2015: PLEASE SOMEONE; SAVE HAMILTON'S HISTORIC BROMLEY INN!

 

Back in 1897 when Mr. Charles Fulkert a South Trenton saloon owner, opened the Bromley Inn, little did he know that he was creating an historic edifice that would become a perfect gathering place for prominent persons from all over the east coast who were harness racing horse owners and race fans and very active in the Lexington Kentucky style harness racing track at financier Henry N. Smith's Fashion Stud Farm. General Grant and other notables kept one of his horses in the stables at the stud farm. For those unfamiliar with the aforementioned racing venue, the stud farm was located in the area of today's Grounds For Sulpture and of course the late, lamented "Interstate Fair;" more familiarly known known as the New Jersey State Fair. Sadly, the Bromley Inn is falling into a sad physical state as it sits abandoned and forlornly on Route 33. We are very encouraged by the news that there is going to be a Walmart placed on the site which will serve as an anchor store in the new shopping center. A tip of the hat to our town fathers for bringing this worthy project to fruition. I would bet that the new shopping center will be a popular and much needed asset to those of us who are residents of the Bromley area. It would also be the ideal time for a history minded entity to capitalize on the popularity of the Grounds For Sculpture area, and look to the possibilities of the Bromley Inn for preservation and utilization. As a 60 year resident of Bromley (Greenwood Village 1950 and currently Atlantic Avenue,) Sincere thanks to Hamilton Township's Economic Development people for what could be a new positive future for aging Bromley; a great old neighborhood that I perceive to be a community in need of attention.

1949: 1900 BLOCK OF GREENWOOD AVENUE BROMLEY

Here's a very interesting view of the 1900 block of Greenwood Avenue in Bromley. That cozy little building next to the R.C. Maxwell sign was the site of the Grimm Insurance agency that insured Judy and me from our marriage in 1954 and right up to the time when the Grimm girls took over. Webster ("Webb") Grimm is an old old family friend of the Glover family. I remember as a young boy back in the late 1930's when Webb and my brother, the late Len Glover were very active in a local boys'club known as the "Lynx Club." I also have a very clear memory of those two guys preparing an printed announcement of an upcoming event. They used a now antiquated method of printing known as a "Hectograph;" a flat tin, which contained a jelly like chemical. The printed bulletin they worked on was typewritten on a regular paper page, the paper page laid face down until the ink bled into the aforementioned jell, and the result was a printing process that allowed for a sufficient number of purple ink copies for distribution to the members and friends of the "Lynx Club." As to the Grimm Insurance Agency and the Glover involvement, I recall the number of times Judy and I were a bit short on a number of occasions. Webb always covered for us. I also recall with a smile, the day our dryer overheated and burned a dryer full of clothes. Webb instructed us to go to a Sears catalog, find equivalent articles, list the items and price them and send the information to him. We did, he re-reimbursed us for the amount. When we had all the items listed, we called Webb to tell him we had the burned clothing in a bag for him to justify the insurance expense, Webb told us to throw the material away and payment was on the way. We never forgot that incident and never will.

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.

"2014 IF I WERE A RICH MAN"

https://www.youtube.com/embed/ehwvZXVKmPU

"If I were a rich man, ya da dah dah da dum..." So goes the song from "Fiddler on the Roof." Indeed, if I were a rich, rich, ,man, I would be first in line to seek out those historic sites that are being neglected and allowed to deteriorate due to the lack of funding to restore, or at least preserve them for possible future restoration. The link above was sent to me by my friend and auto historian Ray Paskiewicz. The link will take you to a video telling the story of the very first "Air Force One" which was a Lockheed "Constellation" used by President Eisenhower. A real sad story as we see at the end of the video the historic aircraft rotting away in the Arizona desert. Below is a photo of one of Hamilton's historic treasures which is now boarded up and presenting a depressing site on Nottingham Way here in Hamilton. It occurred to me that this historic old structure built back in the 1890's by Charles Fulkert would be a wonderful headquarters for Hamilton's exquisite "Grounds For Sculpture"or another local entity with the interest in historic preservation. Ahh, If only I were a rich man!"

