1918: EWING PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

This beautiful edifice is one of Ewing Township's historic treasures.The above graphic took up nearly 1/4 of the full page of theThursday, April 25th edition of "The State Gazette" and has been meticulously re-formatted so that it can be legibly be seen here in the year 2016.

VISITORS WHO REMEMBER YESTERDAY'S EWING TOWNSHIP

One of the wonderful things about this website lies in the very astute and interesting comments that come as a result of various posts. Following are comments from an old post from years ago relating to the Ewing Township of the 1940's, 50's and early 60's. I worked at the old Trenton Bearing Company at 1812 North Olden Avenue for many years and naturally was aware of many of the persons, places and things as commented on the the very knowledgeable visitors who took the time to write and comment. I had posted a graphic relating to the old "UNION OP" that was once a very popular but short lived retail store in Ewing. These comments go a long way to lighten up the fading history of Ewing as it was in the aforementioned era. Thanks to all those who took the time to lay down their personal memories!

 

FOLLOWING ARE COMMENTS FROM VISITORS REGARDING EWING'S PAST:

 

TOM:

Congrats on your well-deserved commendation from Hamilton Township!
I have to ask: I remember the name "Union Op," but have no recollection of what it was? Can you fill us in? Many thanks. Here's another memory relating to that particular part of the world: remember the House of Hi-Fi?

Love your blog.
Bill Smith

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Mack said...

I worked at Wendy's on North Olden.remember Seafood Shanty and Korvettes. My Dad had an office on Parkway near the High School (Appraisal Exchange)..Lenny's Gas Station near that as was a Chinese Restaurant and the Pizza place across the street. Cousins lived on Heath Street I remember that hill and Deli Delite. I remember the bug spraying truck coming by in summer. As a kid from the Burg I never saw a bug truck before. I also remember the Halo Farms. I remember Dales on the circle too:)

From Noel Goeke
Tom,

Just a few memories of Ewing I'd like to share.We bought our first living room set from Korvettes, 1 sofa, 2 chairs, 2 end tables and 2 lamps for $199. Breihlers had the best ice cream sundaes on earth and Lee's Pharmacy also had a lunch counter where we ate many suppers. I could go on about places in Ewing that we went to.

Noel

 

Sally Logan Gilman said...

Hi Tom: It's been six yesrs since my husband and I have been in Trenton. It was for the funeral of our dear friend Connie DeRemigis who lived in Ewing. You mention the new Parkway Diner -- is it new since we were there last? There was once a tomato pie place on Parkway, across from the diner.I can't remember the name. My family shopped on Olden Ave. and there were some great tomato pie places along there too. You see where my menories are centered. Regards

Monday, November 28, 2011

Sally, there was a small Tomato Pie place called Whitey's wedged into that slice of land on Olden just past Arctic Parkway and the pie was exceptional. In the early 60's across from Korvette's was the Blue Moon Diner and they built a hot dog eatery like McDonalds next to it called Franksville, that became Special Pizza City which is still there. Whitey had the best pie in that corner of Ewing

Ed Millerick

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Michael said...

Tom:

Here I am down south minding my p & Q's,when you come along again, and pique my memmory about No. Olden Ave!
EJ Korvettes arrived at what was to become Capitol Plaza, after Phil Leavitt bought the tract from the Pennsylvania Railroad. A little known real estate novice from South Trenton had put togeter a group of his buddies from the Trenton Elks lodge 105 consisting of Andy Caola, Bill Beitle, Jack Moran to compete with Leavitt for this former Pony farm. When everyone finished calling us crazy, the first real Shopping center came to fruition.
I played Soccer on that Vacant land, and the Vegotsky family had a stand on the corner of Princeton and Olden, across from Extenion Patio.
Union Op was located west of the Plaza, just past "Jay's Kiddierama".
I don't recall a "Parkway Diner" as Sally mentions, but the original Parkside Diner was run by Johnny Rasomovich and his family for many, many years. Across Olden Ave. was the Sherwood Inn, where Russ Radice and his band held court virutally every weekend of the 50's. Was Sally thinking of "Pizza City" across from Union Op, next to the railroad tracks?
It was near the metall fabicator ultimatey owned by Sid Sussman that became what is now Home Depot (?). How about Olden Paint & Carpet, Don Young's, Dollittle and
Allen furniture, Johnny Koslowski's fine furniture across the street. Remember Earl Cathcart's Ponitac dealiership at the corner of Olden and Artic?
House of Hi Fi, great guy owned it, was next to Coronet Appliance sales, just down from where Mrs. G relocated when the City bought her property "New Jersey Plumbing Supply" next ot Van Sciver's on South Broad St.
Now the coup de grace; Feeling poorly, and had to see a vascular surgeon down here. I asked the nurse where Dr. Piotrowski was fron since there were so many in the Trenton area. She replied "Pittsburg". When I met him, and asked about Pittsburg, he said Pittsburg, I grew up in Yardley, and spent most of my time with relatives in Ewing Township!
Turns out he worked at Carvel's for fifteen years with his cousins who lived just behind the AAMCO shop on the corner. Small world, getting smaller!
Leo Smolar was the first McDonald's franchisee on Olden ave, He was from Chicago, abd went on to control all of central NJ'golden arches. Olden Ave, cost him $25,000. for the exclusive rights.
Now the question: Was it "Alantic Mills" that was fitted into the old Industrial building Helen Bohme owned next to Frank Rasimovich's go go bar that u;timately burned down and was across Olden Ave. from Capitol Plaza? I know the answer lies within the reader's of this marvelous column.

