1838 - 2013: MERCER COUNTY'S 175th ANNIVERSARY

Above are two interesting graphics showing the original Mercer County Courthouse from the earliest years of the county, and the current edifice which is on the same location at S. Broad and Market Streets. Below are a few of the interesting Mercer County news articles and clippings I have been digitizing over the years.

1988: MERCER COUNTY 150TH ANNIVERSARY

I have learned something as I age that I wish I had known when I was a young man. Back then, summers seemed to be endless, and time seemed to go by at a snail's pace. Once I reached the "senior years" which in my case I felt was at semi-retirement in the early 1990's. Now, time is rushing by at an alarming rate. As most of us in our twilight years will admit, the phrase, "It seems like only yesterday" is frequently brought to mind. Such is the case with the article above, wherein my journalistic colleague and friend, Russ Roberts wrote of my appointment as one of the contributors to the historic 150th anniversary of the establishment of Mercer County. The article is really a chronology of how I came to be a writer; a gift of which I will always be grateful. But by golly, tempus does fugit!

1891: THE OLD MERCER COUNTY COURT HOUSE

Absolutely lovely! A Lawn, beautiful trees, and a nice view from "Trenton Illustrated;" a pictorial booklet that has exquisite engravings as in the above example.

1988: MERCER COUNTY's 150th ANNIVERSARY

1946: DDT VERSUS THE JERSEY MOSQUITO

HERE'S AN EARLY RIG SPRAYING DDT IN ORDER TO FIGHT THE MANY FLYING THINGS THAT PLAGUE MERCER COUNTY.

1938:HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MERCER COUNTY

WOW, HOW TIME FLIES! I CAN'T BELIEVE IT HAS BEEN 20 YEARS SINCE I HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF BEING APPOINTED TO THE MERCER COUNTY SESQUICENTENNIAL COMMISSION. AT THE TIME, I WAS WRITING FOR BOTH THE MERCER MESSENGER, AND ALSO THE TRENTON TIMES. RUSS ROBERTS' ARTICLE ALSO TOLD OF THE GENESIS OF MY "THE WAY WE WERE" COLUMN IN THE "MESSENGER."

1988: WAS IT REALLY 20 YEARS AGO?

AS I PILE ON THE YEARS, ONE VERITY IS BEING TRANSMITTED LOUD AND CLEAR INTO MY AGING PSYCHE: TIME FLIES....TEMPUS FUGITS! I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT IT HAS BEEN 20 YEARS SINCE THE ABOVE ARTICLE APPEARED IN THE MERCER MESSENGER. THE MATHESIUS ADMINISTRATION WAS VERY INTERESTED IN LOCAL HISTORY, AS WERE MY FORMER BOSSES, JACK LACY AND WAYNE DAVIS. HAD IT NOT BEEN FOR THOSE TWO GENTLEMEN, MY SUCCESSFUL "THE WAY WE WERE" COLUMN WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN. AND "THE WAY WE WERE?" IT'S BEEN 27 YEARS...ALL I CAN SAY IS, "WOW!"