1904: ITALIAN MADE WHEAT BREAD

How I love 4 or 5 slices of Italian Peoples Bakery's Italian bread! You can freeze it, but NEVER regain the texture and taste of the original tastes on the day you buy it. The above is a 110 year old article dealing with the early years of Italian baking in the Trenton area. Honest; what could be better than a steaming hot dish Spaghetti Bolognese, or pencil points, or baked ziti, and for me a frosty glass of Coke. (Sorry...I'm not a wine drinker.)

2014: THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

I am so very happy that Tom Glover's Hamilton Library Scrapbook has been so well received by so many visitors who are interested in our local history. Above is just a small portion of the report I receive on a regular basis from Google who sponsor "Blogspot." Reports such as the above help me to choose subjects scan, modify and post. Thank you all!

2014: TOMORROW WILL BE OUR FINAL KUSER PARK CONCERT

2014: THE TRENTON CITY MUSEUM AT ELLARSLIE

My SENTIMENTAL JOURNEY column for tomorrow morning (September 28) deals with the 200th anniversary of the oldest parish in the state of New Jersey: Sacred Heart Church at the intersection of South Broad and Centre Streets in Trenton. had just sent my column to my TIMES editor and within a few hours I had a visit from Mr. Richard Willinger who is President of the Trenton Museum Society. Mr. Willinger wanted the public to know that Sacred Heart Church is featuring historic photos, documents and ephemera in the Ellarslie mansion. 

The public is invited,

Museum Hours:
Tuesday through Saturday 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Sunday: 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Closed Mondays and municipal holidays

Phone: (609) 989-3632 or (609) 989-1191
Fax: (609) 989-3624

NOTE: MY COLUMN IN THIS MORNING'S TRENTON TIMES REDUCED THE DETAIL ON THE AREA MAP AND RENDERED IT VERY DIFFICULT TO READ. HERE IS THE FULL SIZE MAP:

 

1934: ENTERPRISE VOLUNTEER FIRE CO. MINSTREL PROGRAM

I have been a proud resident of Bromley for the 61 of my years of marriage. I have seen my neighborhood change drastically over the years. The "sick 60's" brought social unrest to Trenton and the suburbs, and along came the social disease we have come to know as "white flight." Ironically, those who did indeed choose to move further into the suburbs, left the neighborhood and in the case of the Glover family, one of the most beautiful streets in Hamilton Township. Huge oak and Sycamore trees still abound and form a God-made canopy of trees all along Atlantic Avenue. I have a 75 year old Sycamore on my front lawn which even though it sheds bark in the summer time is one of God's treasured gifts to the Glover's Atlantic Avenue abode. Who filled in the void after the aforementioned "white flight?" Wonderful neighbors, many of whom keep their homes and yards in better condition than those who left for greener pastures and the accompanying higher taxes.

11937: YES, I DO REMEMBER THIS TRENTON MEMORY

I was only a young boy o 8 or 9, but I do remember the now archaic custom of stationing city of Trenton police officers under an umbrella, on a platform with the rotating "STOP" and "GO" signs. This was just a small memory of the Trenton of 70-Plus years ago apparently before the advent of today's traffic light; delightful nostalgia, delightful history!.

1947: SOUTH CLINTON AVENUE AT THE TRENTON TRAIN STATON

I find these two photos to be very interesting. Returning WWII GI's were undoubtedly very familiar with the landscape shown above. From the notorious Hotel Leonard to lower extracted photo showing the little shops that lined up as a mini mall back in 1947, I would bet that many old Trentonians will see familiar memory.

1947: TRENTON TRANSIT "L-9" ENROUTE TO CEDAR LANE

I could conceivably be on that bus! This was the bus that the Glover's and their Kuser Farm area neighbors took to take a trip "up town," or as some of us said, "down town." The end of the line was at Cedar Lane and Olden in front of "Bee Bee's Tavern;" now the Speakeasy. At the time, there was an open porch where we could wait and get out of the rain or snow. The porch has since been enclosed. As to old L-9 Liberty Street, she started at the Perry Street Terminal, down to State and Broad, South Broad to Liberty Street, Liberty Street to Sylvan, Sylvan to Cedar Lane and the end of the line.

