Raritan Facts in 1906

-Raritan was still a municipality under Bridgewater — it would later get it’s independence in 1948. In 1906, Raritan was ruled by a board of commissioners. They met the first Monday of each month in the back of the firehouse. Abram Amerman was President and Frank Gallagher was Treasurer.

-The population of Raritan was around 3500.

-Like today, “Dukes Park” was a picnic and recreation area open to the public. However, the Dukes Park that was open to the public for picnics in 1906 was not the location in Bridgewater that we know today, but the Duke’s property in Hillsborough. Unfortunately, in later years, James Duke closed his land to the public after a group of rowdies refused to clean up their garbage.

-On hot days kids would swim in the Raritan River.

-A Public Library was available in Somerville on Maple Street. It required a charge of $2 for the year.

-Transportation was by train & trolley.
The trolley was the popular choice for local transportation. It had recently replaced the horse and buggy. This was a welcome improvement - as the streets were now much cleaner. Previously, horse manure had to be picked up constantly. Also, the horse urine gave the downtown area a constant stench.

-Cars were rare. At the start of 1906, drivers licenses were not even required. New Jersey was the first state to require drivers licenses. It was a state Senator from Raritan in 1906, Joseph Frelinghuysen, who sponsored the bill requiring that drivers have licenses & other car safety provisions.

-Social events were held in St. Bernard's Hall and St. Rocco's Hall.

-There were 3 local Newspapers. “Somerset Messenger”, “Somerset Democrat”, and “Unionist Gazette”. These papers would later merge and evolve into the newspaper we know today - “The Reporter”. In 1906 Newspapers could be purchased at “John Phillips Newsstand.”