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Wednesday, December 15, 2010

1934: CHRISTMAS IN DOWNTOWN TRENTON

This was a bit before my time, but I do recall the incredible adventure it was as a boy to take a trip "up town" with my Mom to pay bills and do some Christmas shopping. We would step off the bus at State and Broad Street and immediately wafting through the air in an enormous adventure of aromatherapy, we would breathe in the aroma of a winter day in downtown Trenton. Hot dogs and hamburgers from nearby restaurant grills, brewing coffee, roasting peanuts from the "Nut House," and the diesel exhaust from our Trenton Transit bus mingled with Christmas carols and the Salvation Army's Santa ringing his bell: an experience that I remember to this day. 
Anonymous Anonymous said...
I was born in 1940, but my parents and I would go uptown on Thursday nights when they were open till 9 pm. It was probably the late 1940's to the 50's. Since I eventually attended Cathedral High School, I was uptown every day. One of my memories is the the gentleman who was an amputee and he got around on a board with small wheels and he sold pencils by the newsstand on State & Broad. Another memory is the two brothers who went through the neighborhood playing a herty gerty. Not to mention the "ragman" who came through. It's crazy how some things are so memorable.
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Tom Glover said...
I HAD FORGOTTEN ALL ABOUT THAT GENTLEMAN WHO WAS AN AMPUTEE. HE ROLLED AROUND ON A FLAT BOARD AND PROPELLED HIMSELF WITH WOODEN BLOCKS IN EACH HAND.
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Delete
Anonymous Anonymous said...
That's right! I forgot about the wooden blocks. I also loved going into VanSciver's Furniture Store on Broad St., they had all these neat rooms fully decorated as dining rooms, etc. I was very impressed at that age. Not to mention that the building was gorgeous and still is. It seemed like a castle to me. I remember that Public Service had a bus line also. So I could take either Trenton Transit or that one home. Remember the new sparkled pavements outside the renovated Sears store? I loved the Toy Chest (I think that's what it was) at Christmas time. There are so many memories...
Thursday, December 16, 2010

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

I was born in 1940, but my parents and I would go uptown on Thursday nights when they were open till 9 pm. It was probably the late 1940's to the 50's. Since I eventually attended Cathedral High School, I was uptown every day. One of my memories is the the gentleman who was an amputee and he got around on a board with small wheels and he sold pencils by the newsstand on State & Broad. Another memory is the two brothers who went through the neighborhood playing a herty gerty. Not to mention the "ragman" who came through. It's crazy how some things are so memorable.

Tom Glover said...

I HAD FORGOTTEN ALL ABOUT THAT GENTLEMAN WHO WAS AN AMPUTEE. HE ROLLED AROUND ON A FLAT BOARD AND PROPELLED HIMSELF WITH WOODEN BLOCKS IN EACH HAND.

Anonymous said...

That's right! I forgot about the wooden blocks. I also loved going into VanSciver's Furniture Store on Broad St., they had all these neat rooms fully decorated as dining rooms, etc. I was very impressed at that age. Not to mention that the building was gorgeous and still is. It seemed like a castle to me. I remember that Public Service had a bus line also. So I could take either Trenton Transit or that one home. Remember the new sparkled pavements outside the renovated Sears store? I loved the Toy Chest (I think that's what it was) at Christmas time. There are so many memories...

bob Stockton said...

I remember him too. He always wore an old army overcoat in the winter and had nowhere to relieve himself. I saw him once or twice hang that wooden board over the curb underneath a delivery truck in front of W.T. Grants and take a whizz. Everyone including the cops could see it but just ignored it.

Unknown said...

brothers that played the hurdy gerdy were blind George and harry they also sold newspapers on liberty st.. great times