2014: SALLY LANE - "THEN AND NOW" IN THE TIMES

 

The cut and paste in the top graphic shows some of the 50 plus columns Sally wrote over the years for both the Times and Trentonian. I am slowly but surely adding to the files as time permits. I have always admired Sally's writing style and her ability to bring local Trenton history to the fore.

2014: BACK FOR 2 MORE WEEKS BEFORE THE TEMPS DROP

A number of folks have suggested a September series as a continuation of my 8 week summer 2014 series of music sing along programs, SO here we go. I have cleared it with Recreation Director Marty Flynn and Ms. Nicole Zoller and if the weather holds, we will do one last set of musical programs at the Kuser Park gazebo. September can be a lovely month of the year when there is no rain in the forecast. I am hoping that we will be favored with 2 nice crisp fall afternoonS with low humidity and comfortable temperatures. However, experience has taught me that September can also be a month with numerous rainy days. In that event,rainy programs will be cancelled with no rain date. Bring a folding chair, sweater or blanket and come for one last FALL FLING!

1967: REMEMBER BILL BLACKWELL'S?

This is a repeat post which I added some years ago. I sure do remember this legendary Ewing 1950's garden center. I spent many years on North Olden Avenue Extension at the old Trenton Bearing Company and made numerous deliveries of V belts and ball bearings to Bill's place. The photo brings back fond memories for me, and I would bet also to many "Ewingites!"

1945: THE LUSCOMBE AIRCRAFT COMPANY

With the recent article in the local press relating to the vacant Ternstedt-Eastern Aircraft plant property, I have been doing some searching for the beginning stories that relate to our own Ewing Township and the very important part it played during World War II. Many of us in the senior citizen community recognize the Luscombe company who were an integral part of World War II history, and of course, Eastern Aircraft Division of General Motors Corp. Above is a full page from a rare World War II issue of
"The Bomber;" a publication of Local 731 of the United Auto Workers. A full page "broad sheet" newspaper is a challenge to the average computer monitor, but I do believe that the articles will be legible. EnjoyQ

1925: EARLY FAMILY NAMES AT ST. ANTHONY OF PADUA HAMILTON

As I was reading this interesting column relating to the early years of St. Anthony parish, I found names that were very familiar to those of us who lived within the boundary of one of the first Roman Catholic parishes in Hamilton. St. Anthony has been on that South Olden Avenue location since its founding in 1921. (94 years!)

1951: CLASSMATE BOB SHINKLE HHS '51

We were so proud of these guys! NATIONAL TV! The Ed Sullivan Show! Bob points with pride to his years as an active strongman who with his very talented partners made both local and national television appearances. As I recall, Bob also appeared on WFIL-TV channel 6 with another of his partners, classmate George Mozer.

1938: WE'VE COME A LONG WAY, BABY!"

The only weed that I smoke is an occasional "Black and Mild" filter tip pipe tobacco cigar. Like Bill Clinton, I don't inhale (no, I really don't). With the legalization of marijuana in the news and states falling into line to legalize it, the above 76 year old article is quite interesting. Strange that marijuana would be legalized considering the anti smoking crusade that has made a huge dent in the average American's smoking habit.

2014: R.C. MAXWELL'S TRENTON

The graphic above is the title page of my on screen presentation which features the incredibly historic and equally incredible exquisite photos of Trenton as it looked during what I call "Trenton's Golden Years." 

"R.C. Maxwell's Trenton" will be one of the on screen programs which will presented at the Hamilton Township Public Library by the new and improved HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF HAMILTON TOWNSHIP in future months. After years of bypassing the illustrious history of Hamilton, Trenton, and the Mercer County area, the society has found that universally interesting programs will bring citizens to the meetings. Gone are the historic but far from local subjects of the past Einstein, Molly Picher, etc.) Come join us; you will love our new direction!

1946: ANYBODY REMEMBER "TONY'S TOMATO PIES?"

I was only 13 when this photo was taken and must admit that I never had a tomato pie at Tony's. Back then it was DeLorenzo's which was in walking distance of my Hartley Avenue home. I don't recall the diner either.

1988: BEFORE "COMMON CORE" (Thank the Lord!)

