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Wednesday, June 27, 2012

1948: I REPEAT: HOW I MISS "DOWNTOWN" TRENTON!

This delightful segmented/enlarged view of the intersection of State and Broad Streets in center city Trenton stirs bittersweet memories for me as nothing else could. That's not my favorite downtown Trenton police officer Chet Hughes in the photo, but I bet if Chet saw this photo he would know who that officer directing traffic is. Take a moment or two and see how many store fronts you remember; you will also get that warm, fuzzy feeling so familiar to those of us who recall Trenton's golden years. I would guess there isn't a single visitor to this site who remembers "downtown" Trenton who didn't get a frosty class of Nedick's famous orange beverage.

8 comments:

Omad said...

Can taste that OJ right now and those hot dogs that kept me going when shopping. Was talking about Nedicks the other day with old friends. Caught my bus to Hamilton and Olden on this corner when I lived there for a few years. Bought my "Glamour" magazines across the street on the corner newstand and hurried home to see the latest.

Sally Logan Gilman said...

This a wonderful shot of one of my favorite spots in downtown Trenton. I can count on you, Tom, to bring back memories of those wonderful years and the vibrant and vital city that we all remember so well. Thanks goodness for your website to keep it all alive for me and your other visitors. Thanks so much. Regards

Anonymous said...

Tom:
Do you rembember when you could get "Spudnuts" (Potatoe donuts) at Nedicks?
Seeing Fein's store brings back memories of my mother,( as most all other Catholic mothers') taking me to Fein's for my first Communion suit. All white with a starched white shirt and tie.
The Fein's original name was Feinsilber. A really nice family run store. Next to Nedicks was Sherwood jewelers, where my cousin Phyllis worked.
The cop on duty reminds me of "Sam" whose first name excapes me. Chester Hughes took over this corner, and Same went to State and Montgomery.
Recall him since the following year, I became a "State & Broad cowboy" with my pegged pants, and DA.

Like Bob Hope Tom, Thanks for the memories.

Mike Kuzma

Anonymous said...

OOps

Sam's "last" name excapes me, however he was Italian/American.

Mike Kuzma

Anonymous said...

Spudnuts, painted store front windows on State St merchants; Mayfair Theater; Nevius-Voorhees; The Nut Shop. If we could only have them back even for a minute. Thanks for the photo.
TONY SIEGLE
San Francisco

Anonymous said...

Tom
Latest picture of State and Broad is before my time I think but I certainly can read the sign on the bus. R ROEBLING AVE PRR. It looks like it might be a yellow coach.
Tom Buker

rayfromvillapark said...

Hi Tom, What a great view of Nedicks. Yes, everyone who shopped downtown, at least a few times in their lives, stopped for an orangeade and hot dog, at Nedicks. I think the dogs were 15 cents. If you didn't buy lunch there, Sears sold hot dogs and sodas for about the same price. We patronized both. The 1941 Cadillac Limousine intrigues me. It is definitely chauffeur driven. It appears that it is summer, and the driver is wearing a jacket and hat. The woman is sitting in the center of the back seat, wearing a summery hat. Also, the license plate is special, having the small number to the right; meaning they have several cars, carrying the same number. Who could that be? By the way, the bus has a Roebling Ave. designation board, meaning it was heading for Villa Park. If I was waiting for a bus, I could have taken that one. It would start it's route back through the city from Roebling and Revere, where it would sit idling for awhile, until it's appointed time of departure. rayfromvillapark

Eleanor Sell Amberg said...

There was an A S Beck Shoe Store along there, too, before you get to First Methodist Chruch.