It is nearly impossible for the younger generation to understand how very rural Hamilton Township was just 50 short years ago. Anywhere you drove, north, south, east or west, as you left any of our local neighborhoods and ventured out into "the country," you would see fields of corn, alfalfa, and other expansive farms. Can you even try to consider today's intersection with Youngs Road and the photo above? Mind boggling!
The next thing you're going to tell me is that Quaker Bride Road is now a four lane highway!
ReplyDeleteA couple of us kids from the Burg used to bike ride out to QB Road to go trout fishing on Assunpink Creek back in the early 60s. Back then it wasn't much more developed than in this image. I think this view is headed away from Mercerville towards the Creek and Village Road. There wasn't much out there in those days - corn fields and forrested areas as you see here.
The main landmark of the time was the Congoleum Nairn water tank off to the left. It was actually close to the Pennsy main line, IIRC.
Was there a big tree right in the middle of the road? Or was that on the road leading from the 5 points area?
ReplyDeleteYES RON, THERE IS A BIG TREE IN THE MIDDLE OF QB ROAD. THE YOUNGER GENERATION KEEPS ASKING IF IT WAS THERE WHEN WASHINGTON AND HIS TROOPS MARCHED TO PRINCETON. OF COURSE THE ANSWER IS "NO;" THE TREE IS OLD BUT NOT THAT OLD.
ReplyDeleteTOM
I remember when Young's Road had a watchman's shack at the creek and main line of the Pennsy crossing. The fellow would put out a few of those red lanterns when a train was due to come along. I suppose the bridge was put in mid 50's or so. Back in the 60's "the best" trout fishing was at a trestle north of there if you followed a path in the woods that would then lead you along the tracks. It was there I had my first encounter with Lentho Burns, aka, "Burnsie" the local game warden. I forgot it was a closed day, but Burnsie" known for taking a hard line, turned out to be a nice guy and let me off with a wrist slap.
ReplyDeleteEd Millerick
Tom:
ReplyDeleteIt was here where we would turn into Youngs Road, to get to Sherm Cooper's farm. He raised hogs ( no not Harley Davidson's) and had a "Triumph}" motorcycle dearlership in a shed on the property. He put my 1953 Triumph back together for me after a spill.
Sherm & I became great friends and I would ride with him around the east coast. Worked with him the year he won the 50 mile national championship at Laconia NH.
We stayed in touch right up to his passing a few years ago.
Talk about humble beginnings, he rose to become one of the most successful Honda dealership's in the country, and when he retired, traveled by motorcycle to different continents acting a motorcyle tour guide.
A lot of great memories come out of this picture.
Mike Kuzma
Lentho Burns did have a great heart. For the Sunday after openning day, it was quite cold and snowy, and I was wading the creek at the small dam, just upstream from the bridge. I slipped and fell from the greasy rocks into the pool downstream.
ReplyDeleteSoaked to the bone. I walked over to the house and asked for some assistance, having no idea who owned the house. Warden Burns called home and arranged for transportation, got some towels to help me dry off, and managed to come up with some warm milk. A great guy!
Mike, did that hog farm later change hands? I remember a Black family having a farm back there; they were a bit upstream from the dam and they had horses and a few hogs. The entry would have been right at the old, original green bridge. I think it's now a construction/demolition company. The old road through the woods that would take you alongside the rail tracks to get to the north trestle has been blocked for years.
ReplyDeleteEd Millerick
Ed:
ReplyDeleteAs I recall, the area you speak of was west of here. I don't recall another family raising hogs, and we spent a lot of time doing "woods Run" thoughout this area on our motorcyles, making a lot of noise, and raising hell.
Mike
In the 1950s Edward C. Hawley had an antique shop right by the bridge on this road. I think it was kind of a barn building. I was friends with his two girls. My mom bought many antiques from him. He later owned a butcher shop in downtown Princeton. He and his family moved from Mercerville to Yardley in the early 1950s.
ReplyDeletethere was a pig farm behind the trucking company you can still see the stone pig houses off of t.j.r.industrial dr.years back thay had a liquor still there that was busted. the pig smell helped mask the cooking mash smell.
ReplyDelete