1949: WEST STATE STREET AT S.P. DUNHAM AND TRAVER'S BOOK STORE

This view is special for me with the front facade of the Traver's book store on the right. What a wonderful shop that was for those of us who were book lovers! It was one of the saddest days in my existence when news of the closing of that legendary store was closing. I was there on the last day of the store. There were still COUNTLESS books on the shelves. Mr. Jim Brimmer from the Trenton Rescue Mission was there and he told me I could take as many as you can carry, I overheard his conversation and introduced myself to him and asked him how I could get a truck load of the books he was loading. He quoted me a price of $35.00. I was delighted. I paid him and he got my address, He told me they would be delivered the next day. At the time, I was working in New Brunswick. At about 11:30 A.M. the next day, I received a call from my wife. "Tom, they came here about an hour and a half ago and our second garage is filled with books!"

I still shudder as I realize how many of the books I couldn't save went to the Rescue Mission. Many of those that were delivered to me were historic treasures including Barber and Howe's History of New Jersey, the two volume set of the History of Mercer and Burlington County, and countless others that I added to my collection. I gradually succeeded in disposing of them to book dealers, and some of them went to Mr. Don Sinclair who was the Curator of the New Jersey Room at Rutgers at the time. Had I known then what I know now, there would still be many in my garage.