1936: 2090 GREENWOOD AVENUE THEN AND NOW

I was 3 years old when this airplane photo of the Bromley section of Hamilton was taken with the Municipal Building as the point of interest. Notice the greenhouses and also the open fields around the building and Hollywood Drive in the upper left.Below is a 2014 Google Earth view of the 

same area as it is today.

BROMLEY 27 YEARS AGO. HOW THE TIME HAS FLOWN!

I remember the day I walked the neighborhood looking for vestiges of the Bromley of yesteryear and here we are 27 years later, and these photos taken with one of those antique 35 mm cameras once again come alive with photos of vintage Bromley structures. Few people realize this historic area of Hamilton which dates back to the colonial era when the Anderson Farm, which was once located on the city line in the area of today's North Logan Avenue, extended all the way out to the Greenwood Cemetery area. During the first decade of the 20th century, the area began to develop with the neighborhoods of Bromley Place and Bromley Manor bringing many residents to what was then rural Bromley. Further down Nottingham Way the historic Bromley Inn is slowly deteriorating and with the financial crunch we have in this year of 2014, chances are nearly nil that anyone with financial means will come along and restore that local treasure that dates back to Charles Fulkert's Bromley Inn, 1897.

1899 and 1917: JOHN W. HARTER-BROMLEY PIONEER

 

 Along with Charles Fulkert who established the Bromley Inn on Nottingham Way back in the latter part of the 19th century, John W. Harter also was a pioneer Bromley resident. As can be seen in the graphics above, Harter was a Trenton insurance agent and later included real estate in his career portfolio. Note that today's Nottingham Way was referred to as "Clinton Street" back in the 1890's. The reason probably due to the fact that Trenton's North Clinton Avenue terminated at today's Mulberry Street and today's Nottingham Way.

1897: BROMLEY HOTEL -- NOT BROMLEY INN!

Even though we have become accustomed to hearing that historic and rapidly deteriorating building on Route 33 having its name changed years ago to the Bromley Inn, it all started out as the Bromley Hotel. Before he moved out to the Bromley section of Hamilton Township in the latter part of the 19th century, Charles Fulkert operated a saloon at the corner of Centre and Furman Streets in South Trenton. There are countless romantic articles telling of the weddings and other community events that were part of the history of this historic Hamilton landmark. Back in the years when Henry N. Smith's Fashion Stud Farm was in operation in the area behind the Hamilton-Enterprise Fire Company and all the way to the fair grounds area, wealthy horsemen from all over the country stayed in the sumptuous hotel. Later, many from far and near stayed there during those many Septembers of long ago when the Interstate Fair was in operation.

BROMLEY FROM THE AIR

My classmate Bob Shinkle,Hamilton High 1951 was kind enough to point out the friends and neighbors he know from Bromley during his years in that neighborhood. This view will be part of the on screen program I will be presenting this Monday, November 4 at 7 PM at the Hamilton Library lower level meeting room number 3. Hope to see some of my "Locals" there. refreshments will be served.

BROMLEY; ONE OF HAMILTON'S VINTAGE COMMUNITIES

I will be presenting two "on screen" Power Point type programs at the October and November meetings of the Hamilton Township Historical Society. The Society meets the first Monday of every month (except July and August) at 7 P.M. in the lower level Room #2 of the Hamilton Township Public Library. The October meeting will be a thumbnail history of the John Abbott II house, and the story of the founding of the Society which is celebrating its 70t anniversary. The November meeting will be another on screen presentation featuring Bromley, the New Jersey State Fair, and the Henry N. Smith "Fashion Stud Farm" which was once located in the Bromley area adjacent to the Fairgrounds. Both presentations are free and the public is cordially welcome.

