This pristine segmented photo of the crossing on South Broad Street opposite the Roebling complex has incredible detail. Back then, many streets, like this view of So. Broad Street, were paved with cobblestones. Old timers will remember that white colored round building just around the bend in the road where Capitol Motors once sold Chrysler-Plymouth* products. *SUBJECT TO CORRECTION BY OUR RESIDENT AUTO EXPERT, "RAY FROM VILLA PARK." rayfromvillapark said...Hi Tom, The composition of this photo is amazing to me. The industrial look of the railroad crossing gates and the little shack that was manned, during those days. The Roebling factory buildings, the billboards, and the cobblestone street surface, with the old trolley tracks filled in. There was a double turn to the left where Broad Street straightened out to continue North. Even the church steeple adds so much to this picture. The date is 1947, as the ESSO billboard proclaims. Two years later, in 1949, Sam Himmelstein, would move his Chrysler Plymouth dealership from 114 South Warren St, and build the most modern automobile facility, within the Trenton city limits, at this location, just to the left of the parameters of this photo. Tom, you are right; the white circular front facade stood out, and the well lit showroom showed the new models at their best. A sight to behold as you traveled south on Broad approaching the curve. They had large full pane windows along third street, and more cars were displayed in this area. I made many visits to pick up the latest sales brochures, which I still have, to this day. There was also a small gas station just to the left of the photo, just before the RR crossing.Great photo. rayfromvillapark
Lee Belardino said...Tommy
This was the hang out of the "Mott street" gang. A bunch of 7-9 kids running along the tracks,jumping on cars and getting chased away by the "railroad dicks". Johnny chiachio, joe Scardone,Mike Riccetelli,James Chianese and myself. Bunch of the "Burg" kids. A bunch of "Angels with dirty faces"
Lee
Tom Glover said...GREAT COMMENTS, RAY AND LEE. MORE HISTORY FROM "BACK IN THE DAY" FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS TO READ AND ABSORB.
TOM
Hi Tom, The composition of this photo is amazing to me. The industrial look of the railroad crossing gates and the little shack that was manned, during those days. The Roebling factory buildings, the billboards, and the cobblestone street surface, with the old trolley tracks filled in. There was a double turn to the left where Broad Street straightened out to continue North. Even the church steeple adds so much to this picture. The date is 1947, as the ESSO billboard proclaims. Two years later, in 1949, Sam Himmelstein, would move his Chrysler Plymouth dealership from 114 South Warren St, and build the most modern automobile facility, within the Trenton city limits, at this location, just to the left of the parameters of this photo. Tom, you are right; the white circular front facade stood out, and the well lit showroom showed the new models at their best. A sight to behold as you traveled south on Broad approaching the curve. They had large full pane windows along third street, and more cars were displayed in this area. I made many visits to pick up the latest sales brochures, which I still have, to this day. There was also a small gas station just to the left of the photo, just before the RR crossing.Great photo. rayfromvillapark
ReplyDeleteTommy
ReplyDeleteThis was the hang out of the "Mott street" gang. A bunch of 7-9 kids running along the tracks,jumping on cars and getting chased away by the "railroad dicks". Johnny chiachio, joe Scardone,Mike Riccetelli,James Chianese and myself. Bunch of the "Burg" kids. A bunch of "Angels with dirty faces"
Lee
GREAT COMMENTS, RAY AND LEE. MORE HISTORY FROM "BACK IN THE DAY" FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS TO READ AND ABSORB.
ReplyDeleteTOM
Hi Tom, I took a long second look at this photo. It's 1947, and there isn't a post war car to be seen. Every car in the photo is a 1939 or earlier model. I'm eight years old, and I'm walking around my neighborhood, and what am I seeing? Old prewar cars, and I'm impressed by what I see. This has carried over through the years, and my appreciation of these older vehicles became permanent. I've owned a number of them over time, and I'm still impressed to this day, by their style and character. Folks held on to their cars, back then, when a dollar was hard to come by.
ReplyDeleteI note the Route 206 sign, an "iconic" road in the state, but if you look at the concrete bridge at Notre Dame High School, it indicates that the northern portion was Route 27. I wonder when they consolidated it. Quite a road and I've taken it from the north in PA to the south .. is it Millville, a few times? Note: The "27" that is in the concrete of the bridge in Lawrence by ND is hard to see because of the guide rail, or as some say guard rail.
ReplyDeleteEd Millerick