1904 AND 1914: THE ROMANCE OF THE RIVER

 

 

What a wonderful trip to follow Mark Twain's Mississippi River adventures! Paddle wheelers, showboats, "rafters" and the romance of the river are all part of the history of river transportation and entertainment in years past. The one hundred year old graphic ad above for with the schedule of arrivals and departures for the steamship "Columbia" revives the aforesaid adventures and brings them to our own Delaware River. Trips to Burlington Island, Bristol, and Philadelphia were all part of river travel in years gone by. Unfortunately, as can be seen tin the news article below accidents were an integral part of river travel. Boilers were also known to have exploded and took the lives of many river riders. In August, 1901, a few years earlier than the Columbia, the steamer "Trenton" burned to the water line, and more than 20 people died and countless were injured. The good and the bad all fall under the category of the "romance of the river." Another fascinating river era was the rafts that once plied the Delaware. The Delaware Inn, which still stands on the shores of the Delaware off Lamberton Street and in the process of preservation,  sure contains delightful stories of the rugged canal boat operators who were an integral part of Trenton river history. 

Here is a very interesting 1907 map of "Perriwig Bar" in the Duck Island area. In 1907, the newspapers were printed on very inexpensive pulp paper. Over the years, the pages became brittle and "foxed" (brown with age.) The Perriwig Bar is one of the reasons Trenton was never able to sustain ocean going vessels. Over the years, many attempts were made to remove the bar using the U.S. Government's dredges. However, for whatever reason, the project never got off the ground. History records numerous problems with the Perriwig. A number of paddle wheel boats were hung up on the bar. During very severe winters when the Delaware froze over, the Perriwig acted as a dam, preventing the ice from moving down river. Of historic interest is the inhabitants of the area. Sucker Point, Biles Island, Emily Island, and Echo Point are little known areas.

SJBill said...

The upstream end of Biles Creek began just across the river from the north end of the Trenton Marine Terminal, and not far from what used to be the chemical company (was it Stauffer's Chemicals?).

Biles Creek was actually a bogan or backwater that ran behind Biles Island. Not much of an island because the land was mined for gravel and sand back in the 60s.

The downstream end of Biles Creek re-entered the river just across from the docks of the oil companies on Duck Island, below the power plant and at the end of Lamberton Road.

The middle of Biles Creek was filled in, maybe to mitigate the shoaling of Perriwig Bar.

Your map shows what was the north end of Duck Creek - another backwater on the Jersey side, and that was long gone before my time. The south end of Duck Creek met the river not too far down stream, and that just about the finest camping area anywhere for us kids.

We swam, waterskiied, hunted, fished and had some great times in there. The spot where we camped is on the Bordentown side of the creek, just under the north bound lane of Route 295.

Happy Easter, Tom!

Saturday, April 07, 2012

FASCINATING AND INFORMATIVE COMMENTS, BILL. THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND ALSO A HAPPY AND HOLY EASTER TO YOU AND YOURS.

TOM GLOVER

1850's: THE DELAWARE INN AND LENOX HOUSE

The romance of the Mississippi River captures the imagination of many folks who love the era of the stern wheel paddle boats that once plied that Mark Twain river. Here in the area we have the Delaware River and the canal that has a magnificent historical heritage. My interest in South Trenton was really heightened when I took on a task for my home parish of Sacred Heart on Centre and So. Broad Streets in Trenton. Each Sunday, I journey down Centre Street passing by countless historic locations. One which really caught my eye is the old Delaware Inn on Lamberton Street, adjacent to the location of the old Peoples' Brewing Company. Thankfully, the building has been saved and is or will be restored as a classic riverfront hotel and restaurant. The graphics above show the old building as it was in its heyday when countless ships and barges plied the Trenton water front. The map is from Rutgers University, and the area of Cliff Street and Lamberton area has been cut, pasted and enhanced. The Samuel Lenox house is long gone. The area in the map is a graphic example of how South Trenton developed from a very rural area to the crowded metropolis we have today. Further details on the Delaware Inn can be found at:

http://portoftrenton.blogspot.com

Hi TomL

If I am not mistaken, the Inn is next to the brewery not across from it.
There was another tavern further down Lamberton St. across from Riverview Cemetary. Situated high on the bluff overlooking the river, we used to watch the boat races there in the 50's, and gather to drink beer after tennis in the 60's.
As a young guy, we would take our dates, park along the river before the Marine Terminal and watch the Submarine races! LOL

Say Hi to Fr. Dennis. I spoke with him last September at my brother in law's funeral. I miss that beautiful edifice, and fear the next time I'm in it, my eyes will be closed, and my arms at my side.

Regards
Mike Kuzma

MANY THANKS FOR NOTIFYING ME OF MY BOO BOO, MIKE. OF COURSE I SHOULD HAVE SAID ADJACENT OR NEXT TO PEOPLES' BREWING COMPANY. I WILL TELL FATHER DENNIS YOU WERE ASKING ABOUT HIM. I CERTAINLY HOPE YOU GET A WIDE AWAKE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE OUR NATIONAL REGISTER SACRED HEART CHURCH!

