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Thursday, November 15, 2012

1939: THE RIVER ROAD AT THE YARDLEY BRIDGE

Once again I call on those visitors who are familiar with the area of the River Road in the Yardley area. I am completely in the dark as to the orientation of this landscape but I bet there will be a visitor who can relate to the "Revere" and the Atlantic station and tell us where the bridge is located.


On Sun, Nov 18, 2012 at 3:01 PM, fngoeke@verizon.net wrote:

 Tom, About Yardley Bridge.  There are two waterways that people confuse. One is the canal feeder that is more inland that goes through Cadwalader Park, then out to the Freeway area. The second is the water power that ran along the river, Stacy Park, then behind the State House. That waterway fed the mills in south Trenton . All the posts about the Yardley bridge area are interesting because that was one of my old hangout areas. 
Noel Goeke 





Anonymous said...
The bridge crossed at East Afton Avenue on the Yardley side right at the Yardley Inn. It ended up as a "T" intersection with the gas station being pretty much dead center with the bridge. The Revere Restaurant would be slightly south and on the left of the picture. There was also a large restaurant and banquet hall called the Del-A-Vue Room just a bit more to the south. Wilburtha Road would have been on the left behind the photographer.

Ed Millerick
Anonymous said...
And the oft discussed "Dog House" hot dog stand would have been south of the Gas Station.

"dirty bills" or filthy williams would have been on the other side of the bridge to the left along and on the dry side of River Road.
Mike Kuzma
Anonymous said...
When us old guys enlarge the photo, we can see the "Revere grille" sign biforcated by the "Telegraph"( how long has it been since we called them by this name) Pole. The Revere was owned by the Petrangeli family, super nice folks. Still in the same spot as is the gas station selling a different brand last I visited the Revere over 10 years ago.

Mike Kuzma
Tony S said...
Though I was not around in 1934, I traveled this road a lot in the late 40's and 50's before RTE 29 was built so this view appears to me to have been shot further up River Road nearer to Washington Crossing. As one headed north on River Road The Revere was on the left adjacent to a small flowing body of water we used to call "The Water Power" which is now part of Rte 29 and the fabled Dog house was on the right hand side. For this photo's label to be as it appears in the picture, there is too much foliage and room on the left side of the road to be what is stated. I happily look forward to the rebuttals.
Sally Logan Gilman said...
I remember "The Revere" on what was known as "The Water Power.'' I don't recall the Dog House but I remember "Dirty Bills'' in Yardley. Wow, those dogs were good.
Anonymous said...
Tony S.
You are too far north on Rt. 29. and too far west for the water power. That body of water ran paralell to Rt. 29 but mush farthr East of the photograph. If you went up the nearby Wilburtha Road, the old DeFlesco Quarry shop was adjacent to the "water power", If you went back towards Trenton, and uder the Reading RR bridge made a left up Lower Ferry Road, it would be a quarter mile or so before the "water power" which was also along the Trenton Country Club.
Enlarge the photo, and you will see the Revere Sign, as noted in my previous post.
You may be mistaken by the body of water, because they built a lot of Apartments/office buildings in the low lying area and the Reading RR bridge, heavy rains turn this land and the apartments theron in what looks like an extention of the Delaware River.
Don't mean to "rebut" you, just clarify matters. Washington Crossing is several miles north of this area.and the "Water power has already crossed the road, and is now nearly adjacent to the River.
Did you know that for years the City of Trenton owned a large parcel of land along the Delaware in the area of what is now Rt. 95.
This was held for future expansion of the Filtration plant. I was involved with it as Chief Real Estate Officer for the City of Trenton.

Mike Kuzma
Anonymous said...
Tony S.
You may be thinking of the body of water that ran under what is now the Rt. 29 freeway.
That body of water ran paralell and between the river, and the road. That is where shaky bridge was at the filtration plant.

Do you remember what we called a similar canal that ran from Morrisville north along the River?
"Dead Cow"
Mike Kuzma
Tony S said...
My assumption that the picture was up River Road might have been off because this photo doesn't resemble the view of this area I have in my memory. But I am quite positive The Delavue rested along that body of water that ran parallel to the Delaware and which we called the water power. My friend and I lived on Sanhican Drive not 100 yards from this body of water we called "The Water Power." We used to swim in it and navigated our kyak up and it, way up to the Reading RR Bridge, much to the chagrin of our parents. The Delavue Bar and Grill was directly across the road from the fabled Dog House, which still stands,decaying, decrepit and long abandoned building where it fed us all almost nightly so many years ago. My memory is still a bit hazy on the Revere but that could have been where it originally stood. Man that was a long time ago. An enlightenment about my beloved Trenton will be most welcomed and I accede to those who have better memories.

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

The bridge crossed at East Afton Avenue on the Yardley side right at the Yardley Inn. It ended up as a "T" intersection with the gas station being pretty much dead center with the bridge. The Revere Restaurant would be slightly south and on the left of the picture. There was also a large restaurant and banquet hall called the Del-A-Vue Room just a bit more to the south. Wilburtha Road would have been on the left behind the photographer.

Ed Millerick

Anonymous said...

And the oft discussed "Dog House" hot dog stand would have been south of the Gas Station.

"dirty bills" or filthy williams would have been on the other side of the bridge to the left along and on the dry side of River Road.
Mike Kuzma

Anonymous said...

When us old guys enlarge the photo, we can see the "Revere grille" sign biforcated by the "Telegraph"( how long has it been since we called them by this name) Pole. The Revere was owned by the Petrangeli family, super nice folks. Still in the same spot as is the gas station selling a different brand last I visited the Revere over 10 years ago.

Mike Kuzma

Tony S said...

