
THE NEWS PAGES OF THE FIRST COUPLE OF DECADES FREQUENTLY REFER TO THE WELLER BOAT YARD. NOTWITHSTANDING THE SPELLING OF WELLER'S NAME AS "HIRAM" IN THE GRAPHIC ABOVE, I WILL REFER TO THE GENTLEMAN AS "HIREM," BASED ON THE SIGN IN THE PHOTOGRAPH.
BEFORE THEY MOVED INTO THIS BUILDING ON EAST STATE STREET NEAR GARFIELD, ST. JAMES HELD SERVICES AT "THE WIGWAM" ON EAST STATE STREET IN THE WILBUR SECTION OF TRENTON. BEFORE MOVING TO THE ALLENTOWN-HAMILTON BORDER, ST. JAMES WAS LOCATED ON GREENWOOD AND SO. LOGAN AVENUE. I WAS A PARISHIONER AT ST. JAMES WHEN I WAS A BOY. I CONVERTED TO ROMAN CATHOLIC FAITH IN THE EARLY 1960'S.THE BUILDING IN THE GRAPHIC STILL EXISTS, NOW THE HOME OF THE REHEBOTH CHURCH.

UNFORTUNATELY, THIS VENERABLE OLD TEMPLE HAS DECIDED TO MOVE TO THE SUBURBS. THE INCREASING GROWTH OF THE POPULATION OF THE SUBURBS ALONG WITH THE DECREASE IN TRENTON'S POPULATION AND SOME SAY THE SAFETY OF THE CONGREGANTS WAS UNDOUBTEDLY A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR IN THE DECISION TO RELOCATE AFTER ALL THESE YEARS. THE "GOLDEN JUBILEE" COLUMN IS INCOMPLETE, THE PORTION OF THE PAGE ON WHICH IT ORIGINATED HAVING BEEN LOST TO THE AGES.
THESE TWO GENTLEMEN ARE THE FOUNDERS OF THE LATE, GREAT HURLEY TOBIN STORE WHERE MOM GLOVER AND MANY OTHER TRENTON AREA RESIDENTS SPENT MANY DOLLARS ON RADIOS, FURNITURE AND OTHER ALLIED HOME FURNISHINGS.
THESE PHOTOS OF THE PUMPKIN PATCH AT THIS YEARS HAMILTON FESTIVAL ARE JUST TWO OF THE NUMEROUS PHOTOS I TOOK WHILE I WAS AT THE AFFAIR. THE SIGN AND BACKDROP WERE FURNISHED COURTESY OF HAMILTON'S RELATIVELY KNEW AND VERY IMPRESSIVE DRAGONFLY FARMS ON KUSER ROAD. THE FESTIVAL WAS VERY SUCCESSFUL AND THERE WAS A HUGE CROWD IN ATTENDANCE. THANKS FOR YOUR CONTRIBUTION, DRAGONFLY!
I WAS A MEMBER OF THE "DVRA" FOR MORE THAN 25 YEARS. DVRA IS THE TRENTON AREA AMATEUR RADIO CLUB WHOSE CALL SIGN IS W2ZQ. CEASER ARENA, LEON ROBINSON, ERNIE FORTE, SID DIETZ, PAUL, TIM, AND BILL WOOLVERTON, DICK AMRICH, ROBIN HORSNALL, BOB SCHROEDER, JACK BROWN, AND MANY OTHER INTELLECTUAL AMATEUR RADIO OPERATORS FROM MY YEARS ON THE DAILY "COMMUTER NET" PROVIDED VERY ENLIGHTENING AND ENJOYABLE CONVERSATIONS AS WE DROVE TO AND FROM OUR WORK PLACES.
THIS IS JUST ONE OF THE NUMEROUS DUCK ISLAND MURDERS WHICH ONCE TOOK PLACE ALONG THAT LONELY STRETCH OF LAMBERTON STREET IN SOUTH TRENTON WHERE LOVERS FOUND A SECLUDED PARKING PLACE.


I REALLY TREASURE THIS PHOTO. NOT JUST BECAUSE BROMLEY HAS BEEN MY HOME FOR THE PAST 53 YEARS, BUT ALSO BECAUSE IT HAS A SPLENDID HISTORICAL HERITAGE. UNFORTUNATELY, THERE ARE THOSE WHO CONSIDER THIS SECTION OF HAMILTON AS A "THROWAWAY" EXTENSION OF TRENTON AND SOMETIMES I WONDER IF MORE ATTENTION IS PAID TO THE MORE UPSCALE COMMUNITIES IN THE AREA. BE THAT AS IT MAY, THIS AIRPLANE VIEW OF GREENWOOD AVENUE FROM THE FLORIST GREENHOUSES ON WARD AVENUE OVER TO THE NORWAY AVENUE AREA IS AN INCDREDIBLY CLEAR VIEW. I MADE A DUPLICATE OF THIS VERY LARGE PANORAMIC VIEW, AND MY CLASSMATE AND GOOD FRIEND, BOB SHINKLE IDENTIFIED MOST OF THE HOMES OF "BROMLEYITES" FROM THE ERA ILLUSTRATED.