Warm regards

Mike Kuzma

Monday, November 28, 2011

Anonymous said...

Back in the 1950's the intersection of Olden and Princeton centered around the Extension Fields of the local soccer clubs, they would be razed to make way for Capitol Plaza anchored by E. J. Korvettes and my our favorite ice cream place Costa Cottage, a laundromat and McCrory 5&10 and Sav-On Drugs.

Prior to all of that just before Capitol Motors on the corner of Arctic Parkway was Union Op which was a not so classy department store that mostly made it's money from the large arcade on the north end that was filled with pin-ball machines. You had to be careful because that was the hang out of the "hoodlums" with the "DA" haircuts and motor cycle boots that lived in the Donnelly Homes. The other corner of Princeton and Olden was Extension Patio followed by Reed Hardware and Mower shop, Extension Tavern, Bounceland trampolines and The 19'th Hole driving range. Two diners on Princeton Avenue (the original US1) were the places to eat Fritz's and the one that was razed for Gino's, The Uncle Sam Diner. Lang's Ski would later build a "swiss chalet" peak on the arcade plaza of the Union Op building and open for business. The moved down Olden and are still open as Lang's Ski & Scuba.

Ed Millerick

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Anonymous said...

Sally, there was a small Tomato Pie place called Whitey's wedged into that slice of land on Olden just past Arctic Parkway and the pie was exceptional. In the early 60's across from Korvette's was the Blue Moon Diner and they built a hot dog eatery like McDonalds next to it called Franksville, that became Special Pizza City which is still there. Whitey had the best pie in that corner of Ewing

Ed Millerick

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Sally Logan Gilman said...

Ed: Thank you so much for the info on Whitey's -- my friend Connie and I used to go there. It was on the right hand side just past Arctic Parkway like you said. We loved it there. Such yummy memories. It was great pie. Thanks again Ed for jogging my memory.

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Anonymous said...

Wow! Some great memories of Ewing! I worked at The Glendale Inn and at Briehlers. When the Generals Quarters restaurant opened at Mercer County Airport I worked there for 12 years. Remembering most places spoke of here. Also remember The Parfait House. It's a shame that they tore down both the Parfait house(years ago) and the Glendale(about a year ago). Thanks for all the memories! John

Friday, November 23, 2012

Bud Patel said...

You wouldnt have a photo of the old glendale pharmacy in ewing would you?

Sunday, April 21, 2013

Anonymous said...

Born in 57', my pop worked at Addressograph on the Brunswick Circle, spent a lot of time growing up doing all types of family things on/around N.Olden Ave. Landmarks remembered, Murphy's Chuck wagon @ Olden & Prospect, who could forget Phillip's Ewing Bazaar?, mentioned earlier here Whitey's (Great $3.00 large pizza), Parfait House, which became Stoy's (spelling) Ice Cream Parlour, The Sherwood Inn, Mike's Steakhouse-near McDonalds on the same side of Olden Ave, Don Youngs-went to high school with his kids. Gr8 Blog/Thanks for the memories !

Monday, June 10, 2013

dean cliver said...

I grew up in ewing and do I remember a lot of places I used to love to go to.i went to ewing high class of 62 we used to hang at mikes steak house the best chesse steaks ever,pops tomatoe pies and they did not fit in the box,and then the broken drum on prospect street,oh the memories

Monday, November 17, 2014

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!"

