New Jersey is one of America’s most storied states — home to Thomas Edison’s laboratory, the birthplace of the transistor, the industrial heartland of the early 20th century, and some of the most densely populated suburbs in the nation. It’s also a state that has always been on the move.

From the horse-drawn wagon days of the 1800s to the modern full-service relocation industry of today, New Jersey’s moving companies have mirrored the state’s growth, evolving through war, suburban expansion, technological change, and economic upheaval. At Lincoln Moving & Storage, we’ve been part of that story since 1920 — and this is that history.

The 1800s: Horse-Drawn Beginnings

Before the automobile, before the moving truck, before professional packing materials — people moved by wagon. In New Jersey’s rapidly industrializing cities of the mid-1800s, this was a serious logistical undertaking.

Newark, which had become one of the most productive industrial cities in the United States by 1850, was growing fast. Families relocated between urban tenements and suburban properties. Factories drew workers from rural communities. The Erie Canal and railroad expansion made New Jersey a transit hub, and with that mobility came demand for people who could move furniture, pianos, household goods, and commercial inventory.

Early “movers” in this era were often livery stable operators, general haulers, or teamsters — men with horses, wagons, and muscle for hire. There was no standard pricing, no liability coverage, no professional training. You hired someone with a cart and hoped for the best.

The piano was the great equalizer. By the late 1800s, upright pianos had become status symbols in middle-class homes across New Jersey. Moving a piano — several hundred pounds of wooden frame, iron plate, and strings — without specialized equipment or technique was genuinely dangerous. Piano movers became the first true specialists in the trade, and from that specialization, the professional moving industry began to take shape.

The Early 1900s: Motor Trucks and the Birth of the Moving Industry

The invention of the gasoline-powered motor truck changed everything. By the early 1900s, horse teams were being replaced by flatbed trucks capable of carrying multiple households’ worth of furniture at once. What had taken a full day with horses could now be done in hours.

In 1913, a group of furniture dealers in Chattanooga, Tennessee formed what is widely considered the first true moving company cooperative — the forerunner of what would become the van line system. Within a decade, similar cooperatives and associations were forming across the Northeast, including New Jersey.

New Jersey was particularly well-positioned for this industry boom. The state’s dense rail network (more rail lines per square mile than almost any other state), its proximity to New York City, and its rapid suburban growth following World War I created constant residential relocation demand. Towns like Summit, Westfield, Madison, and Montclair grew as executive-class commuter suburbs, and those families needed movers they could trust with valuable furniture and china.

Lincoln Moving & Storage was founded in 1920, entering the trade just as professional standards were beginning to take shape. Early NJ movers of this era were characterized by personal relationships — you hired a company because your neighbor vouched for them, or because your employer used them for office moves. Referral networks were the lifeblood of the industry.

The 1930s–1940s: Regulation, Depression, and War

The Great Depression hit the moving industry hard. Discretionary moves declined sharply, and many smaller operations folded. The companies that survived did so through diversification — adding storage services, commercial hauling contracts, and government work.

Federal regulation arrived in 1935 with the Motor Carrier Act, which brought interstate moving companies under the oversight of the Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC). For the first time, long-distance moving rates were regulated and movers were required to be licensed. This was a pivotal moment: it shifted the industry from a chaotic patchwork of operators to a more structured, accountable profession.

World War II brought a new challenge: the massive displacement of American families as military personnel and defense workers relocated across the country. New Jersey, home to Fort Dix, Camp Kilmer, and dozens of defense manufacturing facilities, saw enormous wartime population movement. Moving companies took on military and government contracts, and many NJ movers built operational experience and scale during this period that would define them for decades.

The 1950s–1970s: The Great Suburban Expansion

No era shaped New Jersey — or its moving industry — more than the postwar suburban boom. Between 1945 and 1970, New Jersey’s population grew from 4.1 million to 7.1 million. Entire new communities were built across Union County, Morris County, Somerset County, and Middlesex County. The GI Bill enabled returning veterans to buy homes. The New Jersey Turnpike and Garden State Parkway opened in 1951 and 1954 respectively, making suburban commuting practical for a huge new population.

