1900: DOGTOWN CLAY PITS OWNER COMMITS SUICIDE

1911: HOW DOGTOWN GOT ITS NAME

Old timers know of the area in the general area of the old Clay Pits, today's Hamilton Library and Hamilton Police buildings and back to what the area we know of today as "The Morton Tract" on Kuser Road and White Horse-Mercerville Road. It is important to remember that this area, along with most of Hamilton Township was a very rural area with the surrounding villages of Hamilton Square, Sandtown, Sand Hills, White Horse, Broad Street Park, Homedell, and Bromley encircling farms, forests, and open fields.

1900: THE CLAY PITS

DID YOU KNOW THAT THERE WAS A PRETTY THRIVING BUSINESS AT HAMILTON'S CLAY PITS BACK IN THE 19TH AND EARLY 20TH CENTURY? THE AREA WAS A LITERAL GOLD MINE FOR A SPECIAL TYPE OF CLAY WHICH WAS USED IN THE MANY TRENTON POTTERIES AS "SAGGERS;" USED IN THE MOLDING OF CLAY. FOR THOSE WHO WONDER WHERE THE CLAY PITS WERE: IN THE AREA ADJOINING AND BEHIND THE CURRENT STARBUCKS AT THE INTERSECTION OF KUSER ROAD AND WHITEHORSE-MERCERVILLE ROAD. THE AREA WAS KNOWN AS "DOGTOWN." IT WAS ALSO A PLACE WHERE MANY YOUNG BOYS WENT "SKINNY DIPPING." THE SWIMMING AREA WAS VERY HAZARDOUS, WITH NUMEROUS CEDAR STUMPS BENEATH THE SURFACE. I REMEMBER WHEN A KUSER SCHOOL STUDENT DIED WHEN HE SLAMMED HEAD FIRST INTO ONE OF THOSE STUMPS.

Hamilton's "Dogtown"

Dogtown was located on Kuser Road near the intersection of Whitehorse-Mercerville Road. In fact, the Hamilton Library and Hamilton Police Headquarters are located on part of the land. Years ago, I wrote a column on the fabled "clay pits" and "Dogtown." Mr. Earl Williams read it, and added his reminiscences of the area. Fascinating reading....thanks, Earl!