ROCKHILL HART AND THE BROMLEY JAIL

 

I posted the photo at the top of the screen a few years ago and it became a victim of a Google glitch in which many of my graphics were removed from this website. Those that were removed have a triangle with an exclamation (!) in the middle. A recent visitor requested a repeat of the post showing the graphics.
As a long time Bromley resident, I have always had an intense interest in the old Hamilton Township Clerk's office that was once located on the corner of Walnut and Johnston Avenue here in the township. Each time I go by that corner, I look to see if any of the buildings could have been the site of the office of Rockhill Hart, Hamilton's legendary town clerk. The building also served as the Bromley jail back in the first few decades of the 20th century. Thanks to Hamilton Library Director George Conwell for making these public files and folders on the history of Hamilton Township available to the public. For some reason they have been secreted away in a credenza in the Director's office, strictly off limits. Along with fascinating scrap books and other paper memorabilia is this RARE and I dare say UNIQUE photo of township Clerk Rockhill Hart's office. The building also served as the Bromley jail, and at times, a meeting place for the Hamilton Township Committee. This photo was undoubtedly one of the items moved from the original library in the basement of the Municipal Building on Greenwood Avenue. On the back of the photo, along with the descriptive caption reproduced above, was a cryptic note:
"DO NOT CIRCULATE."

With the exception of the Hamilton Township Police Department, it is a very sad fact that Hamilton employees from the early years of Hamilton Township had very little interest in preserving historic photos and documents. Even today, the most recent vintage map of Hamilton Township is from a 1935 atlas. 

THIS FROM "ANONYMOUS:" REGARDING A DEFECTIVE 2010 POST WHERE THE ABOVE GRAPHICS WERE MISSING AND REPLACED WITH THE DREADED (!) EXCLAMATION:
Hi Tom, Im having trouble viewing this image...any suggestions? Also, would this be the location of the church building of the now-disbanded Bethel Lutheran church congregation? Thanks! on 1920's:

1987: MY BROMLEY

The year 2013 Marks the 50th year that my dear wife Judy and I have been living in the Bromley section of Hamilton in our charming and austere 1939 Cape Cod home. Over the years, and due to the proximity to the Trenton city line, the Bromley area has become the victim of "white flight." Many neighbors around us saw some sort of threat to our "lily white" Woodlawn Park neighborhood. Having been born and bred in an integrated neighborhood where "white flight" was never a consideration, we stayed the course and intend to live out the rest of our years in the home we lovel; missing our closest and intimate across the street neighbors the McLaughlins. The "newcomers" who moved into the neighborhood after the white flight exodus have proven to be personable neighbors who go about the business of being good and friendly citizens.

Above is a little vignette I put together from various graphics from my "BROMLEY" folder in the Hamilton Library Local History Collection. 

Anonymous said...

What frightened me from buying a wonderful home on Hollywood Drive when I getting married in the 80's was not the mixed nature of the neighbord, it was looking at the neighbors homes and seeing bars on the windows and doors. Having lived through a few attempted break-in's and getting held up? I knew it was time to leave.

Ed Millerick

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

UNDATED ENGRAVING OF THE ANDERSON HOMESTEAD

Hamilton has some very interesting local history sites that are relatively unknown. Beside the Fashion Stud Farm which was once located in the area of today's Grounds for Sculpture, the Anderson Farm was a HUGE piece of property which extended from the township line at So. Logan Avenue, nearly all the way to the Greenwood Cemetery area along today's Greenwood Avenue. The Bromley section of Hamilton was also the location of the old Rothschild factory which later became the Straus. Woolen Mills. The building was last used as a manufacturing facility when Atlantic Products took over the plant in the 1930's. 

Unfortunately, the only know photo of the old Anderson mansion is from this old offset news photo.

