“We hold these truths to be self-evident” – familiar words for any American. To celebrate America’s 247^th birthday, town leaders from Allentown and Upper Freehold Township will join members of the community to publicly read the Declaration of Independence once again this July 4^th.  All are welcome to witness the event at 9 a.m., Tuesday, July 4, 2023 in Pete Sensi Park, Main Street in Allentown. The event is free; refreshments will be served.

The first public reading of the Declaration of Independence was held in Philadelphia on July 8, 1776, and other readings were held later that same day in Trenton and Easton, Pa. Adopted by Congress on July 4, 1776, copies of the document were printed and sent by messengers to be distributed throughout the newly-founded 13 states.  At the time, Allentown, NJ was a village frequented by many travelers en route from Philadelphia to New York.  It is likely that the Declaration was proclaimed in 1776 from very close to the same site at which it will be read 247 years later on July 4, 2023.

The reading is free and sponsored by The Allentown Village Initiative (TAVI).  For more information, please call the McCormicks at (609) 208-9991.

The post Public Invited to Reading of Declaration of Independence Allentown NJ Relives Colonial Past on July 4th first appeared on The Source.

A legal complaint has recently been filed in Superior Court-Mercer County challenging the Robbinsville Township Land Use Board’s site plan decision to approve a massive warehouse complex at Mercer Corporate Park.  In late March 2023 the Robbinsville Land Use Board approved the proposed site plan.  Currently the proposal has not yet received approval for several NJDEP permits and each of several Land Use Board decisions are under Court appeal.  The legal complaint was filed by TASC, the Alliance for Sustainable Communities, which includes members from Allentown, Ewing, Hamilton, Hightstown, Robbinsville and Upper Freehold, as well as Allentown Borough.

Mercer Corporate Park is a 90-acre tract located in Robbinsville Township adjacent to the State Plan-designated Historic Village and National and State Historic District of Allentown, NJ.  During the Covid epidemic, in a one-night remote hearing (where the public was unable to speak until after 10 pm) on February 23, 2021, the Robbinsville Zoning Board approved a zoning variance to permit warehouse use on the property. The approval of this zoning change followed the Township’s approval of its revised Master Plan in June 2020 (only eight months earlier).  Johnson Development Associates of Spartanburg, South Carolina then made an application to build over 500,000 square feet of warehouse covering nearly 50 percent of the site with impervious surfaces, apparently on speculation.

In November of 2022, the Robbinsville Zoning Board approved subdivision of the property into three parcels, one each for the two proposed warehouse buildings and the third for the existing office building.

Immediately downstream of the proposed warehouses is the Indian Run floodplain in which sit numerous Allentown residential properties as well as the Allentown Borough Water Treatment facility.  Since the Matrix Park development in Robbinsville Township was completed upstream of these Allentown properties on Indian Run many long-time property owners have now been required by FEMA to carry flood insurance due to the increased flooding risk.  The Water Treatment facility has flooded twice due to watershed stormwater runoff to Indian Run. The proposed warehouse project is expected to increase the flood risk for property owners including Allentown Borough.

Mercer Corporate Park is one of New Jersey’s top birding hotspots with 200 bird species observed there, according to the Cornell University Laboratory of Ornithology database, including several threatened and endangered species, i.e. American Bald Eagle, Great Blue Heron, Northern Harrier, and Osprey.

The applicant presented information on stormwater, water quality and groundwater recharge as well as traffic and noise.  The objectors, TASC and the Borough of Allentown, provided information and arguments on all of these areas, but the public and the objectors were not permitted to provide expert testimony on wildlife and wetlands, which provide habitat for the endangered and threatened species on the property.

The post Allentown and Neighboring Municipality Residents Fight Warehouse Proposal first appeared on The Source.

By Guest Contributor Tom Robbins

On June 28^th, 1778, the Battle of Monmouth was a turning point for the American Continental Army.  At Valley Forge, the previous winter, General Stueben drilled the Americans in battlefield tactics which resulted in a draw at Monmouth.

The British had evacuated from Philadelphia on June 18^th and started their march across New Jersey enroute to New York City. They gave up Philadelphia after taking the city in September 1777 due to the French joining the Americans. General Clinton wished to avoid a French blockade in the lower Delaware that would cut off his supply route. The march, consisting of thousands of British and Hessian troops along with their camp followers and baggage train, instilled fear in the New Jersey residents along the route since the British would burn and pillage homes and property.

