1897: Very early campers at Hutchinson's Pond

These adventurous gentlemen loved camping out along the banks of Hutchinson's Pond back in the late 1800's. The area was truly one of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's "forest primevals,"andI would bet that there were also Longellow's "murmering pines and hemlocks."

1901: "Cool Hutchinson's Pond"

This old offset photo was in my collection with no reference to any Trenton Newspaper. It is suspected to be a State Gazette photo. Even though offset printing was quite primitive back in 1905, these photos are quite acceptable.

GEORGE GOLDY: PHOTO REVERSED?

ABOVE IS A REVERSE PHOTO OF AN EARLIER POST WHICH IS QUITE CONFUSING. I HAD A TOUGH TIME GETTING ORIENTED. I RECEIVED THE FOLLOWING EMAIL FROM YARDVILLE OLD TIMER GEORGE GOLDY. HE SUGGESTED THAT MAYBE THE PHOTO WAS ACCIDENTALLY REVERSED AT THE TIME OF PLACING IT IN THE PAPER.

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GEORGE GOLDY WRITES:
Tom:
As a former Lakesider and after looking at the picture is it possible that the negative was reversed? If you flip it over the mill would be on your left, the store at the lake would be in the correct place and the bridge to Yardville would be in the correct place.George GoldyHere is a reversed copy of the photo. I have made a few notes. Any other comments welcome.And George, many thanks for the e-mail and the suggestion. Let me know if you can now decode the mystery.

THANKS FOR THE SUGGESTION, GEORGE.

LET'S SEE IF THIS MAKES THINGS CLEARER.

1909: DRAINING HUTCHINSON'S POND

WE'RE DEALING WITH GROPP'S LAKE HERE, FOLKS. MANY VISITORS TO THIS SITE MAY BE SURPRISED TO LEARN THAT THE BEAUTIFUL SPRING-FED LAKE ON SOUTH BROAD STREET IN THE LAKESIDE PARK-YARDVILLE HEIGHTS AREA HAS AN INTERESTING HISTORY. ONCE KNOWN AS LOWRIES' MILLS, KIRBY MILLS, AND HUTCHINSON'S POND, IT WAS A VERY POPULAR SWIMMING AND BEACH AREA BACK IN THE 30'S AND 40'S WHEN WE ALL CALLED IT "LAKESIDE." TODAY IT'S GROPP'S LAKE; NAMED FOR THE PROMINENT GROPP FAMILY FROM THE WHITE HORSE-LAKESIDE PARK-YARDVILLE HEIGHTS AREA.
FOR FURTHER INFO ON THE AREA, ENTER THE KEYWORDS GROPP'S LAKE IN THE "SEARCH BLOG" AREA ON THE TOP LEFT OF THIS SCREEN.