I will never forget the excitement of the start of a new school year. The very familiar (to this day) and distinctive aroma of the disinfectant used by the township at Kuser and other area schools back during my years in that wonderful grammar school. We were taught the "3 R's" with a vengeance. Reading, writing and arithmetic were taught by teachers who knew how to impregnate our young brains. I have very fond memories of learning to print, then write in cursive and how to string an intelligent sentence and compound that sentence into an intelligent composition. Only since succeeding generations took over our schools did we begin to hear that keeping a slower student back to repeat a school year was bad for his or her "self esteem." And now along comes "Common Core" with what appears to me to be a different approach to the  task of education young students. I am hearing educational "experts" opining that mnemonics are ineffective. In my personal experience even after 70 years of my 81 years, memorization was a key to my ability to comprehend grammar, math, and other critical subjects; going way back to my primary years when I memorized the alphabet, the times tables, the basic rules of good grammar and probably many more subjects that I didn't mention.
Only recently did I learn that some schools are eliminating cursive writing and its very necessary companion, Penmanship from their studies. BAD IDEA! (That is my opinion and mine alone.) No one appreciates the digital age more than I. It has led me on an incredibly fascinating journey of knowledge and enrichment. However in my not too savvy brain, I don't think using tablets and computers should replace the manual and mental dexterity required to write AND READ cursive. History? I'm hearing stories that our U.S. history books contain an abundance of revisionist history.  

SPEAKING OF SCHOOLS AND EDUCATION, I WILL BE PRESENTING AN ON SCREEN PRESENTATION TOMORROW EVENING FROM 7 P.M. THE PRESENTATION IS ENTITLED, "HAMILTON SCHOOLS; THE WAY THEY WERE." THE PROGRAM IS COMPLETELY FREE TO ALL AREA RESIDENTS WHO ARE WITHIN TRAVEL DISTANCE OF THE HAMILTON LIBRARY. THE MEETING WILL BE HELD IN ROOM NUMBER 3, LOWER LEVEL.

2104: MARK YOUR CALENDARS!

"School days, school days, dear old golden rule days,

readin' and writin' and 'rithmetic, taught to the tune of a hickory stick, 

you were my queen in calico, I was your bashful barefoot beau 

when you wrote on my slate, 'I love you so' 

when we were a couple of kids.."

This coming Monday evening, September 8th at 7 PM, the Historical Society of Hamilton Township continues to bring fascinating local history to our area. We will be presenting another fascinating on screen presentation to the public. We will take a nostalgic and educational journey back to those long ago years and take a look at the old one room school houses and also project on the library's huge movie screen some fascinating articles and photos of the vintage years of schools that have survived the years and still educating our current generation. For me, and many other romanticists, there is a certain charm and fascination as we see the way our grandparent and great grandparents were educated. It was the era when a strict school teacher knew how to control any errant students; an era of pot bellied wood burning stoves, and hand held slates for taking notes; it was the year of chalk, black slate blackboards, and felt blackboard erasers, of straight pens and ink wells. Be sure not to miss this fascinating presentation. As noted in the above ad, admission is free to any area resident within traveling distance of the library. Our meetings usually end before 9 P.M.

2014: MAYOR GLEN GILMORE AND MAURY PERILLI; HONORED VISITORS

Glen and former Mayor Maury Perilli were two of the mayors who were interested in my local history project. In fact, Maury donated many of his of records, photos and papers to the local history collection.
With the hustle and bustle of every day activities these two gentlemen had to cope with, it was a real treat to give former Mayor Glen Gilmore a look at what we are doing here to preserve our incredible local historical heritage for posterity.

1990: PROUD TO HAVE GIVEN 3 YEARS OF MY LIFE

I am uncovering so many columns among the many hundreds I have written over the years. I began writing way back in 1981 and only missed one deadline when I had emergency gall bladder surgery in the 1980's. I would guess that I have written nearly a thousand columns over all these years. Above is a column that I had completely forgotten about. As we old military veterans look back on our service years, they seem to have taken on a charm of their own. Was I ever that young? Were that photo to appear in any other place without the caption I posted, I would not recognize myself! (105 pounds fresh out of the shower, a 31 inch waist, and not a wrinkle to be seen.) Wow. My army service in the Army Security Agency will be with me until I meet the Lord whenever he calls me.