1954: HAMILTON BOWLING LANES

This one is for you, Ralph Lucarella! As regular visitors to this website are well aware Ralph is and has been one of our more valued history-minded visitors. Ralph's insight and memory of the 1930's and early 1940's has proven to be a real asset to the historical comments he has posted with certain posts on this site. Thanks to my former Hartley Avenue neighbor, Ron Bound for taking the time to submit a scan of his 1956 Hamilton Lanes Score book!

RALPH LUCARELLA said...

THANK YOU VERY MUCH TOM...THE HAMILTON BOWLING LANES WAS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF WHAT YOU CAN ACCOMPLISH IN THIS COUNTRY WITH THE HELP AND ENCOURAGEMENT OF MANY PEOPLE. MY BROTHER LOU AND I WERE WORKING AT THE POST OFFICE AS LETTER CARRIERS WHEN WE GOT THE OPPORTUNITY TO OPERATE THE OLDEN BOWLING ALLEYS IN THE OLDEN THEATRE BUILDING IN 1952. WE FELT THE NEED OF MORE BOWLING FACILITES IN HAMILTON TOWNSHIP AND WITH THE HELP OF MEL BLATT, ALBERT ENOURATO AND MANY OTHERS WE LOOKED INTO FINDING A LOCATION. WE DECIDED ROUTE 33 WAS THE PROPER SITE AND WITH LOU'S MONEY FROM A MORTGAGE WE BOUGHT THE PROPERTY ACROSS FROM TONY CAL'S AND PATTERSON CHEVROLET IN 1954. WE RAN THE BUSINESS UNTIL 1970 AND LOU SOLD IT AND JOINED ME IN FLORIDA. THE LANES WERE MOVED TO KUSER ROAD IN ORDER TO QUALIFY FOR A LIQUOR LICENSE. WITH EVERY ONES HELP WE SHOWED WHAT CAN BE DONE IN TH U.S.A. THANKS AGAIN TOM AND I'M GLAD TO BE ABLE TO HELP WITH YOUR EFFORTS.

Friday, July 20, 2012

RALPH LUCARELLA said...

TOM, I WOULD LIKE TO ADD ANOTHER GOOD EXAMPLE WITHIN THE LUCARELLA FAMILY INVOLVING MY YOUNGER BROTHER DR. "CHUCK. AS A MEMBER OF THE 1948 SCHROTHS HE LED THE TEAM TO THE AMERICAN LEGION WORLD SERIES. AFTER A BAD ACCIDENT HE COULD'NT PLAY ANY LONGER AND DECIDED TO PRATICE MEDICINE. OVEFCOMING MANY PROBLEMS HE GRADUATED FROM THE JEFFERSON MEDICAL COLLLEGE IN 1955 AND SPECIALIZED IN HEARTHS. HE MANAGED TO OPEN AN OFFICE IN CHAMBERSBURG AND IN 1988 PASSED AWAY FROM CANCER. ALL MY SUCCESS CAN'T COMPARE WITH WHAT HE ACCOMPISHED. MAY GOD BLESS HIM MAY HE REST IN PEACE.

Friday, July 20, 2012

Ron Bound said...

Tom, I just reread the Newspaper article and saw Ralph was an owner. Thanks, Ralph, for opening that bowling alley. Have many fond memories of my times there, even tho I left there in 19 for my time in the service. Each time I made it back to town, I headed to the lanes to see if any old friends were there. Ron

Friday, July 20, 2012

THERMOID COMPANY - A MINI HISTORY OF A HAMILTON GIANT

Few indeed are the visitors to this site who didn't have a relative or friend who worked at the
fabled "Thermoid Rubber" plant, as we called it many years ago. "Rely on your brakes instead of your horn" was the catchy sales and safety slogan for which they were famous. The above R.C. Maxwell photo from the Duke University Library collection shows the view of the plant as a paaenger on a PRR train would see it as they pass through Hamilton Township. From its very beginnings back in the 19th century as the Trenton Rubber Manufacturing Company to the 1909 name change to Thermoid, right up to demise of the company in the 1960's, Thermoid will go down in history as one of the Trenton area's more prominent manufacturers.

