1937: LAWRENCE ROAD AND RICHMOND AVENUE

Any Lawrenceville visitors out there who can locate this photo's location in Lawrence? A Google Earth search failed to find a Richmond Avenue.

1969: AND THEN ALONG CAME QUAKER BRIDGE MALL

Lawrenceville's little strip mall along Route 1 was a popular place with Dunham's a super market and as seen in the photo above. F.W. Donnelly decided to place a retail outlet there. Along came the huge and cumbersome Quaker Bridge Mal on busy Route 1l, and overshadowed the little shopping center.

1922: R.C. MAXWELL MERCER AUTOMOBILE CO. SIGN ALONG LAWRENCE ROAD

Here's a truly rural country road from 90 years ago. Perhaps a knowledgeable Lawrence visitor can pinpoint the location. I am completely unfamiliar with the Lawrence Road. However, the old vehicle traveling toward us is apparently on a dirt road. I wonder if our resident auto historian Ray Paskiewicz can identify that truck?

1883: TRENTON'S FITZGIBBON AND CRISP

It was really fun gathering these graphics relating to Trenton's very famous carriage and wagon company. The above article from the Daily State Gazette tells the interesting story of how the company which was formed after the acquisition of the Union Carriage Company, and went on to become one of the most respected manufacturers of quality carriages, and in later years automotive coach works. Their incredibly beautiful detailing is seen on the 1917 Jeffrey Fire engine which I found at the Lawrence Road Fire Company website. I removed a few of the crease marks in order to enhance the photo.

1947: LAWRENCEVILLE ROAD AT ELDRIDGE AVENUE

Here's an intersection that looks far different from the Google Earth view of the intersection. Perhaps a visitor from Lawrenceville can add descriptive info as to the building shown on the right side of the road.

1937 LAWRENCEVILLE ROAD AND ELDGRIDGE AVENUE

Thanks to "Google Earth" for the colored street view of the intersection as it looks today. Above is a Duke University-R.C. Maxwell photo of that intersection as it looked 74 years ago. Fascinating!

1922: THE MERCER AUTOMOBILE COMPANY

Here is a photo of Lawrence Road which would probably be impossible to locate today due to the many changes along that busy roadway. The Mercer Automobile Company was falling on hard times in the early 1920's and would soon go out of business. This photo is so clear one can see small stones along the roadway.

SJBill said...

If the address on the image is correct, the company was just after Darrah Lane on the left headed for Princeton. After our family left the Burg in the mid 60s, we lived very close to that location. We had no knowledge of the plant from the Old Timers that lived up the road. In the early 60s, outside of the residences, the land was all agricultural and woodlands. Today, that's real close to the Rider College campus. Wasn't the Mercer plant located near Whitehead Road - a more industrial setting?

Monday, December 26, 2011

Hi Bill: Yes, the Mercer factory was located across the street from the Thermoid plant on Whitehead Road. The Roller Bearing Company of America took it over in the late 1920's.

Tom Glover

1935: LAWRENCEVILLE PUBLIC SCHOOLS CLASS OF '35

Ralph Lucarella said...

Hi Tom; I noticed the name of Walt Krichling in that group of graduates. I believe he went on to play football with the University of Penn. If I remember correctly, he was outstanding in high school and college. That was just about the time I was going to Trenton High. Best regards.

SJBill has left a new comment on your post "1935: LAWRENCEVILLE PUBLIC SCHOOLS CLASS OF '35":

Coach Walt Krichling was on the THS faculty in the 60s, and on the football staff with Coach Pat Clemons and Coach Bob Callahan

2009: DENNIS WATERS, LAWRENCE HISTORICAL SOCIETY

I received the above invitation to the lecture to be given by Mr. Waters, who will be telling the story of the fabled AT&T trans-oceanic radio station which took up a large piece of real estate during the time it was in operation. I can remember motoring past that site as a young boy, and marveling at the huge antenna farm that was part of the complex.

1938: Larry Poinsett, Lawrence Educator

I will be creating a new folder entitled, "PEOPLE I KNOW AND KNEW." Larry will be included in that new folder. Larry was a regular n our neighborhood back in the 1940's. As I go through the newspapers from the 30's and 40's, I find numerous familiar faces. Larry has also been a visitor to this website. Larry, ....'ya out there buddy?