Though I was not around in 1934, I traveled this road a lot in the late 40's and 50's before RTE 29 was built so this view appears to me to have been shot further up River Road nearer to Washington Crossing. As one headed north on River Road The Revere was on the left adjacent to a small flowing body of water we used to call "The Water Power" which is now part of Rte 29 and the fabled Dog house was on the right hand side. For this photo's label to be as it appears in the picture, there is too much foliage and room on the left side of the road to be what is stated. I happily look forward to the rebuttals.

Sally Logan Gilman said...

I remember "The Revere" on what was known as "The Water Power.'' I don't recall the Dog House but I remember "Dirty Bills'' in Yardley. Wow, those dogs were good.

Anonymous said...

Tony S.
You are too far north on Rt. 29. and too far west for the water power. That body of water ran paralell to Rt. 29 but mush farthr East of the photograph. If you went up the nearby Wilburtha Road, the old DeFlesco Quarry shop was adjacent to the "water power", If you went back towards Trenton, and uder the Reading RR bridge made a left up Lower Ferry Road, it would be a quarter mile or so before the "water power" which was also along the Trenton Country Club.
Enlarge the photo, and you will see the Revere Sign, as noted in my previous post.
You may be mistaken by the body of water, because they built a lot of Apartments/office buildings in the low lying area and the Reading RR bridge, heavy rains turn this land and the apartments theron in what looks like an extention of the Delaware River.
Don't mean to "rebut" you, just clarify matters. Washington Crossing is several miles north of this area.and the "Water power has already crossed the road, and is now nearly adjacent to the River.
Did you know that for years the City of Trenton owned a large parcel of land along the Delaware in the area of what is now Rt. 95.
This was held for future expansion of the Filtration plant. I was involved with it as Chief Real Estate Officer for the City of Trenton.

Mike Kuzma

Anonymous said...

Tony S.
You may be thinking of the body of water that ran under what is now the Rt. 29 freeway.
That body of water ran paralell and between the river, and the road. That is where shaky bridge was at the filtration plant.

Do you remember what we called a similar canal that ran from Morrisville north along the River?
"Dead Cow"
Mike Kuzma

Tony S said...

My assumption that the picture was up River Road might have been off because this photo doesn't resemble the view of this area I have in my memory. But I am quite positive The Delavue rested along that body of water that ran parallel to the Delaware and which we called the water power. My friend and I lived on Sanhican Drive not 100 yards from this body of water we called "The Water Power." We used to swim in it and navigated our kyak up and it, way up to the Reading RR Bridge, much to the chagrin of our parents. The Delavue Bar and Grill was directly across the road from the fabled Dog House, which still stands,decaying, decrepit and long abandoned building where it fed us all almost nightly so many years ago. My memory is still a bit hazy on the Revere but that could have been where it originally stood. Man that was a long time ago. An enlightenment about my beloved Trenton will be most welcomed and I accede to those who have better memories.

Anonymous said...

Tony S.
Yes the Delavue did in fact sit on the "River" side of this road just where the bridge exited in NJ.
1n 1955 the great flood took most of it down river.
The Revere was always there, and below the "Dog House" ( can't believe it is still standing) was "Jule's Gaspari's "Club Condado" which became "Barretts" Smorgesboard. That lasted for several years.

In my real Estate brokerage days, I seem to remember that the land the dog house sat on was a veritable swamp,and unbuildable.

Trenton is no more! Just some vague memory.
We as Americans have come to accept mediocrity as the norm.
We have lost our way; and allowed this to happen.
The ratioale suggestions of those who built his nation are being drowned out by L's, & S's who want us to mimic Europe.
And we all know the condition they are in.

Best of luck with the future.

Mike Kuzma

tony s said...

I could not agree with you more. I choose to remember Trenton as it was, a wonderful hometown where many a warm and memorable childhood was lived. Our parents lived there and provided for us. Downtown was vibrant and we all were able to obtain and good education which prepared us for adulthood. When people become incredulous at the mere mention of "Trenton", I immediately have a totally different reality in a different time. It is hard for people today to believe what a wonderful place Trenton was to grown up in. I stand by that.

The derelict "Dog House" shell still stands in its original spot as I pass it twice a year when I return to Trenton to visit my mother. There was no place like it and preceded HAPPY DAYS by decades.

Thanks for your note. TONY S

Anonymous said...

I believe that the small building on the gas station lot was later demolished and what appears to be the building with the service bays is being constructed in the background. It has only been an auto repair since I can remember and the Revere is slightly set back. Some time in the 1960's Elsie Gallivan opened a millinery shop on the lot next to the restaurant.

Ed Millerick

Anonymous said...

Tony S:

It didn't dawn on me until I read the post about Tracy's 5 & 10 that you are Yonk & Ruthie's boy.
Met Mom & Pop through my sister/brother in law John & Lillian Zuccarelli.
Tried contacting you when in Denver several years ago.
Your parents were great people, with sterling personalities.
I too was a customer on Stockton St.
Are you retired from Baseball?

Best wishes, regards

Mike Kuzma

Anonymous said...

In the 1950s and 60s I traveled over this bridge many times, including the day before it was partially washed away in the 1955 August flood. The car in the photo headed south needs to turn right just ahead for the entrance to the bridge. The first span went over the canal and the other spans crossed the river into Yardley. All this before the new Rt. 29 was built and the canal filled in. We ate at the Revere grill many times. The Army Corps of Engineers rebuilt the torn-out section with a Bailey Bridge, which served the area until the Scudders Falls bridge upriver was opened in 1961.

Mary Ellen said...

I've seen a photo taken from above of this area with Revere across the street from where it is now. Does anyone remember the little gas station with the monkey just south of here? That was in the 50's.

Princeton Homebrew said...

This is right next door to me on Mill Rd and Rt. 29.