The result was an unprecedented wave of residential moving. Young families moving from urban apartments to newly built suburban homes in towns like Berkeley Heights, Clark, Cranford, and Warren generated constant relocation demand. NJ moving companies expanded their fleets, hired crews, and built warehousing facilities during this period.

This era also saw the rise of the van line model — national networks of independent moving agents who could coordinate long-distance moves under a shared brand. Companies like Allied, Atlas, Bekins, and United Van Lines established agent relationships with NJ-based movers, allowing local companies to offer coast-to-coast service while maintaining their community roots.

Storage and warehousing became standard service offerings during this period. The rise of split-level and colonial home construction in NJ suburbia meant families often needed temporary storage during the gap between selling and buying. Professional movers stepped in to fill that gap.

The 1980s–1990s: Deregulation and Commercial Moving

The Household Goods Transportation Act of 1980 deregulated the moving industry, removing ICC rate controls and allowing companies to price competitively for the first time. This was a dramatic shift. On one hand, it opened the market to new competitors and drove down prices for consumers. On the other, it created a wave of low-cost, low-quality operators who gave the industry a reputation problem.

Established NJ moving companies responded by doubling down on quality, reputation, and specialized services. Commercial moving — corporate office relocations, industrial equipment moves, data center migrations — became an increasingly important revenue stream as New Jersey’s pharmaceutical, financial, and telecommunications industries expanded through the 1980s and 90s.

The Route 1 corridor between Princeton and New Brunswick emerged as one of the most active commercial relocation markets in the Northeast, as biotech and pharmaceutical companies expanded campuses and relocated offices. NJ movers who could handle specialized lab equipment, server rooms, and large-scale corporate relocations commanded premium rates and long-term contracts.

This period also saw the growth of international moving services. New Jersey’s diverse, internationally connected population — and its proximity to Newark Liberty International Airport and the Port of Newark — made international relocation a natural fit for established NJ movers with the capacity to handle customs documentation, overseas container shipping, and destination services.

The 2000s–2010s: Technology, Transparency, and the Rise of Reviews

The internet transformed the moving industry’s consumer landscape. For the first time, homeowners could research movers before calling, read reviews, compare quotes online, and file complaints publicly. This was both an opportunity and a reckoning.

Companies with genuine reputations — built on decades of referral business — thrived in the review era. Companies that had relied on geographic monopoly or low-ball pricing suffered. Google Reviews, Yelp, and the Better Business Bureau became de facto quality signals, and New Jersey consumers became far more informed buyers.

Online moving quote tools, inventory estimation software, and digital tracking for long-distance shipments changed operations significantly. The best NJ movers invested in technology while maintaining the personal, relationship-driven service that had always differentiated quality from commodity.

The 2008 financial crisis caused a sharp drop in residential moves — home sales collapsed, and with them, relocation activity. NJ movers who had diversified into commercial, storage, and institutional work weathered the downturn better than those dependent on residential volume alone.

The 2020s: Pandemic, Remote Work, and the NJ Moving Surge

The COVID-19 pandemic triggered one of the most unusual relocation waves in New Jersey’s history. As remote work became widespread in 2020, thousands of New York City residents — suddenly freed from commuting requirements — relocated to New Jersey’s suburbs in search of more space, outdoor access, and lower costs.

The result was a historic housing market surge and a corresponding explosion in moving demand. NJ movers who had built capacity, maintained equipment, and invested in their teams were able to respond. Those who hadn’t faced backlogs stretching weeks and months.

At the same time, a new wave of fraudulent moving operations emerged — taking advantage of desperate consumers with bait-and-switch pricing, held-hostage shipments, and fake reviews. New Jersey consumer protection agencies and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) stepped up enforcement, but the rogues remained a real risk for consumers who didn’t do their homework.

