1901: CHARLIE SHA-TRENTON'S ONLY CHINESE RESIDENT

The way the newspapers described different races back in the 19th and early 20th century would never be accepted in today's much more tolerant society. From the "WHIMSICAL" folder in the Hamilton Library Local History database is this now antique article telling Charlie's story. This was an era when there was a very large section of the populace not only in Trenton, but in all of America were not too tolerant of people who didn't look like them, nor act like them.

1905: A CHRONOLOGY OF AREA EVENTS

Every year the local newspapers issued a chronology of newsworthy events that occurred during the year of publication. There are a number of these chronologies in my extensive Trenton Newspaper collection and they will ultimately be digitized. To those visitors with very good eyes, the chronology will only include a listing from May to August 1905. These features were always placed on the last page of a bound volume and as a result, often were torn. tattered and sometimes incomplete, as is the specimen above.

1935: PRELUDE TO WAR: NAZI HATRED OF JEWS AND CATHOLICS

Even though this pre-dates the September, 1939 Nazi invasion of Poland, this article has been assigned to the "WWII" folder in the Hamilton Library Local History Collection. Little did we know back there in 1935 that there would be a Jewish Holocaust where the "Final Solution" would result in unspeakable atrocities.

1987: LAWSON TATTLER WAS FIGMENT OF MY IMAGINATION

How the years have slipped by! I have been writing for the local press for over 30 of my 78 years. It seems like only yesterday that I did a number of columns for the Trenton Times wherein my fictional character, Lawson Tattler was interviewed by equally fictional freelance "stringer" Tom Glover. The interview was based on various news items from 1909. Note that even though Klockner School celebrated their centennial in 2008, the school wasn't formerly dedicated until 1909.

1936: TRENTON NEW TELEPHONE SETUP

How very archaic! This graphic was posted a few years ago, but it bears repeating. It shows two telephone operators at their switchboard, laboring all day answering and forwarding phone calls. The photo can now be classified as an historic and ephemeral memory of an era that will never return. How I miss that olive green New Jersey Bell Telephone truck as he responded on the SAME DAY to a telephone problem. I am hearing that the home telephone as we know it is fast becoming as extinct as the passenger pigeon. Not in the Glover household, thank you. I still want to be able to press a butting the size of my fingers and listen on a phone that has a speaker that fits the ear, and a transmitter that lines up with my mouth. As you might imagine, yes, I have a cell phone, but only use it for a possible on the road emergency breakdown so I can call AAA.

2012: FAREWELL TO A BROTHER

Our WWII veterans are passing away at an alarming rate. My brother Len recently went to be with the Lord, and his final minutes left me with an image I will never forget. He and I were talking during his last hours on this earth, and at one moment in our conversation, he looked away with a blank stare and wondered aloud, "What will I say to God when he asks me about all those men, women and children I killed during all those bombing missions over Nazi Germany. Cologne, Schweinfurt, Essen....I can still see the flames burning as our B24 circled for home." What a terrible burden to carry through life! I suggested that we were at war, and collateral damage is to be expected. Think of all the cruelty we find in the Holy Bible.

1952: 60th Reunion in October

These are my friends in the Hamilton High class of 1952. Strange, but I should have been in that class, but for some reason, I skipped 1st grade and moved ahead one year. Many of those Hornets are acquaintances. Indeed, one young lady, Madeline Bencivengo, stole my heart as a teenager, but alas, like 20 or 25 other flames I had during those years when the hormones were raging, Tommy Glover crashed and burned. I will be bringing the music of the early 1950's to my fellow Hornets at their reunion in October. We'll be singing the songs of Eddie Fisher, Perry Como, Rosemary Clooney, and many other wonderful singers from an era when you could understand the music and dance to it without being gymnists ala those dance tv shows that are now in vogue. What the heck every happened to cheek to cheek dancing? By the way, the pretty girl top left in the graphic is Madeline Bencivengo next to her friend and my next door neighbor, Shirley Sneath. Madeline was the object of my affection for about a year....but alas, it turned out to be the 5th or 6th case of "unrequited love."

And now a word from our own Mike Kuzma, a true "Tornado:"

Tom:

Would you please add to your high school reunion notices that;
THS class of 1952 will celebrate OUR 60th reunion on October 7th.
A luncheon is planned for 1 p.m. Sunday Oct. 7th at John Henry's on the site of the old Italian American Sportsman's club Kuser Rd. As soon as I receive the official notice, I will send you the details as who to contact for tickets.
Thanks for being the clearing house for these notices, and the wonderful memories we share.

Mike Kuzma

Sunday, July 29, 2012

Will do, Mike. When I receive your reunion info, I will be sure to post a vivid graphic along with your reunion announcement.