Now, in 2023, a new battle is brewing at one stop the British made on their way to Monmouth – a warehouse development is proposed for a farm that was once my sixth great-grandfather’s – Aaron Robins. It is located south of I-195 outside Allentown, New Jersey and close to the New Jersey Turnpike.

Aaron was an original settler in the area and the land where the British camped remained in the family until 1803 when it was sold to Samuel Rogers by the heirs of Randal Robbins, Sr., Aaron’s grandson, and my 4^th great-grandfather.

Randal was the middle child of Samuel Robins and Margert Page and was the first to spell his name “Robbins”. He was born May 27, 1739 and died April 19, 1798.  He is buried in the Ye Olde Robbins Burial Place off Route 524 in Upper Freehold, approximately six miles east of Allentown. Nathan Robbins, his older brother, was a trustee for the first deed that set aside an acre of land for the Robbins family to bury their loved ones.

Randal married Abigail Rogers and had nine children – Timothy, George, Sarah, Charlotte, Mary, Abigail, Randal, Jr., Rebecca, and Susannah.   Abigail died in 1785 and Randal married her younger sister, Rebecca.  They had five sons – Joseph, Samuel, Charles, Aaron, and Enoch.  Joseph had a tailor shop in Allentown and was the grandfather of Charles Robbins Hutchinson who documented the Robbins and other local families.

Randal inherited the tracts where the Reed Sod farm is located and the property across the road, now in question, from his father Samuel Robins, Aaron’s son. Randal’s house was originally located at York and Stagecoach Road, but he moved it to where the Reed Sod farm outbuildings stand today south of I-195. Charles Hutchinson described the house in his writings “as a large red frame building, showing decided marks of age when it was torn down about 1860, by J. Wesley Jones, who then owned the farm, and who erected the present dwelling on the same foundation.”

In 1785, Randal’s brother, Aaron, received the other half of the property slated for development from his uncle Aaron Robins. He was the third owner and sold the tract to John Silver in 1797. Silver then sold it to Samuel Rogers who eventually bought Randal’s tract. He sold both parcels to Asher Borden in 1803. However, when the British camped there for a night on June 24^th, 1778, both tracts were owned by members of the Robbins family – Randal and Uncle Aaron.

Randal served in the First Regiment of the Monmouth Milita under Captain Robert Rhea with his brothers – Aaron, Samuel, and Nathan.  Rhea’s militia helped Captain Joshua Huddy, a local Monmouth County hero, escape from the Loyalists. Rhea’s men shot Huddy by accident, but he survived and escaped with them.  Rhea’s men also wounded Colonel Tye, a former slave who served in the Black Brigade and led the attack on Huddy. Tye died shortly afterwards from gangrene and tetanus.  Huddy was later recaptured and hanged.

Randal’s sister Lydia, married Thomas Fowler, who was a Loyalist and created his own havoc in Monmouth County. Fowler fled to Nova Scotia with other Loyalists after the war, but left his wife and children in New Jersey.

While stopped at Allentown, the British decided to reorder their convoy, moving their baggage train to the front of the column.  The baggage was vulnerable to attack since it contained the spoils from Philadelphia as well as loyalists clothing. 

Several skirmishes occurred while they were in Allentown including an engagement at Robert Montgomery’s farm – Eglinton – which was located on Route 524, Stagecoach Road, adjacent to Randal’s farm.

 Major Andre, who later in the war served as the British spymaster and conspired with General Benedict Arnold, stayed in Allentown on June 24^th in the house of Dr. Newell. He drew maps of the encampment showing the British and Hessian locations. Shrewsbury Road, which had traversed through Randal’s property, was closed and a new outlet was created at York Road along the border of Randal’s and Robert Montgomery’s line.  Major Andre’s map shows the new outlet and Randal’s house.

Today, residents are on the march in protest of warehouse development. Not just in Allentown, but in communities along the turnpike and other states as well.  Their weapons are placards, lawn signs, petitions, and loud voices. In Harford County, Maryland, legislation to limit warehouse development to 250K square feet is being proposed, but will not be sufficient to stop the traffic and pollution that comes with them. If allowed, warehouses will forever alter cherished natural and historic landscapes.