BEAUTIFUL EDIFICE, ISN'T IT? THIS GREAT PHOTO OF THE HVCC CLUBHOUSE HARKENS BACK TO THOSE PLEASANT YEARS OF THE 1930'S WHEN THE MORE AFFLUENT CITIZENS IN OUR MIDST DROVE THEIR CHRYSLER "AIRFLOW" AUTOS, BUICKS, LASALLES, AND CADILLACS TO THE CLUB FOR A MORNING OR AFTERNOON OF GOLF AND PERHAPS LUNCH OR DINNER AT THE CLUB.
BACK WHEN YOU COULD TELL A CHEVY FROM A FORD, BACK WHEN THERE WAS A PLYMOUTH, DODGE, DESOTO, CHRYSLER, FORD, LINCOLN, MERCURY AND EVEN A KAISER AND FRAZER, THERE WAS FRED BONDERCHUK AND HIS LOCALLY RENOWNED BONDERCHUK CHEVROLET. I REMEMBER THAT DEALERSHIP WHEN IT WAS ON SOUTH BROAD STREET NOT FAR FROM THE HAMILTON-TRENTON BORDER. ONE OF THE SAD SAGAS OF THE MIDDLE 20TH CENTURY WAS THE DEMISE OF THE "AMERICAN MADE" AUTO. THE EVER-INCREASING DEMANDS OF THE UNIONS AND THE LOWER PRICE AND HIGHER QUALITY OF THE IMPORTS DID US IN. AS MY FRIEND "POGO" FROM THAT OLD COMIC STRIP SAID,
THERE ARE SOME LOCALLY PROMINENT LADIES IN THE PHOTO. THOSE WHOM I RECOGNIZE INCLUDE TATTERSALL, FRENKING, HALDEMAN AND ELDRIDGE. HEY
THIS IS AN INRIGUING PHOTO OF THE INTERSECTION OF NOTTINGHAM WAY AND CRESCENT AVENUE. THE DINER WASN'T THERE DURING MY TIME. IN FACT, IT LOOKS LIKE THE DINER IS ONLY IN THE PROCESS OF BEING RELOCAED AND IS TEMPORARILY PARKED IN FRONT OT THE SHELL STATION. PERHAPS A VISITOR TO THIS SITE CAN FILL US IN. NOTE THAT THE CAPTION PLACES IT ON THE NORTHEAST CORNER. IN REALITY, IT IS THE SOUTHEAST CORNER.
TOMORROW EVENING FROM 7 TO 9 PM AT KUSER MANSION, I WILL BE BRINGING A PROGRAM ENTITLED, "THE WAY WE WERE" TO THOSE WHO ARE INTERESTED IN LIFE IN THE HAMILTON/TRENTON AREA OF THE 1940'S AND 50'S, AND HISTORIC PHOTOS OF THE HAMILTON-TRENTON AREA FROM THE ANCIENT PAST. THE PROGRAM WILL INCLUDE AN ON-SCREEN PRESENTATION FOLLOWED BY A MUSICAL SINGALONG. CALL 890-3630 FOR RESERVATIONS. AFTER CURATOR DENISE ZEMLANSKY'S RECORDED MESSAGE, WAIT FOR THE "BEEP" AND LEAVE YOUR NAME AND HOW MANY ARE PLANNING TO ATTEND. THE PROGRAM CONCLUDES AT 9 PM. SEE YOU THERE!
ON THURSDAY, OCTOBER 11TH AT 7 P.M. AT THE KUSER FARM MANSION, I WILL BE PRESENTING AN ON-SCREEN PRESENTATION AND ORAL MINI HISTORY OF THE LATE, GREAT, NEW JERSEY STATE FAIR. OLD TIMERS IN THE AREA WILL RECALL THAT ANNUAL WEEKLY EXPOSITION WITH FOND MEMORIES. CALL 890-3630 FOR RESERVATIONS. YOU WILL HEAR A MESSAGE OF UPCOMING EVENTS AT THE MANSION FROM MS. DENISE ZEMLANSKY, CURATOR. WAIT FOR THE MESSAGE TO FINISH AND YOU WILL HEAR THE "BEEP." LEAVE YOUR NAME AND DENISE WILL LOG YOU IN. I HOPE TO SEE YOU ALL THERE FOR A FASCINATING AND VERY NOSTALGIC VISIT TO "THE FAIR." IF TIME PERMITS, WE WILL ALSO RECALL SOME OF THE MUSIC FROM THE VICTORIAN ERA, ALONG WITH A SPRINKLING OF "THE MUSIC WE GREW UP WITH."