Bridgewater WWII Veteran Fights To Preserve Township Land

BRIDGEWATER, NJ — Bridgewater resident Bob Vaucher is a fascinating man to say the least. He has lived in Bridgewater in the same house for 75 years, where his children were born and raised. He helped establish Somerset County’s first community college – Raritan Valley Community College. He helped create Bridgewater’s form of government of using a committee. He shaped the township’s Master Plan and helped create the township’s police department and Bridgewater-Raritan Regional School District.

If that wasn’t enough, Vaucher, who is 98, is also a WW II veteran who flew 117 combat missions and led 525 B-29s in the flyover over the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay which ended that war.

Now his mission is to fight to preserve a 35 acre tract of undeveloped land in Bridgewater as part of a promise to a dear friend and neighbor of his. Vaucher is asking residents to support him and help him in his mission.

The tract of land is known as the Wimple Homestead Estate, located in the center of Foothill Road, Twin Oaks Road and Steele Gap Road. Vaucher lives across the street from this property and had known the owner John Wemple for many, many years. Even helping to care for him in his later years.

Wemple had in his will that the land was never to be developed and was to stay as open space and preserved, but after his passing his will was over turned as he and his witness’ were declared incompetent.

Vaucher disputes this claim of Wemple being incompetent vehimentely.

“John must be still rolling in grave over this because he spent so much time trying to preserve it,” Vaucher said.

However, the land was eventually sold off to a private land speculator, Steven Lang of East Brunswick who was looking to sell the land to a home developer where 18 homes were proposed to be developed (asking $2.2 million).

Due to home values dropping, Lang has since changed his mind and is looking to sell the land back to Bridgewater Township. However, Bridgewater has not expressed interest in purchasing the land.

Vaucher noted the land would require zero maintenance from the township and could be used as an open space and for educational uses for local boy scouts, girl scouts, Sierra Club, and Bridgewater School students.

Now Vaucher is trying to garner as much support as possible from residents to help preserve the property. He started a petition that has 1,500 signatures including students in the district.

Adamsville School acknowledged the petition and generated close to 500 signatures. The petition was welcomed at Hillside School as well.

The fight to preserve the property is also being supported by many organizations and individuals including:

• D & R Greenway Land Trust
• NJ Conservation Foundation
• Crossroads of the American Revolution Association
• NJ DEP Natural & Historical Resources
• County of Somerset, Department of Public Works, Historical Sites Coordinator / Principal Planner, Land Acquisition
• National Parks Service
• Senator Robert Menendez
• Dr. Robert A Selig, Historian and Historical Consultant

The remaining problem is the money to buy back the land. The property is worth approximately $2.4 million, but that is negotiable, Vaucher said.

Vaucher has reached out to the town, county, state and political figures to try and get grant money or funding to help purchase the property back.

Additionally, the land may also be considered a part of history as there is evidence that George Washington may have camped there along his way from the Middlebrook encampment in the Martinsville section of town. This could also help with the preservation of the property through the National Park Service and Historical Society.

Vaucher is hoping with enough donations and support from signatures on the petition, the land can be bought back and preserved to honor his best friend’s last wish.

"We are hoping to raise a meaningful amount of money, so can go to the town with this information on the property and give the money to the town to buy the property back," Vaucher said.

For more information on the land and Vaucher’s mission visit https://Honorbob.Tumblr.com.

To sign the petition CLICK HERE.

To donate to the cause CLICK HERE.

(Photo by Alexis Tarrazi: Bob Vaucher)

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