Tom Glover

1946: FRONT STREET: CAPITOL TOMATO PIE

Did any visitors to this blog go to the Capitol Tomato Pie restaurant? If you did, was it a real Trenton tomato pie or a thick crust cheese-filled pizza with more cheese than tomato? I never knew of the place, but would bet that one of our old center city visitors from the past will fill us in. By the way, I am still a die hard Ricky DeLorenzo Hamilton Avenue tomato pie lover. I have been a DeLorenzo fan since way back in the 1940's when they had a location on Hamilton Avenue in the area of today's Hamilton Avenue post office.

rayfromvillapark said...

Hi Tom, This closed gas station, sits at the corner of South Warren and Front Sts. The tow truck sitting behind the 1941 Chrysler Club Coupe, is one of the fleet of Tex Wrecking Service, 10 East Front St. I emailed you photos of a model I manufactured of one of their trucks, along with a license holder, given out by them in the 1930s. I don't know if you received them. Just to the left and out of the photo, is their huge garage. The building to the right, just out of the photo, is the old Capitol Motors Chrysler Plymouth dealership. Lots of car activity going on around this intersection. It's just before Christmas; you can see the wreaths in the windows of Gimbel's Department store, and a huge ribbon and bow on the side of the Swern's Department store building, down at the corner of Front and South Broad. I owned a duplicate of that Chrysler, back in the 1970s, with a Highlander plaid interior, and a horn that played, The Campbells are Coming. Sold it to Mr. Peters, who with his son Bill, had a repair garage on Liberty St. Boy, lots of memories from one photograph. Don't ever remember eating at the Capitol restaurant, but my favorite tomato pie, was at Top Road Tavern, on Brunswick Ave. rayfromvillapark

Friday, July 27, 2012

Anonymous said...

Tom:

If I'm not mistaken, Capital Tomatoe pies was owned by Pete (Pete the gink) Picardi. It was on the left side of Front across from "Pauls",what became Commini's resturant, and Next to Ken's ( last name escapes me) faboulous meat market.
Big Money Mike had a pawn shop, jewelry store on that side of the street, and I bought my than girlfrien's ring from him. Kraus's Deli was also on this block, as was "Sun Ray" Drug store on the Corner where now sits the NJ Dept. of Community affairs from where I retired in 1989. What goes round, comes around.

Regards
Mike Kuzma

Friday, July 27, 2012

Anonymous said...

Tom:

Finally got around to enlarge the photo,, and the name of the meat market where Mary Roebling was often seen picking out what her chef would prepare for Dinner was:
Ken Applegates Market.
Pete's Capital Tomatoe pies were goodd, but nothing like Ricky DeLorenzo's my old Jr.4 buddie's.
Pete the Gink was married to my cousin (by marriage) sister. Cousin "Fat Louie" got his start cokking for Pete.

Mike Kuzma

Friday, July 27, 2012

Anonymous said...

I guess I was born at the beginning of change in Trenton. In the 60's I can remember a corned beef on rye with the trimmings at Krause's or the lunch special at Commini's.

As hard I as I may, I can never recall Gimbles in Trenton, being born in 1948, I have to wonder when they closed?

I can clearly remember the Fire Department rescuing folks in row boats where this picture is taken, during the flood of 1955, the water being to the bottom of the gas station windows.

Ed Millerick

Saturday, July 28, 2012

Anonymous said...

Ed:

Gimble's in those days was more of store full of concessionaires.
When you shopped at Swern's (where I worked in 1950) Sam Swern himself would meet and greet you at the foot of the new contraption; the Escalator!
Goldberg's had "floor managers" as did Nevious Voorhees" who were distinguishable by the buttonaire they wore.
Personal service ( somthing long gone from commerce) was the hallmark of the successful stores.

The flood you speak of was 1955, I than lived on South Warren St. and used my rowboat to help the neighbors, and those in the "Island" neighborhood off Sanhican Dr.

Regards

Mike Kuzma

Saturday, July 28, 2012

SJBill said...

Turn around 180 degrees from the gas station in this picture and you will see Allstate Blue Print, that was owned by Mike Pagano.

Mike ran for City Council in about 1953 or so, and lived at 811 S. Clinton Ave, back in the day. Our family bought that house in 1957, where we lived until we left Trenton for Lawrence Township in 1963.

Our house in Lawrence was two doors away from Charlie Commini, who owned the restaurant on Front St.

The flood made it all the way to S. Broad and Front St, as Assunpink Creek flooded all over everything. I remember dead catfish and suckers all over the place in the dried up mud afterwards.