Above is a Circa 1910 ad for the company from my local history collection, and below is a fascinating story of the evolution of Thermoid as it became known after a disastrous fire destroyed much of the Trenton Rubber Manufacturing Company.

Lee Belardino said...

Tommy
a month after we graduated I got a job at Thermoids thanks to Ray Danbury;s grandfather who knew some of the Thermoid bosses GOD bless him.I worked in the brake inspection section but I didn't in spect brakes. That was done by about 40 women. After the inspected the brakes they put them in a carton and when it was filled
Iwould move them to a pallet for shipping. Not much brainpower but it helped pay for my 49 Olds convertible.Fooling around I broke all their safety records so they were glad to see me join the Airforce in October. Great company and the women were fabulous.
Lee

Thursday, July 05, 2012

Anonymous said...

Tom:
As I mentioned in past posts, Fred Schluter was head honcho at Thermoid when I as a kid attended the boys club of which Mr. Schluter was also the Chairman.
Mr. Schluter was a very generous man, and the father of Bill the former State Senator from Pennington,with whom I became friends and a supporter of when he ran for public office.
I used to see the elder Mr. Schluter in my travels around Mercer County. I always thanked him for all he did for the kids of Trenton. I also let him know How much I not only respected his son Bill, but supported him in seeking publc office.
Mr. Schluter a stern looking tall gaunt man, would say " If you really appreciate what I have done, you could do me a favor and tell me son to smile more"!

Best regards

Mike Kuzma

Thursday, July 05, 2012

1944: WHITE HORSE CIRCLE

That Plymouth (?) looks like it has a bale of hay on its roof, but on closer observation it seems to be on the roof of the vehicle following. The bake shop in the photo is probably Emil's which was located there in the 1950's, but I bow to any visitor who can correct me in the event that is not Emil's bake shop.

Anonymous said...

Though a "youngun" I agree with Ray for the Chevy looks to be about a 1947. Gee, that old Plymouth has seen better days and those bales of hay appear to be just held through the slide back sun roof that some cars sported back then. And heck Maw, those dents sure don't bother me and I'm too old to impress the gals now? You have to wonder if he bought a few bales from the Riding Academy run by a fellow named Carne Rose that would only be a block or two from the circle. They were going strong in the 50's.

Ed Millerick

Friday, June 22, 2012

Tom Glover said...

THANKS, GUYS. I SHOULD HAVE NOTICED THAT CHEVY. I HAVE CHANGED THE DATE TO CIRCA 1947. NOT A SENIOR MOMENT, MORE LIKE TRYING TO ENHANCE THE PHOTO AND OVERLOOKING THE CHEVY. RAY: WAS THE 1946 CHEVY SIMILAR TO THE ONE IN THE PHOTO?

TOM

Saturday, June 23, 2012

Anonymous said...

Tom - I believe that's Foy's Drug Store sign shown in the photo. The White Horse Diner stood where the parking lot for Ivy Tavern is now located.
Lakeside Girl

Monday, June 25, 2012

It is indeed Foy's, across from the Colonial Cemetery. I have added one of their ads from 1945.

Tom

rayfromvillapark said...

Hi Tom, Your going to have to update the date again. Everyone is correct, regarding the 1947 Chevrolet, however to the very far left, coming up to the circle, is a 1949 or 1950 Chevrolet. They are so close in appearance, that at that distance, it could be either year. I'm inclined to say 1950. Also, the 1949 Mercury going north, further establishes the later date. Thanks to Lakeside Girl, for identifying Foy's Drug Store. Couldn't remember the name. As far as your question, regarding 1946 and 1947 Chevrolets; the same body was used, from 1941 to 1948. In 1942, the front fenders extended into the front doors, and that design remained through 1948. Add a t-bar to the grille of the 1947 and change the hood emblem from red to blue, and you have a 1948. A quick way to identify a 1946, is that the hood emblem has two vertical wings off the top. While the '47 and '48 are horizontal in design. This has got to be boring to most of your readers. You really have to be into automobiles, to think any of this is pertinent to our conversations. I have been hopelessly connected to automobiles all of my life and these photos of Trenton, another one my interests, just energizes me.