1944: FROM MY "NEIGHBORHOOD DEVELOPMENT" FOLDER

How great it is to be able to meld yesterday events and directly connect them to current situations and locations! Here's a 1944 real estate ad from Brundbook Builders offering 8 modern brick homes. I am speculation has it that the Google view above from the 200 block of today's Oliver Avenue in Ewing are the very same homes offered in the ad 60 years ago and quietly reside in my "EWING" and "NEIGHBORHOOD DEVELOPMENT" folders.

1885: EWING TOWNSHIP AND OUR FIRST MILK BOTTLES

What a fascinating story! I had never heard of the Mourne Dairy nor the McEvoy connection. However, this article tells of the revolutionary new invention of the glass bottle to deliver to local customers. Heretofore, the dairy delivered the milk in those huge aluminum type cans, and carefully ladled out the appropriate measure to a specific household. The article above has me wondering if the Mourne Dairy Farm was located at or in the area of the Johnson Farm on Bear Tavern Road. Perhaps a local Ewing historian can enlighten us. The bottle on the right is a typical glass bottle from the mid to late 1880's and was downloaded from a bottle information post via a Google search.

1960's: "THE BROKEN DRUM"

I received the top engraving from Mr. Bill Klek who had been searching for info on that popular eatery. I was only there once back when I worked for the bearing company. I took a leisurely drive via Google Earth from North Olden Avenue to Prospect Street, hung a left on Prospect Street and made the virtual drive to 1400 Prospect Street, and the photo above which I assume is the location of the original "Drum."

1934: PENNINGTON ROAD AT PARKWAY ODD FELLOWS AREA

The top photo shows a car traveling on Pennington Road and passing a house that has unique architectural features with prominent gables on on the front and side of the roof. A trip there via Google Earth gave me this photo which I propose is the house shown in the 1934 photo with the commercial appendage added in later years. Note that this is speculation on my part, but it sure does look like the same structure I found when I searched Google Earth for "Pennington Road and Parkway Avenue Trenton NJ"

1950: NO OLDEN AVENUE EXTENSION

I may have posted this previously, but it is worth posting again, Last Saturday, I performed patriotic songs for the Ewing Township Patriotic Committee over in the Scotch Road-Upper Ferry Road area. I chose to go via the same route I took on a daily basis to my former job at the Trenton Bearing Company in the building formerly occupied by the Carrier Cleaners but vacant and abandoned. As I wended my way down the very busy North Olden Avenue, once again I was amazed at how that strip of highway as developed! The R.C. Maxwell Duke University photo above shows the intersection at the Arctic Parkway, Home Depot now resides across from the parkway with a huge store. Gone are all the names I recall from the 1950's: Moffatt Bearings, Richardson & Son, Breihler's, the Carvel store, Biter's Transfer, Frank's hot dog stand near Pennington Road, Jack and Bob's, the Edgewood Inn, Mrs.G's, Polish John's Parkside Diner which has become a beautiful and very much larger diner, and others that many visitors to this site will recall.

1914: EWING TOWNSHIP'S LATE, LAMENTED LANNING SCHOOL

When I wrote this column back in 1988, I was invited to the celebration of the founding of the school. I met many of the Ewing folks I was acquainted with while I was working in Ewing at my old dead end job at the Trenton Bearing Company on North Olden Avenue Extension. I was very impressed with the condition of that classic school house. It was immaculately maintained. The school is no longer there but the building is occupied as an office building.

1935: CLASS OF 1935 ALFRED REED SCHOOL

Once again, a number of personally familiar names in this old photo of one of Ewing Township's very popular schools.

1934: GRADUATES FROM EWING'S ALFRED REED SCHOOL

Here's the class of 1934 from Ewing Township's Alfred Reed School. Once again, a number of well known residents of Ewing.

1950: NO. OLDEN AVENUE EXTENSION

WOW, what an interesting photo! How this area has developed over the years! I worked at 1812 North Olden Avenue back in 1952 and made the trip from the Greenwood Village apartments on a daily basis. When we consider the incredible crowding on today's Olden Avenue Extension, the above photo is a stark reminder that there has been an incredible change in what always has been a busy thoroughfare.

1915: PENNINGTON ROAD AT THE ODD FELLOWS HOME

Not all graphics can be as clear and pristine as the R.C. Maxwell Duke University Collection. The above 1915 view is a somewhat primitive news copy of an offset photo during the years when the process hadn't been perfected. However, with a bit of imagination, we old time Trenton area residents can easily see the familiar area on Pennington Road at the Ewing-Trenton border.