Saturday, July 28, 2012

1941: SALVATORE SCARDONE SCARES TRENTONIANS

I received the email below from Betsy (Salvatore) Cole. She included a few news clippings detailing a scare which Salvatore Scardone caused when he set off professional fireworks in the back yard of a Franklin area tavern. The article above is a reformatted copy of Betsy's email to me. Further research in my files found the article where Salvatore Scardone faced a judge, along with very prominent friends, including Richard Hughes. Thanks for the email Betsy and the article which I had to reformat due to the length of the original you sent in color. Betsy wrote:

Dear Mr Glover

My father Arthur A " Sarky" Salvatore was best man in his friend Anthony "Gigi" Chianese's wedding at St Joachim's church on January 15 1941. He would later become a Superior Court Judge but then was just a young lawyer. As a surprise gift for "Gigi", Salvatore Scardone ( yes the one who did most of Trenton's fireworks) set off a fireworks display in the yard of the at cafe on Franklin Street where the reception was being held. The explosions scared people all over the city. After the police took Mr Scardone away my Dad , morning coat and all, had to go to the jail to bail him out. Where else but in the " Burg" would there be a reception like that?

Betsy Salvatore Cole

RALPH LUCARELLA said...

HI TOM.....AS A KID I WAS SCARED TO DEATH WHEN SCARDONE SHOT OFF HIS FIREWORKS ON BUTLER STREET DURING THE FEAST OF LIGHTS IN THE 20'S. LATER I WAS TOLD ST. FRANCIS HOSPITAL COMPLAINED THE NOISE WAS EFFECTING THE PATIENTS. BEST REGARDS.

Friday, July 27, 2012

Anonymous said...

Tom:

I went to Jr.4 with the professor's son, Salvatore Jr. and Daughter Thresa. Back than we call the Professor "Boom Boom Scardone"

Sarky Salvatore noted as the best man at the wedding, and bail bonder for the "culprit" was without a doubt one of the all time nice guys I ever met, and lunched with. In addition, Sarky was a fabulus story teller.

It ir is interesting to note that hia long time friend and ultimate law partner Governor Dick Hughes accompanied Sarky to defend Boom Boom for his failure to get a permit. That was a time, when a friend was a real friend, and not in name only.

The Scardone Company never failed to electrify the skis over Trenton on the fourt of July.

Warm and happy regards to all of my old Trenton friends.

Mike Kuzma
Late of Ringoes, now of Virginia, but still a Trentonian!!!

Friday, July 27, 2012

Anonymous said...

Mike,do you remember the place in Ringoes, "The Carousel", they made a decent pie 20 years ago and I finally asked the owner who commented that he hired an old Trenton pie maker when he started the business. The "pies" have changed with ownership sadly.

I was originally going to comment on another "boom" that had Hamilton residents out by the old Thermoid company all upset some 15 years ago. It seems one of the "lads" over at the J. Seward Johnson Atelier cast a full size cannon and after a few celebratory nips fired it off. Aside from the noise, it went through the roof and into the kitchen of a little old lady.

Ed Millerick

Friday, July 27, 2012

Lee Belardino said...

Tommy
Mr Scardone lived 2 ndoors down from my grandfathers house on Mott street. One of his sons,Joey (tarp)
Scardone was my boyhood pal and together with Mike Ricetlli,JOHNNY Chiaccio,and James Chianese comprised the Mott Street gang.8-9 year olds hanging around the railyards off of broad street and getting chashed out by the railroad cops. Tarp got that nickname by falling into asphalt. Mr Scardone limped from an accident with fireworks. 4th of July fireworks at Cawalder park and Scardone. Memories of Trenton and the burg in the late 30's and 40's.Lee

Friday, July 27, 2012

Anonymous said...

Ed Millerick:

Re: Rinoges

I restored my first 250 year old farm house in Ringoes (East Amwell Twp) in 1978.
At that time the Carousel was known as "Stoop's Country Store"
Mrs. Stoop got too friendly with one of the male customers, and Mr. Stoop quickly sold the store to a working railroader, John and his wife, and it became the Carousel. They hired two twin brothers who did all the cooking and baking. After ten years, John sold out to an Itialian fellow from Unon County, who kept the boys on to run the place. Didn't know that they were from Trenton, had they been, I surely would have been told about it.
This past year, I called the Carousel, to buy the Cookies I used for clients, the guy anwering the phone's dialect made me realize that another immigrent family has moved into the convienence store business.

Sadly things change.

Best wishes

Mike Kuzma

Friday, July 27, 2012

1922: SOUTH BROAD APPROACHING STATE STREET

This incredibly clear photo shows many of the store fronts in the city of Trenton during the 1920's. City Hall can be seen next to the "Chesterfield" sign,

1922: E. STATE AND NO. CLINTON AVENUE

Here's an interesting photo of the legendary 4th Presbyterian Church on the corner of East State and North Clinton Avenue as it looked during the "roaring twenties."