rayfromvillapark

Monday, June 25, 2012

How the heck did I miss seeing that Chevy coming up S. Broad St.? You are right, Ray. I am opting for 1949 Without seeing a 1950, I am going to date it as 1949. thanks for your efforts. As to your automotive expertise, please keep up your valuable dating abilities on old cars. You have an incredible store house of automotive knowledge stacked up in your aging brain......not only that, it is also a HEALTHY mental exercise which we all need!

Tom

1955: THIS ONE'S FOR YOU, RALPH LUCARELLA!

Sorry I haven't found a photo as of the present time, Ralph, but when I do, be assured it will be posted. In the meantime, here's something that will keep you busy, looking over the teams and names of many of your bowling friends.

1908: HAMILTON TOWNSHIP'S THERMOID COMPANY

Thermoid was one of the most viable manufacturing companies extant back in the first half of the 20th century. Many local citizens found gainful employment at the company. During WWII, Thermoid was an integral part of the U.S. Government's list of critical war suppliers. The engraving above shows the rear of the complex adjacent to the mainline railroad tracks; a location which was a great advantage to the Thermoid company.

Lee Belardino said...

Tommy:
I worked at Thermoid for 5 months.Ray Danbury's grandfather (God bless him) used his influence to get me hired. I worked in the brake lining inspection dept. but I didn't inspect. That was done by about 40 women who filled a box with inspected lining and when it was full I carried it to the pallet.It help me make the payments on MY 49 Olds.I left when I enlisted in Oct 51. The workers at Thermoid, especially the ladies were the greatest.Memories of old Trenton.
LEE

Thursday, February 09, 2012

Tom Glover said...

VERY INTERESTING,LEE. I REMEMBER THE 1949 OLDS. AS I RECALL IT WAS A
"FUTURAMIC."

TOM GLOVER

Thursday, February 09, 2012

1928: THE BEGINNING OF THE END FOR A GLOVER ENTERPRISE

I'm told my father was really enthused as he purchased "Gill's Express" from Mr. Davidson back in 1928. It turned out to be a classic case of bad timing. Little did he know that a year later the country would crash into the "Great Depression." Gill's Express had a growing list of customers before the crash. The main customers were Trenton's thriving pottery industry where most of his income originated. With the coming of the crash, he found that his customers were victims of the depression and as they went "Chapter 11," he lost a sizeable amount of money. Long story short: His income began to shrink and when the telephone company cut off service to Gill's Express, my father lost it all and the Glover family was added to the many families who were "on relief;" the depression era equivalent to "welfare." My father ended up as a laborer in Franklin D. Roosevelt's "WPA" program.

RALPH LUCARELLA said...

HI TOM...YOUR FATHER'S MISFORTUNE WAS JUST ONE OF MANY WHO HAD TO DEPEND ON THE WPA TO SURVIVE. MY FATHER LOST HIS HOME AND HAD TO WORK FOR JUST A FOOD ORDER IN ORDER TO PROVIDE FOOD FOR THE FAMILY. IT WAS A TOUGH PERIOD FOR QUITE A LONG TIME BUT WE ALL FOUND A WAY TO GET ALONG. BEST REGARDS

Saturday, January 28, 2012

2010 HAMILTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE SPEAKER

From the "OUTREACH" folder in the Hamilton Library Local History Collection, a photo of yours truly with the folks from the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce. I always like to share information on our local history with the various citizen groups in the area. In presenting this program back in May, I discovered one of Hamilton's best kept secrets: "THE ROSE GARDEN!" I passed by that place when it was a veterans' building but had never been inside. I was completely overwhelmed with the facility! What a perfect place for a high school reunion. In speaking with the proprietor, I learned that HHS class of '54 had their reunion there, and it was a complete success. Check it out.

