By Jessica Ercolino, Staff Writer
ROBBINSVILLE —What’s in a name? Robbinsville Township residents, officials and merchants have a few ideas.
It has now been a year since former Washington Township residents approved a name change to Robbinsville, determined to set their Washington apart from the six others in New Jersey.
And officials and residents say it’s working. “Towns change names for a variety of reasons,” said Township Administrator Mary Caffrey. “Ours wasn’t to disassociate ourselves from an urban area — it was to eliminate confusion and stand out on our own, and we’re really starting to do that.”
In April, the township entered into a yearlong marketing project to “put Robbinsville on the map,” which included the creation of a logo and tagline — “Be at the center of it all.”
But Ms. Caffrey said the township was lucky enough to have the branding effort coincide with the Robbinsville Girls Little League softball team representing the township — and its new moniker — on a national stage.
The team, which won 37 straight games over two seasons, came within two outs of winning the Little League Softball World Series in Oregon on Aug. 13. The games were aired during primetime on ESPN.
”I think that sealed the deal for the audience to think of us as Robbinsville instead of Washington,” Ms. Caffrey said. “I remember watching the girls and seeing a family member take out a poster with our slogan on it on national television.”
”Now when you say Robbinsville, everyone knows exactly where you’re talking about,” said Township Council President Chris Ciaccio. “It’s really made a difference.”
The change has also helped the township create economic growth, a key goal for the township over the last few years, Ms. Ciaccio said.
”We’ve gone to economic development meetings in other towns and met with the (Mercer County) Chamber of Commerce, and people want to know what’s going on here,” she said. “This is something to attract new businesses and people. Everyone wants to be in Robbinsville now.”
Ms. Caffrey said the township’s marketing effort has helped keep Robbinsville relatively prosperous in poor economic times. “Lots of towns in New Jersey are canceling planning board meetings, but we continue to have commercial applications coming through,” she said. “(Times) may not be as perfect as they can be, but we have not seen a complete drop-off in activity and I have to believe there is some connection with the branding.”
The identity is not only attracting new businesses, but also making life a little easier for existing ones.
Ms. Ciaccio, who owns Tony’s Farm and Garden Center on Route 130 with her husband, said the new name has eliminated confusion for incoming deliveries.
”Before, I would say ‘Washington’ and the driver would call me and say, ‘I’m here in Gloucester County,’” she said. “I’d always have to say, ‘No! Mercer County!’ and direct them back up this way.”
There also are municipalities named Washington in Bergen, Burlington, Morris and Warren counties.
Ira Guttman, owner of Take 5 Gourmet in the Foxmoor development, said he had similar troubles before the name change, but has not had one misdirected shipment since.
Some residents expressed cost concerns when the change was proposed, but the Washington-to-Robbinsville transformation was relatively inexpensive, officials said. The township’s largest upfront cost was $796 for a new seal, and the rest of the changes were expected to take place over time, they said.
At this point, the township has gone through nearly all of its “Washington” supplies, and employees received Robbinsville business cards last week, Ms. Caffrey said. The ballots used in the Nov. 4 election also had the township’s new name on it.
Still, Robbinsville has a long way to go before completely shedding its Washington skin, she said. Robbinsville police uniforms are starting to have Robbinsville patches on them, but police cars will sport the new moniker as the fleet is turned over, which will likely take a full five years. Other vehicles and items with long shelf-life could take longer, too.
Some road signs also still say Washington. The New Jersey Department of Transportation is responsible for those on state roads — such as I-195 — officials said. A department spokesperson said earlier this year the signs still have “useful life” in them and will be replaced in due course if the township does not submit a request.
Ms. Caffrey said she understands the signs are relatively new, but that the proposed New Jersey Turnpike widening could be a “golden opportunity” to make a replacement request.
”If they widen the Turnpike, they’ll have to move a lot of signs,” she said. “We can piggyback it and we wouldn’t be adding any costs. It’d be the best time to make the pitch.”
Township Council unanimously voted to place the name change question on the November 2007 ballot after receiving a petition from resident Lewis Koushel, who died shortly after the change became official in January.
While the referendum overwhelmingly passed (1,816 to 693), there was a small movement weeks before the election to oppose the change. Still, locals say the opposition is waning.
”I was one of the ones who wasn’t sure whether I wanted the change or not,” said Ms. Ciaccio, a 28-year township resident. “But after working on it, I see now that it makes sense. It shows people who we are.”
Mr. Guttman said he had already been calling the township Robbinsville when he moved there three years ago. He supported the name change and said he doesn’t see a downside to it.
”It’s just nicer to say,” he said. “Robbinsville sounds like it has lovely birds —Washington sounds like it has ugly politicians.”

