1935: IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN "THE GREAT DEPRESSION" BUT LIFE WENT ON

FFrom a 1935 full page ad in the Trenton Evening Times proves that even though we were in the throes of the "Great Depression," life went on in Trenton and the surrounding areas.

1993: REMEMBERING THE BEST"

 

My first real exposure to the fabulous Trenton area restaurants in Chambersburg took place way back in the early 1950's when Judy and I along with Miss Louise Baird had dinner at "Marsilio's Kitchen." What a delightful dinner! Even though we thoroughly enjoyed their incredible cuisine, our real favorite was a mile or so into Hamilton at the "Heidelberg" on Hamilton Avenue.

1975: SEEMS LIKE ONLY YESTERDAY

Here's what was going on in the Trenton area back in 1975 when we had countless places to go for lunch, dinner, after hours, or just plain roving. Giovi's was one of my favorite spots. Their food was wonderful and  I attended a number of wedding receptions there.

1935: A GREAT DEPRESSION SATURDAY NIGHT

The above is a somewhat re-organized placement of the ads as found on the original page from the Trenton Times. It gives a good idea of the economic situation in the area as the financial ravages of the Great Depression began to subside and certain members of society had more money in their pockets to spend a night at one of the many local night clubs, restaurants and theaters. I added the 2 1935 Hudson "Terraplane" autos to enhance the spirit of '35.

1994: "A TASTE OF CHAMBERSBURG"

This a re-formatted and colorized list of those who participated in a 1994 fund raiser to benefit the Mercer Street Friends Center. The progam, "A Taste of Chambersburg" was hosted at Eddie Baldassari's Baldassari Regency restaurant on Morris Avenue. Look closely; we will never see their likes again!

1947: LANDWEHR'S RESTAURANT: IN THE BEGINNING

My wife Judy and I were well acquainted with Hazel Landwehr back in the early 1950's when we first met her on one of her many visits to our Hamilton High School music teacher, Louise Baird's Hamilton Avenue apartment. Back then, we all dined at not only Landwehr's but also at the Heidelberg, the Old Hights Inn, and the Cranbury Inn. Hazel Landwehr and her husband Oscar had a beautiful upscale dining facility with an incredibly beautiful view of the wooded area surrounding the back of the restaurant. Our HHS class of 1951 held one of our reunions at Landwehr's back in the 1950's. Gracious dining and unbelievably good food thanks to the culinary ability of Oscar Landwehr, and later his son, Eugene. Back in 1958 when I was discharged from the U.S. Army, Hazel hired me as a bus boy with the idea that I would train to become a waiter. In a month or so, I was a waiter and did very well in my short time there. Bill Caffrey was a trusted employee at Landwehr's. Judy and I graduated from Hamilton High with his sister, Olive. 

1960's: "THE BROKEN DRUM"

I received the top engraving from Mr. Bill Klek who had been searching for info on that popular eatery. I was only there once back when I worked for the bearing company. I took a leisurely drive via Google Earth from North Olden Avenue to Prospect Street, hung a left on Prospect Street and made the virtual drive to 1400 Prospect Street, and the photo above which I assume is the location of the original "Drum."

1934:TRENTON ARE DINING AND DANCING DURING THE GREAT DEPRESSION

For those folks who were not drastically affected by the Great Depression, these would be the nightspots where they spent their weekends dining and dancing. I have posted a number of graphics with text as the feature, but Facebook has a limit on the size of a graphic and those that I have posted render the graphic blurry and illegible. Accordingly, future posts will remain here where those on facebook can hopscotch over and read it comfortably. Unless I am incorrect, none of the nightspots in this ad are no longer with us.

1936: A TRENTON SATURDAY NIGHT DURING THE GREAT DEPRESION

I tried doing this graphic in color, but I exceeded the size limit allowed and had to convert it to gray scale mode. It is an interesting representation of what the Trenton area had to offer those who were affluent enough to end their work week with a rousing venture into the very lively Trenton area of 1936. Unfortunately, the size constraints makes reading the details a bit daunting; but if my 80 year old eyes can see some of the ads, how about yours?