1947: Circa 1947 Carlin's Cafe

If you go to the "SEARCH BLOG" area on the upper left of this blog and key in FOY, you will find a former post on this legendary family and their Drug Store and old fashioned soda fountain as it was back in the golden era of the 40's and 50's. I and my buddies made many stops at that great old place on South Broad Street. Eleanor Foy was a lady whom I am proud to say was a friend of mine from her many years as a local civic minded citizen. When she lost her beloved Donald, she told me she wanted to be sure he was remembered in Hamilton, and he has been. Thanks to Eleanor and her family, many of Don's memorable history items are being preserved and digitized in the Local History Collection.

1930: BLESSED SACRAMENT DEBT CLEARED

This venerable landmark on Bellevue and Hermatage Avenues has a fascinating history. in the recent past, Blessed Sacrament combined facilities with Trenton's Our Lady of the Divine Shepherd parish.

1936: L..A. YOUNG SPRING AND WIRE COMING TO HAMILTON

The L.A. Young Spring and Wire Company had a huge plant on East State Street in the Bromley section of Hamilton. It was located on a part of the old Henry N. Smith Fashion Stud Farm. The large photo above shows Mr. Young contracting for the construction of the new plant, The lower graphic has been reduced in size. The full version can be found in an earlier post. Use the "Search Blog" feature to see the original.

1941 HAMILTON'S "COTTAGE COUNTER"

Just up the street from 2090 Greenwood Avenue and the Hamilton Municipal building we found this ad for the "Cottage Counter." I immediately tried to place the actual location of that little Cape Cod restaurant, but not having been a traveler to that area at the age of 8 years old, I can't imagine where the building would have been located. Was it on the triangular point where Greenwood Avenue intersects with Nottingham Way? Was it located where the pizza place is today?

1946: BROOKHILL DAIRY FARM HAMILTON TOWNSHIP NJ

The township has bestowed upon me the unofficial title of Hamilton Township Historian. The gentleman shown in the photo above is the late Robert "Bob" Simpkins. Bob should have been formally and officially appointed as the historian of Hamilton Township. He was one of the Charter members and organizers of the Hamilton Township Historical Society. He was also a walking-talking encyclopedia when it came to Hamilton history. As I have said so many times in so many posts on this website, I was completely out of touch with Hamilton Township during the decades of the 60's, 70's, and 80's, commuting daily to my office in New Brunswick. It was only after I retired in the late 90's when I became active in the Hamilton Historical Society that I got to know Bob . During my terms as President of the Society, Bob and I became fast friends. His advancing age precluded driving to the monthly meetings, and it was my privilege to be his chauffeur, bringing him to the monthly meetings and driving him home at their conclusion. Bob loved the idea that I was bringing local history into the 21st century and concentrating not only on the John Abbott II House, but all the countless interesting persons, places, and things relating to Hamilton that have been buried in oblivion. When I would pick him up from his Yardville home and we headed to the meetings, Bob would point out the location of the farms and farmers he remembered from his youth. The Stelle, Quigley, Bertothy, and other farms which were now carved into offices, Condos, shopping centers, etc. He told of his younger years as a student at the old Edgebrook School and the old Yardville School. He told fascinating tales of his experiences at his family's Brookhill Farms, and equally fascinating tales of his family's relationship with the neighboring Allinson family. I really miss Bob Simpkins; the fellow who should have been formally given the title of Hamilton Township Historian. His lack of a formally bestowed title reminded me of my mother's admonition that she would rather have flowers given to her while she was alive instead of laying them on her grave. Bob passed away in 2008 at the age of 102; I really miss his gentlemanly demeanor.

1944: THE GLOVER'S HARTLEY TOY MFG. CO.