1949: PENNINGTON ROAD AND NO. OLDEN AVENUE

It took a little longer than I expected to come up with this location due to the fact that it has changes so very much. It gives a good idea of just how rural we were back in the late 40's and early 1950's. I blew up the original and lo and behold, I was right! The enlarged cut and paste of the road sign lower left removes all doubt that my guess was accurate. Am I correct in remembering that the big green and white mansion  (not seen in the photo on the other side of the house on North Olden Avenue was the Glenside, or am I fabricating history?

1955: STOY'S DAIRY - EWING

How well I recall this old Ewing dairy. Each day on my journey to 1812 North Olden Avenue, I passed by this then-popular dairy. This photo has been borrowed from a 1955 edition of the Trenton Catholic Boys' High School "Immaculata" yearbook.

SJBill said...

Products of the Detroit Industrial Vehicle Company - Divco milk trucks, a true American classic. Our milkman, Red Helmlinger drove his while in the standing position, there were no seats.

Every morning at dawn the streets were alive with the racket of four cylinder engines, noisy gears and banging milk bottles, left on the front stoop, every other day.

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Tom Glover said...

HOW WELL I REMEMBER THOSE DIVCO TRUCKS. OURS WAS CASTANEA. THIS DIVCO DID HAVE A SEAT OR THE DRIVER COULD STAND IF HE CHOSE. I WILL BE POSTING A PRIOR DONUT DIVCO ON THIS SITE WHEN I GET TO IT.

TOM GLOVER

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

1947: 1434 PARKSIDE AVENUE

This was just around the corner from the intersection of No. Olden Avenue, heading toward Spruce Street. The area has changed drastically over the years as can be seen in the Google Street View photo.

SJBill said...

Wow, this image was back when Ewing really was "the sticks." ;-)

These cars appear to be headed in towards Trenton with Ewingville at their backs. Not 100% sure, but that stately looking building across N. Olden might have been the site for the future Parkside Diner.

ALso, might my memory be tricking me into thinking the excavation site on the left was for the future Sherwood Liquors?

Saturday, July 07, 2012

Sally Logan Gilman said...

Hi Tom: I passed thru this intersection many times over the years growing up in West Trenton and I remember that Parkways Diner was on one corner and Sherwood Liquors was on opposite corner. Aside from that I'm sure what is what. But it's always great see pixs from home. Regards

Monday, July 09, 2012

1933: EWING TOWNSHIP'S PARKWAY 4-H CLUB

There certainly must be one or more visitors to this site who will see a relative pictured in the above photo of those lovely ladies who made up the Parkway 4-H Club way back in 1933. I would guess that most of those in the photo are in their mid to late 90's.

1902: PURITY MILK COMPANY - SCOTCH ROAD

I received a comment in the Kuser "STRAWBERRY HILL" post requesting info on the Purity Milk farm on the Ewing - Hopewell Twp. border. Here is one of the files I have in my database. Bob Chianese, I also received the following comment from Bob Warznak. Please see the comment below. Note also that I do not give out email addresses unless specifically permitted.

Bob Warznak said...

Hi Tom,

I have been researching Dairies from the Hopewell Township area and I would like to hear more about Purity Farms. I would also love to hear from Bob Chianese's wife, if you could put me in contact with her.

Thanks,

Bob Warznak

1935: NORTH OLDEN AND BRUNSWICK AVENUE

I went through this intersection for many years when I worked in Ewing on North Olden Extension. Willits was on the corner shown. I seldom shopped there, but I did spend many dollars in the back of that building with a door on Olden Avenue that housed Ianni's news stand. He had a selection of magazines that never failed to capture my attention. I spent many dollars in that great old store. Long after I left that daily commute, Willetts closed down, and so did Ianni. He opened a similar shop on route one in Lawrence.


JoeZ said...

Thanks for the picture Tom, my house growing up was 2 blocks down just past Spruce St. The Trenton Market was Willet's Five and Dime and Ianni's was a little store next to Willets. Photo is really neat.

Friday, March 16, 2012

waynet said...

I wonder if the Willets that owned the store were part of the Willet family that owned the Willet Pottery in Trenton?

Thursday, March 29, 2012

Good question, Wayne. I would guess that a genealogist could answer that, but I can't. Much too time consuming to chase relatives back to the early years.

Tom Glover