1934: E. STATE AT STOCKTON STREET

This is an exquisite view of downtown Trenton during the Great Depression. Harbourt's Drug Store is on the far right, just out of the photo. Can you identify the church on the left?
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RALPH LUCARELLA said...

rayfromvillapark said...

Hi Tom, This is the clearest photo,indicating the location of the Cord Auburn automobile dealership, to the left, past the church. This building became Bill's Hobby Shop, where I became a regular. One of the tall buildings just further up, had a huge painted sign on the brick wall advertising Cord and Auburn automobiles. It could clearly be seen coming East on State. Two of the most iconic cars of the 1930s, the very stylish Auburn, introduced the boat tailed speedster, with both Straight 8 and V12 power. They offered luxury at a relatively lower price than Packard, Cadillac, or Pierce Arrow, while the front wheel drive Cord 810 & 812, had the most advanced styling of the 1930s, with the coffin nose, hidden headlights, no running boards, pontoon fenders and a low center of gravity. They were powered by a Lycoming flathead V8, putting out 125 HP, naturally aspirated and 165 HP supercharged. The transmission was controlled by a Bendix pre selector gearshift. This car was such a great influence on my thinking about how an automobile should look, that I have coveted this model all of my life. Nearly purchased one in the 1960's but building a new home, at that time, interfered with the cash flow. I believe my wife may have interfered also. Still my favorite car. Auburn went out of business at the end of 1936, and Cord followed at the end of 1937. The last trolleys ran in the 1934, the date of this photo.

Wednesday, September 11, 2013

joe lind said...

Tom, Look at the spelling on top of the building Broad Street Bank, It's backward as is all other spelling in the picture, It must be a picture of a negative that wasn't inverted.
Just thought I would mention it.
I hope you and the Mrs are doing well.

Wednesday, September 11, 2013

Tom Glover said...

Hi Joe: No, the photo is correct. The reason you are seeing the sign on the bank is due to the reflection on the opposite side of the sign is more prominent. To be sure, I opened the photo with PhotoShop and horizontally flipped it. When I did, all the signs in the photo were backwards. I tried to tweak the sign in the foreground but the contrast just wasn't there.

Tom

Thursday, September 12, 2013