Even as my "Tom Glover's Hamilton Scrapbook" is a popular venue for interested locals, so too was my "Hamilton Scrapbook," published weekly for many years back in the early 80's in the late, great Mercer Messenger. Those memories just keep on coming! Way back in the 1940's when my brother Bud was working for Fritz and Edna Kuser, a conversation came up where Fritz Kuser told brother Bud that the the old chicken coop by the grape arbor was going to be knocked down. That conversation just happened to occur at a time when my father was toying with the idea of putting his pottery expertise to work and start a manufacturing business. To make that proverbial long story shortm that old chicken coop was ours if we wanted to dismantle it and re-build it on the Glover north 40.With crowbars in hand, we began the tedious chore of removing the clapboard siding, the two by fours, and the rest of the little coop which was around 12 x 25feet in size. I remember one day when I was working on the lower part of the building when a huge "puff adder" slithered out from under the building. Snakes and wasps were not then, and are not now my favorite things. I was up and out of that working area as fast as greased lightning. Just as quickly, the snake sought refuge under a large blackberry bush with under foliage as dense as a carpet. "Leigh-Rite" toys got their name from my middle name, Leigh. (By the way, the Trenton person who wrote up my birth certificate entered "Lee" instead of "Leigh," and I lost what I considered a neat middle name when compared with "Lee.".

2009: MORE WEB BLOGS OF LOCAL INTEREST

From: thomglo@verizon.net
To: zippyz53@hotmail.com
Subject: Thanks, Joey!
Date: Mon, 27 Apr 2009 15:20:22 -0400

Hey Joey:

Thanks for the email. I have added your site to my www.glover320.blogspot.com . You have interesting stories to tell. Remember, when we're all on the other side of the dirt, there will be descendents of ours who will be very interested in the "Five W's: Who? What? When" Where" and Why?" In my generation it was Del Rio, Dirty Bill's, Greenwood Dairies, Millside Farms, Betty and Bill's, etc. You and Mike McNicoll, Gary Lippincott from Groveville and others from a younger generation have very interesting stories to tell, and it's nice to see that you guys are among those who share your experiences of growing up in the greatest area in the U.S.A.

Tom Glover

===============================================

Thank you Tom. I love the stories, and memories we all share with each other. I look back and those were the good old days and it's great to write about those experiences to share with other.
Always,

Joe

1950's: Cook's Deli

I can't begin to recall how many bucks I spent at Cook's. The largest collection of magazines were neatly displayed an one wall, and it was a very complete assortment from Aardvarks to Zanzibar. Cooks was also a great place to stop for a bit of socializing with the locals.

1938: Ca. 1938 E.H. Frenking Nursery

Candy Jens is one of the very earliest visitors to my website. I'm sure she will be interested in this 1930's ad from the local press. As I recall, Frenking's was in the area of the Hamilton Municipal Building, and I seem to place it at or near the current Health Dept. building. I know Candy or someone else will set me straight.

1935: SUNOCO ADVERTISING BLOTTER

"Son, when I was your age, we called it "New Blue Sunoco." We drove into a gas station, a uniformed gas station attendant came to our car, tipped his hat, cleaned our windshield, popped the hood, checked the fluids, and filled our tank at the astronomical price of 19.9 per gallon."

1978: SELECTED CHRISTMAS GREETING FROM LOCAL MERCHANTS

Merry Christmas from some of the prominent local merchants in the Hamilton area of 1978!

1941: George Riggs Plumbing and Heating

Thanks to Randy Riggs for this beautiful photo of his dad standing next to his Chevy panel truck. Ironically, I live in the 300 block of Atlantic Avenue, just two streets from the 300 block of Lynwood Avenue.

RANDY WROTE:

Here's another (photo) for you, my Pop in 1941 in front of the garage (still there, but fixed up) for 326 Lynwood Ave. with his Chevy work truck. He became very successful with his plumbing and heating business after he returned from serving in the U.S. Navy in Saipan in Nov. 1945. My grandfather, Frank Pratt Riggs, was also a plumber.

1937: The Old Heidelberg

This view of the interior of the Old Heidelberg Restaurant on Hamilton Avenue conjures up memories of the many Sunday afternoons when Judy, Louise Baird and I went to that great old eatery for dinner. The second wooden booth from the end was always the one we tried to get. Roast beef and red cabbage was one of their specialties, as well as my favorite, "wiener schnitzel." Yum! In his later years, Charles "Pop" Mitchell, Hamilton High print shop teacher, wiled away the hours at the Heidelberg bar.