TOM

1901: DELAWARE RIVER STEAMBOATS

I am currently going randomly through the many laminated articles in the vertical file in the Local History Collection. I am currently reading fascinating stories of the Delaware River and the old time paddle wheel steamboats, ferries, and even ocean-going vessels that once came up the river to Trenton's Municipal Wharf off of Lamberton Street. What fascinating history! As this digitized history project continues, there will be many more very interesting stories which are still buried withing millions of pages of local newspapers.
The engraving above which was added to the article to the left, advertises the "City of Trenton," which burned to the waterline just a few weeks after the above ad appeared in the local press. More on the disaster where untold numbers perished or were seriously injured will appear in a future post.

1893: CROSSING THE DELAWARE VIA FERRY

The history books and many novels are saturated with Mark Twain type stories of the romance of the Mississippi River. Paddle wheelers, river boat gambling, and other stories that spur the imagination. Our own Delaware River has a bit of romantic historical interest as well; perhaps even greater than that of the Mississippi. Paddle wheelers once plied the Delaware from points north and south. From George Washington's trip across the river in December 1776, Coryell's Ferry, McKonkey, remind us of the numerous stories of the ferries that once dotted the shoreline up and down the Delaware River. Trenton's Ferry Street in South Trenton got its name from the ferry boat landing at the foot of the street. Hotels, saloons, and other public meeting places sprung up along the ferry wharf where travelers could come and go into their facilities for an overnight stay at the Bloomsbury Hotel which is illustrated above in a very poor landmark photo from 1910.

1928: OBIT OF JOHN HERBERT, EARLY LAMBERTON RESIDENT

Men like John Herbert, a pioneer South Trenton African-American citizen, was descended from a black family whose roots go back to the years when the Lamberton-Bloomsbury-South Trenton area was the home of numerous Delaware River boatmen. It is interesting to note Mr. Herbert's educational background as he attended both Roman Catholic and Lutheran parochial schools in the boyhood.

1914: IT'S SHAD TIME ON THE DELAWARE!

Every year there is one or two articles in early spring as the Shad begin their run in the Delaware. Lambertville's annual Shadfest has become a local tradition. In the article above, an old timer from South Trenton recalls his years as a fisherman from a South Trenton fishing family. Mr. Hill's prophetic observation on the pollution in the Delaware is especially relevent in this year of 2009.

1909: THE ROMANCE OF THE CIVIL WAR AND OLD TIME RIVER BOATING

THERE'S A CERTAIN CHARM ABOUT THE PADDLEWHEEL SHOWBOATS THAT PLIED THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER FOR YEARS, AND EVEN TODAY. INDEED, THERE IS A CERTAIN FASCINATING "ROMANCE" TO RIVER LORE. PERHAPS THAT IS WHY I FOUND THIS ARTICLE SO COMPLETELY ENTHRALLING. THE STORY OF MR. LENOX IS INDEED FASCINATING.

1934: THE FLOOD OF SPRING, 1934

THERE ARE A NUMBER OF GRAPHICS SHOWING THE RESULTS OF THE FLOOD WHICH OCCURRED IN THE SPRING OF 1934. AS THE WINTER SNOWS THAWED UP-RIVER, THE DELAWARE OVERFLOWED HER BANKS AND MANY TOWNS WERE IN A STATE OF EMERGENCY.

1893: THE HISTORIC LORE OF THE DELAWARE RIVER

EVEN AS SAMUEL CLEMENS, AKA MARK TWAIN TOLD OF THE LURE OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER, SO TOO DID THE LOCAL NEWSPAPERS HIGHLIGHT THE LORE AND THE LURE OF THE DELAWARE. READ THIS ARTICLE AND TAKE A FASCINATING TRIP DOWN THE DELAWARE, 1873.

1914: HERE COMES THE SHAD FISHING SEASON!

WE HEAR A GREAT DEAL ABOUT THE POLLUTION OF MOTHER EARTH. THIS ARTICLE IS INTERESTING IN THAT MR. FRANK HILL RECALLS THE DELAWARE RIVER FISH POPULATION WHEN IT WAS TEEMING WITH FISH; LONG BEFORE INDUSTRIES ALONG THE DELAWARE RIVER BEGAN POLLUTING THE ONCE BEAUTIFUL DELAWARE. THIS IS AN INTERESTING VIEW OF THE SOUTH TRENTON RIVERFRONT.

The Steamer "Trenton"

Just think about it; the romance of the Mississippi riverboat right here in the city of Trenton. This photo conjures up thoughts of Mark Twain, "Ole Man River," and one of my favorite vintage musicals, "Show Boat." Unfortunately she burned to the water line when a boiler exploded.

1936 Delaware River at the Foot of Cliff Street

When I was a boy in the 1940's, the Delaware River was a very popular swimming spot. Here are lifeguards practicing their craft and keeping up with the latest in lifesaving apparatus.