1973: HAMILTON TO HAVE A NEW LIBRARY

Most Hamiltonians in my generation remember trips to the Hamilton Library when it was in the basement of the Municipal Building at 2090 Greenwood Avenue. Living in nearby Greenwood Village, I made many trips to that austere book collection. I seem to recall that Mrs. Grove was the lady behind the check out counter. Remember those card catalogs and those oak wood drawers in which the cards were stored? Remember searching the cards for 748.6 or someother Dewey decimal card?

1965: Maurice T. Perilli:

He was one of our earliest and best mayors. I have a substantial collection of Maury Perilli memorabilia in the Hamilton Township Public Library's Local History Collection. During his tenure, the Hamilton Library, Hamilton's police station, the transit village, and "Hamilton Park" that was to become Veterans' Park was established. Maury was also involved in the early negotiations with Fritz and Edna Kuser for the township's acquisition of Kuser Farm in the early 1970's. As a dear friend of Maury's I can safely say he is one of the most honorable and honest men I have ever met. Unfortunately, many of the current generation have no idea of the accomplishments of this man who brought Hamilton from a rural community to the viable metropolis it is becoming today. Hamilton Township's recently published local history book says very little about the incredible accomplishments this man made as the Mayor of Hamilton Township. Thankfully, the Local History Collection at the Hamilton Township Library has a comprehensive collection of newspaper articles which recorded his accomplishments.

1986: GOVERNMENT AID FOR THE HAMILTON LIBRARY

Remember when we got grants and federal aid for critical citizen needs? Long before the present financial crisis we are experiencing in 2008, many municipalities, cities, towns, and schools shared in federal monies to shore up their various infrastructures. Who said they weren't "the good old days?"

2008: WILD TURKEYS IN HAMILTON

THIS IS JUST ONE OF THE SEVEN WILD TURKEYS WHO HAVE BEEN REGULAR VISITORS TO THE HAMILTON LIBRARY'S LOVELY LANDSCAPED GROUNDS. THESE BIRDS SEEM TO BE MUCH MORE VISIBLE THAN IN YEARS PAST. THEY WERE RARELY SEEN AROUND AREAS WHERE THERE ARE HUMANS. I ASSUME THAT THE INCREASING INCURSION OF CONSTRUCTION IN THE AREA HAS DRIVEN THEM TO AREAS THEY AVOIDED IN YEARS PAST.

1932: HAMILTON LIBRARY NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS

HERE'S ANOTHER ARTICLE DEALING WITH THE SUMMER PROGRAM FOR HAMILTON TOWNSHIP RESIDENTS WHO ARE INTERESTED IN SUMMER READING. EACH NEIGHBORHOOD HAD A REPOSITORY WHERE THE LIBRARY PLACED BOOKS FOR THE BENEFIT OF SPECIFIC AREAS OF THE TOWNSHIP.

1929: HAMILTON'S NEIGHBORHOOD LIBRARIES

DID YOU KNOW THAT IN YEARS PAST, HAMILTON TOWNSHIP OPERATED LIBRARIES IN VARIOUS HOMES AND STORES IN NEIGHBORHOODS FROM DEUTZVILLE TO HAMILTON SQUARE TO YARDVILLE AND ALL POINTS BETWEEN? A FEW YEARS AGO, MS. MOLLYE CARROL, A FAMILY FRIEND FOR MANY YEARS, GAVE ME A WOODEN SIGN FROM THE LIBRARY WHICH ONCE WAS ON THE SUN PORCH OF A HOME ON HAMILTON AVENUE IN THE AREA OF NORWAY AND PACIFIC AVENURE IN HAMILTON.

1930: HAMILTON TOWNSHIP LIBRARY IN THE EARLY YEARS

DID YOU EVER GO TO THE HAMILTON LIBRARY WHEN IT WAS LOCATED IN THE BASEMENT OF THE HAMILTON MUNICIPAL BUILDING ON 2090 GREENWOOD AVENUE? MAY OF US IN THE SENIOR CITIZEN CATEGORY DID. DID YOU EVER GO TO ONE OF THE LIBRARYS IN YARDVILLE, MERCERVILLE, HAMILTON SQUARE OR ANOTHER AREA WHEN LIBRARY BRANCHES WERE LOCATED IN THE HOMES OF SELECTED RESIDENTS. THAT WAS BEFORE MY TIME, BUT THANKS TO MS. MOLLYE CARROL, I HAVE A SIGN WHICH WAS ON A LIBRARY BRANCH ON HAMILTON AVENUE IN THE AREA OF NEWKIRK AVENUE.

2007: THE HAMILTON TOWNSHIP PUBLIC LIBRARY

HERE'S AN ARTICLE FROM "HAMILTON HAPPENINGS," A PULL-OUT SECTION OF THE TRENTON TIMES FROM JULY 12, 2007, DESCRIBING THE MANY FACETS OF MY FAVORITE WORK PLACE, THE HAMILTON TOWNSHIP PUBLIC LIBRARY.

2007: THANK YOU, HAMILTON POST

FOR THOSE OF MY VIEWERS WHO ARE IN EWING, LAWRENCE, AND OTHER FAR FLUNG AREAS OF THE DELAWARE VALLEY AND WHO ARE NOT RECIPIENTS OF THE "HAMILTON POST," I HAVE DIGITIZED AND RESIZED A VERY FLATTERING ARTICLE THEY WROTE FEATURING NEXT WEEK'S START OF THE SUMMER KUSER FARM SUMMER CONCERT SERIES. THANK YOU JOE AND CHRIS, I AM TRULY HUMBLED.

1936: Hamilton Township Public Library

When I printed this article and brought it to Library Director George Conwell, his immediate observation was to comment on the efficiency of the record keeping back before the days of the computer. 9 books un-accounted for out of a total of 9,280 certainly would lend credibility to Mr. Conwell's observation.

MY LITTLE BIRD SANCTUARY

I HAVE BEEN A BIRD WATCHER FOR MORE THAN 40 YEARS. IN ALL THOSE YEARS, I HAVE SEEN MOST OF THE COMMON SONG BIRDS WHICH INHABIT OUR AREA (EXCEPT THE ELUSIVE EASTERN BLUEBIRD). THE VIGNETTE HERE SHOWS A FEW OF MY BIRD FRIENDS. ABSENT FROM THE PHOTO ARE THE NUMEROUS GOLD FINCHES WHICH INHABIT MY FEEDING STATION, ALSO A TOWHEE, WHICH WILL BE INCLUDED ANOTHER TIME ALONG WITH A NUMBER OF MY OTHER WOODLAND FRIENDS.

APOLOGIES FOR THE POOR RESOLUTION ON THE GROSBEAK AND WHITE THROAT PHOTOS. THEY WERE TAKEN THROUGH A CLOUDED WINDOW.

2003: Hamilton Historical Society

Here's a digital photo of our display at the 2003 Hamilton Septemberfest. Those are laminated newspaper pages from the Hamilton Library's "Oversize" file on display, showing various headlines from years gone by. Dr. Jim Federici succeed me as President of that august society, assuring the community that we will remain a viable asset to the community. Have you visited the John Abbott II House on Kuser Road? It is located at the Kuser Road entrance to Veterans' Park. Hostess Lillian Tindall Smith and her cadre of doscents will welcome you any Saturday or Sunday from noon until 4 PM. Be sure you check out our recent Hamilton Township History book, on sale at the Abbott House, or at my office in the Hamilton Library.