Kilmer House

   Image courtesy: Johnson & Johnson Archives   It is with great sadness that the Kilmer House blog notes the passing of Nancy Lane, one of Johnson & Johnson’s pioneering women and a pioneering African American leader who made an impact at Johnson & Johnson and in the community.  She was the first woman vice president, and the first African American woman vice president at Johnson & Johnson.   Born in Boston, MA, Nancy Lane was a fervent believer in education and the opportunities it unlocks. She earned an undergraduate degree in public relations and

Every Veterans Day, November 11, we honor those who serve our country.  The commemoration originally began as Armistice Day to recognize the end of World War I in 1918.  Johnson & Johnson has honored and supported those who serve since the Spanish American War in 1898.  Here are two stories from a century ago – supporting an employee during his service, and helping returning veterans in the community -- that echo our continuing support today. Walter C--- was a young employee who joined Johnson & Johnson in 1914 and worked in the company’s Printing Department.  Walter and his colleague

With summer officially here, families’ thoughts turn to getting away from their daily routines and going on vacation. But vacation time doesn’t mean you have to miss out on Johnson & Johnson’s rich heritage! Because the company has touched so many lives in so many locations for more than 130 years, many places have surprising connections to Johnson & Johnson. With this handy guide, you can make sure you visit a site with a Johnson & Johnson connection wherever your vacation plans take you. If you’re vacationing in New Jersey, here are just a few of the many places with connection

How do you build a museum that everyone can get to?  You put it online! This April, Johnson & Johnson launched two new experiences: Our Story at the Powerhouse, on the company’s World Headquarters campus (it draws its name from the beautifully restored 1907 Powerhouse building that houses it), and its companion, ourstory.jnj.com, an online experience.  They are both interactive experiences that takes visitors through Johnson & Johnson’s history – in the context of world history – from 1886 to the present.  Johnson & Johnson has been telling its story since 1889, when Scientific Di

Nurses have been critically important to Johnson & Johnson for more than a century, both as partners in improving health care and as employees.  Due to this close relationship, the company has both helped and honored nurses for generations, a tradition that continues today with the Campaign for Nursing’s Future.      In recognition of this special relationship, during the 1940s, the company decided to honor nurses by commissioning a portrait of the founder of modern nursing: Florence Nightingale.  And in charge of that effort was none other than Earle Dickson, the inventor of the BAND-AID

The inventor of the commercial electric light bulb.  The innovators behind the personal computer.  The inventor of the telephone.  The Hollywood movie star who pioneered technology that made wireless communication possible.  The botanist who revolutionized American agriculture.  And now, Johnson & Johnson’s Earle Dickson.  What do all of them have in common?  They have been inducted into the National Inventor’s Hall of Fame! The National Inventor’s Hall of Fame honors individuals whose inventions have made the world a better place, while celebrating the rich innovation history of the Unite

It is with great sadness that Kilmer House notes the passing of Aldrage B. Cooper, a pioneering African American leader at Johnson & Johnson and in New Brunswick, New Jersey.  Born and raised in New Brunswick, Cooper served as the city’s first African American mayor from 1974 to 1975.  As a Johnson & Johnson leader, he exemplified the company’s Credo values and commitment to the community. Aldrage Cooper joined Johnson & Johnson in 1968 as Director of Public Affairs, and remained with the company until his retirement in 2000 as Vice President of Corporate Affairs.  During his ten

Johnson & Johnson has been a pioneer in so many ways throughout its 130 year history – the first mass produced sterile surgical dressings and sutures, the first commercial first aid kits, BAND-AID® Brand Adhesive Bandages, lifesaving medicines, and so much more.  As a health care company, these pioneering firsts are dedicated to saving and improving lives.  But there is another very surprising area in which Johnson & Johnson was an unsung early pioneer:  cat pictures! In the modern era, it is widely understood that cats rule the internet, with uncountable numbers of cute cat photos, cu

It’s a cold January day in 1886, exactly 130 years ago. James Wood Johnson, one of the founders of Johnson & Johnson, is on a train heading from New York to Philadelphia. Early in 1885,  Johnson and his brothers Robert and Edward had left their former company Seabury & Johnson with the intention of starting a new business, and James was looking for a location. He was on a westbound Pennsylvania Railroad train from New York to Philadelphia. When the train stopped at a tiny station halfway through the journey, Johnson & Johnson found its hometown: the city of New Brunswick, New Jers

An historic key from the days of our founders. A one of a kind First Aid Kit with a one of a kind story. A Hollywood movie star from the 1920s demonstrating one of our heritage consumer products. It has been said that every picture tells a story, and that’s certainly true from the earliest photographs to today’s digital images. In the Johnson & Johnson archives, every object tells a story too. Here are five cool things from the Johnson & Johnson archives – each complete with a cool story that goes with them! Antique skeleton keys are prized by collectors, and here’s an antique key th