Highland Park in the 20th Century

Throughout the 1900s, Highland Park maintained a sophisticated, small-town atmosphere with a spirit of welcome despite its transient population. The town s qualities include good schools, modest housing on tree-lined streets, lively community events, local shops and merchants, and sensible government. Officially established in 1905, the nearly two-square-mile trolley suburb is located across the Raritan River from the city of New Brunswick, home of Rutgers University and Johnson & Johnson. Highland Park s population grew from 700 in 1905 to today s 14,000 residents as subdivisions took over farmland. The large apartment complexes built after World War II further consolidated the borough s residential nature. Individual buildings are showcased on these pages, but it is the many community events, such as soapbox derbies, parades, sporting contests, ribbon-cutting ceremonies, and dramatic productions, that demonstrate Highland Park s community pride."