Highland Park in Middlesex County, New Jersey — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)

Invention of the Band-Aid

The Band-Aid Bench

Photographed by David Weintraub, January 27, 2021

1. The Band-Aid Bench

The History of the Band-Aid
ThoughtCo, website entry
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Inscription.
1920, to help his wife, Josephine, Highland Park resident Earle Dickson invented the BAND-AID® Brand Adhesive Bandages. Sponsored by the Highland Parks Arts Commission Constructed by Lucky Jo Boscarino — 2019

Erected 2019.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • Science & Medicine. A significant historical year for this entry is 1920.

Location. 40° 29.958′ N, 74° 25.567′ W. Marker is in Highland Park, New Jersey, in Middlesex County. It is on South Fourth Avenue south of Raritan Avenue (New Jersey Route 27), on the right when traveling south. Located next to the RiteAid Drug Store. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 30 S 4th Ave, Highland Park NJ 08904, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in New Jersey’s Central Jersey,

in Greater Princeton,

and in the New York City Metropolitan Area.

It is also in the American Northeast,

in the Mid-Atlantic,

and on the Eastern Seaboard. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region,

North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

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Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Netherland

and also one of the original Thirteen Colonies.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: New Brunswick (approx. 0.8 miles away); The Raritan River (approx. 0.8 miles away); The First Classes of Queen's College (Rutgers University) (approx. 0.9 miles away); New Brunswick Inn Site (approx. 0.9 miles away); Route Taken by Washington (approx. 0.9 miles away); Christ Church (approx. 0.9 miles away); Christ Church Parish (approx. 0.9 miles away); Brigadier General Anthony Walton White (approx. 0.9 miles away).

More about this marker. The Dickson house is located on Montgomery Avenue between 3rd and 4th Avenue about two blocks away on the North side of town. A marker in front of the house was removed by the current owners.

Regarding Invention of the Band-Aid. Earle Dickson was employed as a cotton buyer for the Johnson & Johnson when he invented the band-aid in 1921 for his wife Josephine Dickson, who was always cutting her fingers in the kitchen while preparing food.

At that time a bandage consisted of separate gauze

The Band-Aid Bench image. Click for full size.

Photographed by David Weintraub, January 27, 2021

2. The Band-Aid Bench

and adhesive tape that you would cut to size and apply yourself, but Earle Dickson noticed that gauze and adhesive tape she used would soon fall off her active fingers, and he decided to invent something that would stay in place and protect small wounds better.

Earle Dickson took a piece of gauze and attached it to the center of a piece of tape then covered the product with crinoline to keep it sterile. This ready-to-go product allowed his wife to dress her wounds without assistance, and when Earle's boss James Johnson saw the invention, he decided to manufacture band-aids to the public and make Earle Dickson vice-president of the company.

Photographed by David Weintraub, January 27, 2021

3. The Band-Aid Bench

Credits. This page was last revised on May 24, 2026. It was originally submitted on January 27, 2021, by David Weintraub of Edison, New Jersey. This page has been viewed 2,166 times since then and 322 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on January 27, 2021, by David Weintraub of Edison, New Jersey. • Michael Herrick was the editor who published this page.