2013: ELEANOR BEEBE ADAMS REMEMBERS HER BROMLEY

My fellow classmates Alice Schmidt Mullen and Bob Shinkle, and other Bromley neighbors will appreciate these memories of Bromley as recalled by Eleanor Beebe Adams in her 3 page letter of memories above. The Beebe family and business are very well known to we members of the Bromley community. Bromley has taken a somewhat downward turn over the past 30 or 40 years. Its proximity to the Trenton city line and the loss of the squeaky clean homes, littered sidewalks, and lovely Bromley Place long ago gave way to "white flight" as the neighborhood became more multicultural. I have chosen to remain in Bromley where Tom and Judy Glover have resided since 1963 on Atlantic Avenue; still one of the prettiest streets in the township except for an abandoned home that is in sad disrepair. Thank you Eleanor, as I said in my email to you, I wish more of my viewers would take the time to record their memories of their neighborhoods. Such reminiscences will be eagerly viewed by future generations.

1940: NOTTINGHAM WAY APPROACHING GREENWOOD AVENUE

On the left is the fence that once surrounded Greenwood Cemetery. This photo was taken across the street from the Bromley Inn. I am completely puzzled by the lay of the land as a drive would stay on Nottingham Way toward Trenton. The Harter nursery was on the left as you passed Greenwood Avenue. I am puzzled by the large mansion which appears to be in the middle of Nottingham Way. This is less than a quarter mile from my neighborhood, and I can't explain that building. Any ideas?

Anonymous said...

Tom:
The gas station was just before the Hamilton Municipal complex, and later was used as a Real Estate Office/Travel agency.
If you were raised Off of
So. Olden Ave. near the oft mentioned Kuser Farm, you were one hell of long quarter mile away. More like 3-4 miles. Example; Newkirk to Liberty to Hamilton to Ward to Greenwood.
No wonder you grew old fast. Those short walks were too long for your little legs! LOL
Mike Kuzma

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Tom Glover said...

MIKE: I WAS RAISED ON HARTLEY AVENUE ACROSS FROM KUSER FARM, BUT HAVE BEEN LIVING ABOUT 1/4 MILE FROM THE INTERSECTION IN THE ABOVE PHOTO ON ATLANTIC AVENUE IN HAMILTON FOR 60 YEARS.

TOM

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Anonymous said...

How many of the readers of this column have ancestors buried in Greenwood Cemetery?

Warren Rue

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Tom Glover said...

MY MOM, DAD AND OLDER BROTHER ARE BURIED THERE.

TOM

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Candy Frenking Jens said...

behind the gas station, running between Greenwood and Nottingham, was Howe's Nursery, an offspring of the main nursery in Pennington. Bill Howe Jr. and the Kusers were related, I believe (his wife a Kuser?).

PS: Was in Trenton last Sunday and got lost! Well, tried to use streets that had changed, for sure!

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

1940: THE BROMLEY INN DURING ITS HEYDAY

I have always been fascinated by that beautiful historic building on Nottingham Way. I put together a Maxwell "cut and paste" photo of that structure as it looked when it was well maintained and in fine condition. the inn was a very popular venue for local residents who went there for formal ceremonies, wedding receptions, and as can be seen by the Hamilton Library files below the photo, open air concerts.

1940: Roth's Bromley Inn

Here's another R.C. Maxwell segmented photo which I extracted, enlarged, and tweaked from a wider view. This historically beautiful building should qualify for historic preservation. It dates back to the late 19th century when Charles Fulkert was "mein host."

2012: HAMILTON'S HISTORIC BROMLEY INN

Bye-bye, Bromley — We’ll miss you

The Bromley Inn in Trenton, owned and operated by Rick Roth and family, closed its doors last Friday. A long-standing and unique establishment with lots of history, it will be truly missed by its clientele.

One of my friends commented that when she entered the Bromley, she felt like it was 1920 — there were no television sets or high-volume music, which made it very conducive to the art of conversation. Located not far from the old fairgrounds, persons such as Annie Oakley and Buffalo Bill, when touring the country, were guests there, when it was an inn.