Thomas K. Robbins is the author of “A Mystery in the Woods – Ye Olde Robbins Burial Ground” and lives in Havre de Grace, MD.  He can be reached at tomrobbins@comcast.net.

1 Robins/Robbins Land 1778

2 British Encampment June 24th, 1778 at Allentown, NJ

Contemporary Navy ensemble’s free concert is October 8, 2023 at 3 pm

Allentown, NJ. “Rhode Island Sound,” the contemporary ensemble of the Navy Band Northeast, will present a free concert on Sunday, October 8, 2023 beginning at 3 pm behind Allentown Methodist Church, 23 Church St., Allentown, NJ. In case of rain, the concert will be held on the same date and time in the Allentown High School Auditorium at 27 High Street, Allentown, NJ 08501.

The band is coming to Allentown at the invitation of The Allentown Village Initiative (TAVI) through its “Allentown Arts” program, a series of performances and exhibits throughout the year designed to highlight the artistry of Allentown and Upper Freehold in the historic setting of the village of Allentown.  Allentown Arts is made possible through the generosity of our community as well as a grant from Monmouth Arts, a partner of the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, and the Monmouth County Board of County Commissioners.

Rhode Island Sound performs music ranging from classic rock to today’s Billboard Top-40 hits, delighting audiences of all ages with their musical versatility and showmanship. Their impressive energy and musical professionalism are sure to inspire patriotism and pride in our great nation! Established in 1974, Navy Band Northeast is based at Naval Station Newport and is one of 11 official U.S. Navy bands worldwide, providing musical support for military ceremonies, recruiting, morale and retention programs, and community relations.

TAVI (The Allentown Village Initiative) is a 501(c)(3) volunteer driven group which is working diligently to improve the quality of life in and around Allentown. Visit www.allentownvinj.org today to learn about – and become a part of — TAVI’s many ongoing projects. Call (609) 208-9991 if you need more information or email mccormicknj@aol.com

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Family-Owned Robbinsville Company Celebrates Its 100th Anniversary

ROBBINSVILLE, N.J. — The moving and storage industry has changed dramatically in the last 100 years since Bohren’s Moving & Storage Company opened for business in 1924 with one Model T Ford truck based at a small warehouse on Chambers Street in Princeton. But through four generations of family ownership, the company has demonstrated its resilience, savvy and foresight, looking for new opportunities while also adapting to many changes over the past century.

In this 100th year of operation for Bohren’s United Van Lines, President Denise Hewitt and her father, Chairman of the Board Ted Froehlich, are grateful for their overwhelming success in the moving category. They are also thankful that decisions made over the decades to diversify the brand have allowed them to keep up with the times.

Hewitt, an Allentown, N.J., resident, and Froehlich, a Princeton resident, intend for 2024 to be a year of celebration and sharing with their employees, customers and the public. Over the year they’ll look back over the decades but also keep an eye on the future, an approach that has kept the business successful for so long.

In the beginning, E.L. Bohren delivered baggage for Princeton University students and did small moves with his Model T truck. By the second generation, Bohren’s son-in-law Warren Froehlich expanded the business and in 1955 became an agent of United Van Lines. His grandson Ted began working for Bohren’s every day after school when he was 12. By the time he was 17, he was driving trucks on routes from New York, Boston, or Pittsburgh to Washington D.C. on a regular basis.

When Ted Froehlich was 27, his dad passed away. Ted had three brothers, but none were interested in running the business. Ted was intrigued, even though his experiences at that point were limited to being a dispatcher, a claims adjuster and, of course, a truck driver. Seeing an opportunity to take on and shape the business, he stepped into the CEO role. He immediately hired management consultants to help him make the business more efficient and professional, the first of his many strategic and prescient decisions.

Another important key step to expanding and increasing the profitability of the company was to become a stockholder in United Van Lines (UVL). As a part owner of UVL, Froehlich and his business became eligible to make moves across the 48 states as well as Canada and Mexico. This made Bohren’s a major player in the moving and storage business as the firm moved families and commercial entities across the country. Throughout this period of growth, excellent service was always his top priority. Froehlich said it took 12 service members in a variety of jobs, from customer service, to sales, to crews, to provide outstanding customer service for every single household move.

