswick Avenue and Hopelawn from May Steet north to West Pound Road sections such as Washington Heights, the area of Pennsylvania Ave. and Gardens State Parkway and Florida Grove along Florida Grove Rd. from West Pound Rd. to Lee St.
Hopelawn was famous for its abundance of high quality clay. The Such Clay Company and the McHose Clay Company extracted clay from the area south of New Brunswick Avenue, west of Florida Grove Road, from Hopelawn to Keasbey
Keasbey, New Jersey
Keasbey is a small unincorporated area located within Woodbridge Township in Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States. It is located on the western outskirt of Perth Amboy, a city made up, increasingly since the 1960s, of mostly Latinos...
. This area was referred to as "The Clay Banks". The Clay Banks contained several "Old Fashion Swimming Holes" and "Fishing Ponds" as well as the only baseball field in town until the baseball field next to #10 School was built in the late 1940s.
There were two sets of railroad tracks that crossed the Hopelawn Clay Banks, east to west. The rail line originated in Pennsylvania and terminated in Perth Amboy
Perth Amboy, New Jersey
Perth Amboy is a city in Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States. The City of Perth Amboy is part of the New York metropolitan area. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 50,814. Perth Amboy is known as the "City by the Bay", referring to Raritan Bay.-Name:The Lenape...
and was operated by the Lehigh Valley Railroad
Lehigh Valley Railroad
The Lehigh Valley Railroad was one of a number of railroads built in the northeastern United States primarily to haul anthracite coal.It was authorized April 21, 1846 in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and incorporated September 20, 1847 as the Delaware, Lehigh, Schuylkill and Susquehanna Railroad...
.
In the late 1930s and 40s, Hopelawn was the home of a Semi Pro Football team known as the "Hopelawn Greyhounds". The games against the "Woodbridge Golden Bears" were legendary. The team disbanded because of World War II. After the war many of the "Greyhound" (Maroon and Grey) players joined and went on to star with the "Golden Bears" (Gold and Black) owned and coached by Tony Caceola.
Mary C. Fee, teacher and school principal, served the residents of Hopelawn from 1919-1969 at Hopelawn's only school, Elementary School #10. After her retirement a street was named in her honor, Mary C. Fee Lane, adjacent to the school. The school is no longer in operation. A library in the basement of the building remained until the property was purchased and sold in the 1990s. The building is now a functioning church.
Although Hopelawn is within the borders of the Township of Woodbridge, it uses the same ZIP Code
ZIP Code
ZIP codes are a system of postal codes used by the United States Postal Service since 1963. The term ZIP, an acronym for Zone Improvement Plan, is properly written in capital letters and was chosen to suggest that the mail travels more efficiently, and therefore more quickly, when senders use the...
, 08861, as the neighboring City of Perth Amboy
Perth Amboy, New Jersey
Perth Amboy is a city in Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States. The City of Perth Amboy is part of the New York metropolitan area. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 50,814. Perth Amboy is known as the "City by the Bay", referring to Raritan Bay.-Name:The Lenape...
.
Hopelawn Volunteer Engine Co. #1
Hopelawn Engine Co. No. 1 was organized December 3, 1914, as the Hopelawn Fire Department No. 1. It’s charter members were L. Black, A. Matthew, F. Blum, T. Dwyer, P. Peterson, M. Kochick, O. H. Barrett, P. Matthew, L. Matthews and B. Horowltz.The first headquarters was in Ed O'Brien's barber shop on Florida Grove Road and the equipment was one dozen buckets. The first fire, a few weeks after organizing, was about a half mile at Al Black's farm, All the members responded, running with their buckets to put out the hay barn fire. Buckets were used until 1916 when the Fords fire commissioners purchased a chemical wagon which was pulled by manpower
The next fire was at the McHose building on the corner of Florida Grove Road and New Brunswick Avenue, and the firemen were able to save the building.
New equipment was purchased and housed in Barrett's barn on the corner of Florida Grove Road- and May Street. An alarm system consisting of a locomotive wheel and hammer was also set up at this site. In 1918 lots were purchased at the on the corner of May and Charles Streets and the building was erected in 1921. Hopelawn’s first fire chief was John Janclsko.
The Hopelawn First Aid Squad was organized in 1937 by the Hopelawn Engine Co #1. The first elected officers elected were: Will Hettiger, President: Frank Kaminaky, vice-president; Frank Sabo, secretary-treasurer; John Zudonyl, Simon Budzek and William Bagdi trustees. Other members of squad were; Frank Bayuk, John Csik, Anton Pollack and Paul Simon. it has since merged with the Woodbridge Township Ambulance and Rescue Squad.
Notable residents
- Lou CreekmurLou CreekmurLouis Creekmur was an NFL left offensive tackle/guard for the Detroit Lions from 1950-59. He was also used as a defensive lineman in critical situations...
, a 1996 inductee of the Pro Football Hall of FamePro Football Hall of FameThe Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees...
in Canton, OhioCanton, OhioCanton is the county seat of Stark County in northeastern Ohio, approximately south of Akron and south of Cleveland.The City of Caton is the largest incorporated area within the Canton-Massillon Metropolitan Statistical Area...
. Creekmur played for Woodbridge High School, College of William and MaryCollege of William and MaryThe College of William & Mary in Virginia is a public research university located in Williamsburg, Virginia, United States...
, and for ten years as an offensive lineman with the Detroit LionsDetroit LionsThe Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
. He was selected to play in eight Pro BowlPro BowlIn professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
s. Creekmur was also a radio broadcaster for the Miami DolphinsMiami DolphinsThe Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
.
Joe Heintjes- For the largest puppy collection :)
Brian Turcotte- The Longest Reigning Fire Chief..."a reign of terror"