1941: HARRY PODMORE'S "TRENTON IN BYGONE DAYS"

 

Harry Podmore, and John Cleary before him were always of interest to me as a young boy. I became an avid follower of these two historians and their "Bygone Days" columns right up to the time when the late, great Bill Dwyer took over the reins. Now to the above graphics. They are from the same January 1941 column and took up nearly 12 inches of the newspaper page. It occurred to me that it would be much more relevant to historians and researchers if extracts from different subjects were to be cut and pasted into an easily read article featuring one specific subject. Additionally, the original Dolton's Block Bygone Days portion was extracted, and from my own history database a vintage newspaper photo of the Dolton building was placed aside the BGD column with a mini map of the area showing where the building is located. Unfortunately, I am unable to determine whether the building was on the South or Northwest corner of the intersection. 
As this blog approaches 900,000 "hits," it is nice to know that part of its success is due to visitors who add historical articles, photos and maps to those which I post. Such was the case with visitor Rich Sauers who was kind enough to do research and come up with these two graphics which focus on the actual location of Dolton's Block. Many thanks Rich; your two scans are much appreciated and I can now remove the last line of my original caption "I am unable to determine whether the building was on the South or Northwest corner of the intersection."Rich's scans follow along with his email to me. THANKS, RICH!

Mr. Glover,

Great blog, been reading for quite a while.

Today's post about Dolton's Block caught my eye, and sent me online for a bit of internet research this evening.

A panoramic map of Trenton by Thaddeus Mortimer Fowler in 1874 had Dolton's Block highlighted as number 10. That view (detail from map attached) shows that the photo in your article shows Dolton's Block facing Warren Street, and from Google Maps it looks to have been directly across the street from today's Warren Street Plaza. Evert and Stewart's 1875 county atlas also marked the block's location (also attached).

1888 and 1891: THE INTERSTATE FAIR - HAMILTON NJ

 

Many of us in the over 60 age group remember the fabled, late, great N.J. State Fair which was located on Nottingham Way in the area of today's "Fairgrounds Mall"  and the Grounds for Sculpture. This area is one of the more historically interesting areas in Hamilton. Originally the site of the old N.J. Agricultural Fair, then the home of the Henry N. Smith "Fashion Stud Farm" along with Charles Fulkert's historic "Bromley Inn," this area was alive with many activities back in the last half of the 19th century. The graphics represent very early N.J. State Fair historic documents. The fair was popularly known back in the early 20th century as "The Interstate Fair."

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.

1946: JOHN L. KUSER'S GOLDSMITH MAID MONUMENT

John L. Kuser was the man responsible for memorializing "the Maid," as she was known in her championship years. Kuser had the monument placed in the grandstand area at the old New Jersey State Fairgrounds. Thanks to former Mayor Jack Rafferty's interest in local history, the monument to "Goldsmith Maid" (a champion trotting horse in the 1800's) was saved for posterity. Jack had the monument moved from the N.J. State Fairgrounds when the property was sold, and had it re-positioned at Kuser Park. Thanks also to Pat Rose's maintenance crew at Kuser Farm. The monument looked absolutely exquisite this season as brilliant red Impatiens flowers bloomed at the base.

HENRY N. SMITH'S FASHION STUD FARM

One of the more fascinating historical places in Hamilton along with Charles Fulkert's Bromley Inn is the Fashion Stud Farm, once located in the area of Hamilton in the area of the New Jersey State Fair grounds. Newspaper descriptions of Smith's Fashion Stud Farm indicated that it was a sumptuous facility with a grandstand, a race track and the home of the fabled "Goldsmith Maid," whose tomb is now on the Kuser Farm property. General Grant kept his horse at the Fashion Stud Farm. Unfortunately, the farm was involved in a number of destructive fires over the years of its existance. Back then, there was no Bromley fire company, and fires were fought by Trenton fire companies.

