Hillsborough Township is Turning Red, White, and Blue for America’s 250th Anniversary, and the Neighborhood Fire Hydrants are Leading the Charge.

What started as a local semiquincentennial project has turned into a display of community pride

HILLSBOROUGH, NJ – Driving through Hillsborough right now, you might hear a lot of car horns, but nobody is mad. Instead, drivers are leaning out their windows to cheer on a small army of neighbors transforming local fire hydrants with fresh coats of red, white, and blue paint.

Inspired by fond childhood memories of the 1976 Bicentennial, the town’s Semiquincentennial Fire Hydrant Initiative has taken off in a way no one expected. Alongside a patriotic house decorating contest, the project is part of a volunteer-led effort to get the community dressed up for America’s 250th anniversary ahead of the Fourth of July.

The initiative has quickly become a testament to Hillsborough's community spirit, complete with high-fives from passing cyclists, supportive honks from passing motorists, and neighbors introducing themselves across freshly-painted hydrants. It has also brought a few funny moments. In a couple of neighborhoods, residents called the police to check on the painters, leading to some great photos when the officers stayed to admire the work. In another spot, a painter lying flat on the grass for some precision brushwork gave a neighbor a scare, nearly resulting in an ambulance call before everyone shared a good laugh.

The entire project was pulled off without spending a single cent of taxpayer money. After a resident survey sparked the idea, the 250th Anniversary Planning Committee teamed up with New Jersey American Water for safety guidelines and Sherwin-Williams, which donated exterior paint. The 250th Anniversary Committee volunteers then spent over 10 hours after work manually pouring the paint into individual jars to build more than 200 free kits for residents.

The response has been overwhelming, with a waitlist already established for kits and a flood of photos on the Township’s Facebook page of the finished curb-side masterpieces. Local families, Girl Scouts, preschools, Hillsborough Police, the fire district, an assisted living team, and even Mayor Catherine Payne have all picked up brushes.

"This project has brought out the absolute best in Hillsborough," said Mayor Payne. "It’s not just about making the town look beautiful for the anniversary; it's about neighbors laughing together, families working side-by-side, and all of us taking pride in our community."

About Hillsborough Township

Hillsborough Township is a Somerset County community governed by a five-member Township Committee and committed to transparent government, responsive services, and a high quality of life for all residents.

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