1948: SO. CLINTON AVENUE HEADED TOWARD THE TRENTON TRAIN STATION

It took quite a bit of tweaking to bring out some of the detail in this interesting view of South Clinton Avenue. The "Mazur ?" lettering on the panel truck in the foreground is blurred due to the motion of the vehicle when the photographer took the photo.

1899: ENOCH MIDDLETON'S UNDERGROUND RAILROAD

Crosswicks and North Crosswicks are incredibly steeped in history. Enoch Middleton was an historic figure and one of the more prominent men in the history of that southern Hamilton Township area. His home served as a station on the Underground Railroad back during the Civil War era. According to my dear friend, the late Bob Simpkins, Middleton sent many of his railroad "passengers" over to Yardville to the Allinson home in today's "Locust Hill" section of Hamilton on the Yardville-Hamilton Square Road. Legend has it that the next stop was Cranbury in Middlesex County.

1947: VINTAGE CHAMBERSBURG: REMEMBERING THE GOOD TIMES NO. 1

These exquisite views of Chambersburg during "The Golden Years" will give future generations a very pristine view of a Trenton neighborhood that was known for tidy homes, friendly neighbors who knew and looked out for each other, and a penchant for keeping their simple row homes in well maintained condition. Journeying back in my own mind's eye, I can still see residents of Emery Avenue, Bayard Street, and other streets, washing their front stoops and sweeping the sidewalks and gutters in front of their homes. Cleanliness was indeed next to Godliness back during that era.

RALPH LUCARELLA said...

HI TOM....I AGREE WITH YOUR COMMENTS ABOUT THE CHAMBERSBURG SECTION AND THE FRIENDLY NATURE OF THE MOSTLY ITALIAN NEIGHBORHOOD. I CAN RECALL AS A KID HOW MUCH WE WERE TAUGHT TO BE CLEAN AND HELP OUT AS OFTEN AS POSSIBLE. WE WENT IN AND OUT OF HOMES WITH UNLOCKED DOORS AND TREATED EVERYONE LIKE FAMILY. I SURE MISS THAT WAY OF LIFE LATER ON WHEN WE MOVED AWAY. MAY GOD BLESS THE BURG AS WE KNEW IT. BEST REGARDS.

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Ron Bound said...

Tom, where was the Bijou theater? I keep looking for it in your great old pictures. Lived next door to Case's Pork Roll factory and played hide and seek on their roof many times. Sorry to hear of their recent fire.

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Ron Bound said...

Found this: Wife thought it was Clinton while I thought it was Broad St. Note to self: Don't argue with my bride.

The Bijou was Charles Hildinger’s (in partnership with C.C. Cutler)1st theatre which opened June 28, 1906 at 23 N. Warren St. In 1909 it was moved, under the name “The New Bijou” to the Chestnut/Clinton location and managed by Russell Lamont. It appears the original Bijou stayed open for some time and was managed by J. E. McClurg.

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

This is a repeat of a photo I posted a few weeks ago. It shows the incredible changes that have taken in this neighborhood over the past 60 years. Ironically, my car is parked on the sidewalk every Sunday morning directly in front of Sacred Heart Church. The diner and gas station which is located on that little plot of ground is no longer there. Samuel Light's building remains, as do many other buildings along that stretch of South Broad Street. The huge vacant lot across from Sacred Heart was thankfully torn down when a motel of disrepute occupied the spot.

RALPH LUCARELLA said...

HI TOM....WE HAD RELATIVES ON CENTRE STREET BY THE NAME OF MILLACCI'S. I RECALL THE OLDEST IN THE FAMILY AS BEING A STREET CLEANER IN THE EARLY YEARS, A JOB MANY OF THE OLDER PEOPLE HELD. THE GIRL MARRIED REX DeAUGUSTINO WHO LATER STARTED BOND'S ELECTRIC ON HAMILTON AVENUE, BEST REGARDS.

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Anonymous said...

Tom:

Great blow up of a scene that I looked at weekly, coming out of Mass at Sacred Heart. I sent the previous one, and this one to Tony Ponticello who lived on Center St. just about where the car is parked in front of the woman. Next to the church property was a candy/convenience store, than the "Town Tavern" and next Tony's house. Tony left Trenton in the early 50's and wound up in a little desert town of Las Vegas, where he began as a dishwasher at 17. He stuck in our and ultimately became a Real estate Broker/Developer, partnering with some of the Stars, and casino's in the birth of "Sin City".

Great photos, and great work on your part. Thanks Tom.

Regards

Mike Kuzma

Tuesday, July 24, 2012