1881: THE FASHION STUD FARM

Over the years, Hamilton Township has been sadly and tragically lacking in preserving the many historic persons, places and things which have been a part of our history. Henry N. Smith and his Fashion Stud Farm are a glaring example of the dearth of original source material. In my humble and austere way, I am trying to uncover and index some of the history which has been hidden from public view in the deep, aging pages of my 100+ year collection of Trenton newspapers which date back to 1868. Like the historically significant Civil War Camp Olden, actual photos and other documents, have not been preserved. Back in the early 1980's, I found an article on the Lawton family and their involvement with Camp Olden. The Lawton farm was located on a part of Camp Olden. I wrote an article on the subject which was published in the Mercer Messenger, and within a very short time, Mayor Jack Rafferty and his administration dedicated Camp Olden Park at the intersection of Hamilton Avenue and Liberty Street, followed by the very proactive Camp Olden Civil War Round Table.

THE FOLLOWING WAS TRANSCRIBED IN 1984:

FASHION STUD FARM
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 2, 1881

The Fashion Stud Farm, owned by H. N. Smith, Esq., and lying about a mile and a quarter above Trenton, embraces at the present time over 400 acres of land. The money value of this property is not less than $150,000, while the stock is estimated to be worth $500,000. The establishment is a model one for the breeding and raising of blooded horses. Numerous improvements have of late been introduced about the place and the arrangements are now as nearly perfect as they can be made. The buildings are quite numerous and all are well adapted for their purposes. There are offices, carriage-houses, barns, and even dwellings for some of the employees. Surmounting the main building is a cupola. and in this rests the water tank, which holds over 3,800 gallons. The water comes from a deep well on the premises, and the tank is kept filled by a steam pump in the cellar of the building. From the tank pipes run through the building and by those the water is conducted to various points, both for ordinary uses and for service in case of fire.
On the farm also is a splendid track upon which the horses are exercised. Among the finest horses on the farm are four "service stallions," eighteen or twenty yearling colts, about forty brood mares and a number of animals sent there to board. About one hundred and fifty horses are kept all the time. The most noted animal on the place is Goldsmith Maid, the famous trotter.

1881: FASHION STUD FARM

The Fashion Stud Farm in Hamilton was a rich equestrian's paradise. Smith was a wealthy gentleman who chose the area where the Trenton Fairgrounds would ultimately be built. General Grant stabled a horse at the farm. It was also the home of "Goldsmith Maid," a championship trotter who was unbeatable in the 1880's. A monument to the Maid was placed on a site of Fashion Stud Farm, and was ultimately moved to Kuser Farm Park, near the tennis court. The above article is one of the few with a comprehensive history of the farm.

1873: GENERAL GRANT'S HORSES IN HAMILTON TOWNSHIP

THE FASHION STUD FARM, LOCATED IN THE GENERAL AREA OF SEWARD JOHNSON'S "GROUNDS FOR SCULPTURE" WAS THE SITE OF HENRY N. SMITH'S FASHION STUD FARM, LATER THE N.J. STATE FAIR.

1914: THIS IS AN INCREDIBLE STORY!

THE OBVIOUS QUESTION:
WHERE IS THAT SPRING IN THIS YEAR OF 2008?

1881: Fashion Stud Farm

NOTE: THE SIZE OF THIS GRAPHIC WILL BE LEGIBLE ON A HI DEFINITION MONITOR, BUT MAY NOT BE LEGIBLE ON SOME OLDER MONITORS.

Not many folks know about Hamilton's fabled "Fashion Stud Farm." Back in the 1870's it was a beautiful site with a race track, including a Kentucky style grandstand and many stables. It was located in the general area of the former N.J. State Fair grounds. General Ulysses S. Grant stabled a horse at the stud farm. Over the years the word "stud" has been twisted to refer to a virile male, but "stud" in this case refers to the breeding and training of horse flesh. It was at the Fashion Farm that the famous trotter "Goldsmith Maid" was stabled. Her monument can be seen today adjacent to the tennis court at Kuser Farm Park. It was transferred here when the fairgrounds were sold and developed. Back in 1926, John L. Kuser purchased the monument and had it installed at an appropriate site at the fairgrounds.