The lesson for NJ homeowners: licensing, insurance, and a verifiable track record matter more than ever. A 97% referral rate built over 100+ years isn’t marketing copy — it’s the result of thousands of satisfied customers who trusted their mover and were not disappointed.

What Makes a Century-Old NJ Mover Different

The arc of New Jersey’s moving industry history reveals something important: the companies that last aren’t the ones with the lowest prices. They’re the ones that built trust — family by family, move by move — over decades.

What characterizes a truly established NJ moving company today?

• Multi-generational workforce. Teams where veterans train newcomers, where institutional knowledge is passed down rather than re-learned from scratch.
• Full service capabilities. Packing, unpacking, crating, storage, commercial moving, international relocation — a real mover can handle any scenario.
• Proper licensing and insurance. FMCSA registration for interstate moves, NJ Department of Transportation licensing for intrastate moves, full cargo and liability coverage.
• A real physical presence. Warehouse, fleet, local address — not a booking platform that subcontracts to whichever driver accepts the job.
• A referral-driven reputation. The best movers don’t need to advertise heavily because their customers do it for them. A 97% referral rate is the clearest signal in the industry.

Our residential moving services reflect over a century of operational experience — from the basics of furniture protection and efficient loading to the logistics of complex long-distance moves. Our commercial moving capabilities have been refined through decades of corporate and institutional relocations across New Jersey and beyond. And our full service menu reflects what a real moving company looks like after 100 years in business.

FAQs: New Jersey Moving History

When did professional moving companies first appear in New Jersey?

Professional movers began emerging in New Jersey in the late 1800s, primarily as specialists in piano moving and household goods transport. The motor truck era of the early 1900s — roughly 1905–1920 — marked the transition from horse-drawn hauling to the organized moving industry we recognize today. Lincoln Moving & Storage was founded in 1920, at the beginning of this professional era.

How has the NJ moving industry changed in recent years?

The 2020 pandemic triggered a historic surge in NJ residential moves as NYC residents relocated to the suburbs. Simultaneously, the rise of online reviews made reputation and transparency more important than ever, and a wave of fraudulent moving operators made it critical to verify licensing and insurance before hiring. The core lesson: choose a mover with a verifiable, long-standing reputation — not whoever offers the lowest quote.

What should I look for in a licensed NJ moving company?

Verify FMCSA registration (for interstate moves) and NJ DOT licensing (for intrastate). Confirm they carry cargo insurance and liability coverage. Check their physical address — a real warehouse and fleet, not just a website. And look for a documented referral rate or reviews history that goes back years, not weeks.

How long has Lincoln Moving & Storage been operating in NJ?

Lincoln Moving & Storage was founded in 1920 and has been serving New Jersey families and businesses for over 100 years. Our Berkeley Heights headquarters at 50 Industrial Road has been the hub of our operations, and our 97% client referral rate reflects a century of trust built one move at a time.

Does history really matter when choosing a mover?

Yes — in an industry where fly-by-night operators are common and bait-and-switch pricing is a documented problem, longevity is a meaningful signal. Companies that have operated for decades in the same communities have reputations to protect. They can’t afford to mistreat customers, because their business depends on referrals. Short-lived operators have no such accountability.

Part of New Jersey’s Story Since 1920

At Lincoln Moving & Storage, we’re not just movers — we’re a piece of New Jersey’s history. We’ve moved families through the Great Depression, the postwar suburban boom, the corporate expansion of the 1980s, the tech surge of the 2000s, and the pandemic relocation wave of the 2020s.

Every era has required adaptation. Every decade has brought new challenges. But the core of what we do — treating every customer’s belongings with care, showing up when we say we will, and earning the next move through the quality of this one — hasn’t changed since 1920.

👉 Get your free moving quote today — whether you’re moving across Berkeley Heights or across the country. Serving all of Union County, Morris County, and New Jersey since 1920.