Rick’s grandfather, his father, and in recent years, his son Fredrich, made it a four-generation establishment. Rick liked to say the Bromley was not a restaurant, just a tavern that happened to serve food. Rick Roth and his wife Gloria, son Freddy and girlfriend Ivy, as well as daughter Alexandra always made it a point to greet guests warmly and make them feel right at home. Longtime employees Dee, Debbie, Uncle Stevie, Jimmie and the late George Hancock made the Bromley a place to remember.

We among many others will truly miss the old place, and we wish the best to everyone who made it so special.

-- Marie and Bob Malloy,
Columbus

I received the above email from fellow Kuser School alumnus Harry Hall regarding the closing of the Bromley Inn. Unfortunately there was very little publicity that I could find on the subject. It is my hope that another entrepreneur will renovate the historic landmark and thus preserve it as the historic treasure it is. My research finds that the earliest reference to Charles Fulkert's Bromley Inn dates back to 1897. During the prohibition era, it was known as the "FAIR-VUE INN" under the proprietorship of Mr. Tom Murphy. It was raided numerous times during the 1920's for illegal gambling and liquor violations.

Anonymous said...

I found in the History of Hamilton Township book published by the Historical Society that the Bromley Inn was built in 1888 by a man named Williamson who named it after his home in England.

Tuesday, April 03, 2012

Tom Glover said...

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT INFORMATION, "ANONYMOUS." I CAN FIND NO EVIDENCE THAT THE BROMLEY INN WAS BUILT IN 1888. PERHAPS THE DEED LISTS MR. WILLIAMSON AS THE OWNER OF THE LAND OR EVEN AN EXISTING BUILDING. UNTIL I RECEIVE INFORMATION AS TO THE ORIGIN OF THE BROMLEY INN, I WILL ASSUME THAT THE CLIPPING FROM 1897 ABOVE ANNOUNCING THAT BROMLEY INN HALL IS NOW OPEN FOR BUSINESS IS AT LEAST AN EARLY INDICATOR OF THE ORIGIN OF THE INN. IN YEARS PAST IT ALSO ACTED AS A MINI HOTEL WITH ROOMS ON THE UPPER FLOOR. I HAVE DONE AN EXHAUSTIVE SEARCH ON CHARLES FULKERT (SALOON OWNER AT 402 CENTRE STREET CORNER OF FEDERAL, TRENTON) WILLIAMSON, BROMLEY, AND HAVE FOUND NOTHING REGARDING THE ACTUAL ORIGIN. AS TO THE NAME "BROMLEY,"IT IS COMMON KNOWLEDGE THAT THE AREA IS NAMED FOR THE BRITISH TOWN OF "BROMLEY," I HAVE FOUND NO HISTORIC EVIDENCE THAT WILLIAMSON COINED THE NAME. PERHAPS THE ACTUAL DEED TO THE PROPERTY WILL CLEAR UP THE ORIGIN QUESTION, BUT UNFORTUNATELY I HAVE NO ACCESS TO THAT DOCUMENT.

TOM GLOVER

1930's: BROMLEY FROM THE AIR

How I love these high definition aerial photos of our neighborhoods, now available on "BING" and "GOOGLE EARTH!" The photographs above are not from either one of those sources. Rather, they are old aerial views of a large portion of Bromley as seen from a low flying aircraft. I have spent many interesting times perusing this map. The upper map is the original. Below is a revised map, and thanks to fellow Hamilton High class of 1951 classmate Bob Shinkle, a card-carrying member of the Bromley section for identifying many of the persons, places, and things that are shown in a the copy below.

1927: BROMLEY RE-OPENS WITH RESTRICTIONS

Back during the prohibition era, many local hotels, bars and other sources of prohibited alcoholic beverages were caught by the Feds for violating the law agains alcoholic beverages. Hamilton's Bromley Inn was one of them.