1909 LAWRENCEVILLE'S TWO WHEEL MAIL DELIVERY

Were you standing at your mailbox 100 years ago waiting for the mail man back 100 summers ago, you would see Bill Swann pull up to your mail box with his simple two wheeled U.S. Mail horse drawn cart.

(A note from Tom: I have found that preserving the "gray" tone on these old offset photos as per the graphic above, allows for more detail. When I try to adjust any combination of gamma, contrast, exposure, or brightness, there seems is a decrease in legibility. The above photo is as good as it gets.)

1928: Darramoor Oaklyn Terrace Wayside Lane Lawrenceville NJ

1936 WPA DANCE PROGRAM AT SLACKWOOD SCHOOL

These lovely young ladies are all decked out in their dancing costumes, ready to "wow them" at a Music Week entertainment.

1938: R.C. Church of St. Ann Lawrenceville

I superimposed the photo of that young fellow you see in the upper corner of this post. The late Msgr. Michael McCorristin, the "Iron Mike," has had a hand in building a number of churches in the area. St. Ann's is one of them. Even back in 1938, the hard working priest spent hours of back breaking labor with his cadre of volunteers. Msgr. was never a boss. He was always right there in there with his fellow workers getting the job done.

2009: Lawrence Historian Robert Immordino

tIn my estimation, the above gentleman and very close friend is the "Historian Emeritus" of Lawrence Township, as well as "Historian Emeritus" for the American Italian community. My original library folder was entitled, "Italian-American." Bob tactfully suggested that it be changed to "American Italian." It was and is changed. Bob and I have been very close colleagues throughout the years. He is very active in the activities of Princeton's Dorothea's House, and also an expert on the history of organized labor. I, Bob, and my dear friend Maury Perilli have frequent luncheons together and as you might expect, our conversations revolve around things historic, nostalgic, and ephemeral. Lawrence Gazette photographer Diana Pichardo really captured a splendid portrait of the Bob Immordino we all know and love.

1973: The Brearleys of Lawrenceville

1973: QUAKER BRIDGE MALL: IN THE BEGINNING

Macy's was the anchor store when the legendary Qauker Bridge Mall opened back in the early 70's. My 30-plus years of commuting to New Brunswick left we with very negative impressions of Route 1 as even back in the 60's and 70's, the traffic was a nightmare.

Publish Post

then, traffic was a nightmare.

1973: "GOLDEN RULE DAYS" IN LAWRENCE TOWNSHIP

What a great idea! Why can't we borrow that idea and do our own "Golden Rule Days" program? I had a very similar program on the agenda for a presentation at Kuser Farm mansion, but the budget crunch in Hamilton has temporarily (hopefully temporarily) curtailed Kuser evening programs. I have printed out a hard copy of this article for my friend Bob Immordino, who is not a computer user. Bob and I have been working on a Chambersburg onscreen Powerpoint type presentation which details the history of "the burg," and is centered on the Italian-American Chambersburg years. It was also a victim of difficult financial times. We were to have presented the program at Marsilio's Restaurant, but they went out of business. We'll get there one day.

1937: LAWRENCEVILLE'S NEW FIRE ENGINE

I'M SURE THAT'S A 1937 DIAMOND "T" JUST LIKE THE ONE THE GUYS AT COLONIAL VOLUNTEER FIRE COMPANY HAD IN THE 1940's.

1934: LAWRENCE TOWNSHIP MINI HISTORY

THESE FULL PAGE SCANS ARE A CHALLENGE. LACKING A "TABLOID SCANNER," I HAVE TO MAKE 5 FULL PAGE SCANS AND "STITCH" THEM TOGETHER IN ORDER TO GET A DUPLICATED FULL PAGE. UNFORTUNATELY, THE LARGER THE PAGE, THE SMALLER THE PRINT WHEN IT IS LOADED ON TO THE WEBSITE. IF YOU HAVE A LARGER LCD MONITOR, YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO READ THE FINE PRINT. A RE-SETTING OF YOUR COMPUTER DISPLAY TO 800 X 600 WOULD ALSO HELP.