Ted Froehlich with his daughters Louise and Denise at the ribbon cutting celebration of their Robbinsville opening.

Over time, he noted, a shortage of long-haul drivers was becoming a major issue for the industry.  It forced Bohren’s to re-evaluate some of the long-distance moving capabilities.  Local and tri-state moving and storage still remain a specialty today. 

In 1985 and 1989 respectively, Ted’s daughters Denise and Louise joined the business. Louise managed the Human Resources Department until her departure in 2021 to pursue other interests.  Denise worked in virtually every position in the company before she became President in 2002 and Ted became Chairman. 

Denise and her father quickly realized the benefits of Bohren’s being a woman-owned and operated business at that time, welcoming the opportunity to become certified as such by the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council the following year. That certification gave the company access to hundreds of corporate clients and government agencies providing a percentage of contracts to women- and minority-owned businesses.

Following in her father’s footsteps, Denise focused on increasing efficiency and expanding new opportunities. One example of that came as Bohren’s customers with residences in the Hamptons and Long Island inquired about the transport and storage of their art collections. Denise recognized the unique need for a trusted, reliable vendor and capitalized on the company’s strengths in those areas. Bohren’s Fine Art Transportation & Storage was created to handle the personal collections of their residential clients but quickly grew to service major art galleries and museums.

In the past century, Bohren’s has expanded from its original humble warehouse in Princeton to as many as five locations in New Jersey and Florida. But again, Froehlich’s instincts told him at a certain point that consolidation would make sense, and in 1999 the father-daughter team brought it all into one 12-acre facility at 3 Applegate in Robbinsville, where they operate today.

One hundred years in, Bohren’s has morphed from a single-owner shipper to Bohren’s Companies, encompassing three divisions: Bohren’s Moving & Storage, Bohren’s Fine Art Transportation, and Bohren’s Logistics. Their services range from household and commercial moving and storage, to trade shows, to transport and storage of art as well as high-valued electronic and medical equipment. Bohren’s has moved and/or stored everything from microwaves to Elvis Presley memorabilia, Andy Warhol art to Apache helicopters, and RCA communications satellites to Rothko sculptures.

The company is looking forward to what the leadership of the fifth generation will do to expand the future of Bohren’s into the next century.

Learn more by visiting bohrensmoving.com; bohrensfinearttransportation.com; bohrenslogistics.com.

And Celebrate Founding Father’s 279th Birthday

Allentown, NJ.  The Allentown Village Initiative (TAVI) is happy to welcome back the “ManalaPans,” an 18-piece steel pan drum ensemble, for a free concert on Saturday, May 18, 2024 at 3 pm behind Allentown Methodist Church, 23 Church Street, Allentown, NJ. The concert is also the first ever “Brearley Birthday Bash” celebrating the 279th birthday of David Brearley, an Allentown resident and attorney who served as an advisor to George Washington in the Revolutionary War and later wrote part of the U.S. Constitution and served as New Jersey’s first chief justice. The ensemble will perform island favorites on the lawn behind the church – attendees are welcome to bring a picnic; TAVI will have hotdogs available and provide complimentary birthday cake. The concert’s rain date is Saturday, June 1, 2024 at 3 pm in the same location.

The ManalaPans, under the direction of David Geltch, showcase advanced high school music students from local school districts, including Upper Freehold Regional, on professional hand-hammered steel pan drums. TAVI is bringing the full ensemble to Allentown to celebrate the students’ accomplishments as part of its “Allentown Arts” program, made possible through the generosity of our community as well as a grant from Monmouth Arts, a partner of the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, and the Monmouth County Board of County Commissioners. 

The Allentown Village Initiative (TAVI) is a volunteer-driven 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose focus is on local history education and historic preservation, natural resource protection, economic development, and the arts and culture.  A quaint and quiet town of 1,800 residents set apart from the bustle of urban New Jersey, Allentown is conveniently located just minutes from Exit 7a on the New Jersey Turnpike, one hour south of New York City, and less than an hour north of Philadelphia. For more information about this and other events, visit www.allentownvinj.org