1950: THE COUNT IN EWING TOWNSHIP

While I never saw Count Felix at the Sherwood, I spent many hours there during my years working just up the street at 1812 North Olden Avenue when the Trenton Bearing Company was located there. The Sherwood was THE place for many of us who worked in Ewing, as was the Glendale and Jack and Bobs. Wow, am I gettin' old!

1946: DO YOU REMEMBER THESE?

This is like a re-run of the scenes of my childhood and young adult years. Jonclars was a lively upscale gathering place back in the 1940's as was Jack and Bob's. Clio? It was on Route 33 in the area of today's Cedar Gardens, and by the time I was driving in 1952, Cedar Gardens and Betty & Bill's drive in was on the spot.

1965: FROM THE "RESTAURANTS AND EATERIES" FOLDER

Here's an interesting page from a June, 1965 "HAMILTON LIFE" weekly newspaper showing some of the restaurants available during the 50's and 60's. The Old Heidelburg was a regular Sunday dining experience for my wife and I during that time, as was Jim's Country Diner.

1914 PETER CURTIN'S LUNCH WAGON

Long before we had 24 hour roadside diners, Peter Curtin slaved away at serving the public at his roll around diner on wheels. The photo of his lunch wagon presented herewith (thanks to Mrs. Roselie* Valenza Szmauz) has annotations written in by Roselie's father, Charles Valenza. You will note that those annotations indicate a Perry Street location. However, as you can see by the Curtin story immediately above, Peter moved around to quite a few different locations during his many years as a very popular street vendor. This is the part of local history that I love to read about and share with the public.

Note: Spelling is correct per Ms. Szmauz: *Roselie, not Rosalie

Diane Hoffman, you made my day, along with of the many visitors to this website! The above "Sandwich Menu" from what we called "The Glendale" has been posted for all of us fugitives from the 1950's to enjoy. When I was a young guy back in that golden era, the Glendale, Landwehr's.

 If you were really trying to impress your date, Lavender Hall was one of the IN places to take your best girlfriend on a Sunday afternoon. By the way, do you remember the big tree that grew right in the middle of the restaurant and through a hole in the roof at Lavender Hall? Another long forgotten "high class" destination was "Chubby's" way down in the area of the Camden County circle.

1979: DEL RIO: GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN

This was one of my favorite restaurants in my teen years, and right up to my early years of marriage in the 1950's. Del Rio started out as a roadside hot dog stand back in the early 1940's. When I and my teen friends were active in the area, Carl DeAngelo was running a full fledged restaurant. The souithwest motif was a very attractive venue. My buddies were nearly nightly visitors there and Carl saw that we always migrated to that marble top round table for us, dubbing it " knights of the round table."

1946: FRONT STREET: CAPITOL TOMATO PIE

Did any visitors to this blog go to the Capitol Tomato Pie restaurant? If you did, was it a real Trenton tomato pie or a thick crust cheese-filled pizza with more cheese than tomato? I never knew of the place, but would bet that one of our old center city visitors from the past will fill us in. By the way, I am still a die hard Ricky DeLorenzo Hamilton Avenue tomato pie lover. I have been a DeLorenzo fan since way back in the 1940's when they had a location on Hamilton Avenue in the area of today's Hamilton Avenue post office.

rayfromvillapark said...

Hi Tom, This closed gas station, sits at the corner of South Warren and Front Sts. The tow truck sitting behind the 1941 Chrysler Club Coupe, is one of the fleet of Tex Wrecking Service, 10 East Front St. I emailed you photos of a model I manufactured of one of their trucks, along with a license holder, given out by them in the 1930s. I don't know if you received them. Just to the left and out of the photo, is their huge garage. The building to the right, just out of the photo, is the old Capitol Motors Chrysler Plymouth dealership. Lots of car activity going on around this intersection. It's just before Christmas; you can see the wreaths in the windows of Gimbel's Department store, and a huge ribbon and bow on the side of the Swern's Department store building, down at the corner of Front and South Broad. I owned a duplicate of that Chrysler, back in the 1970s, with a Highlander plaid interior, and a horn that played, The Campbells are Coming. Sold it to Mr. Peters, who with his son Bill, had a repair garage on Liberty St. Boy, lots of memories from one photograph. Don't ever remember eating at the Capitol restaurant, but my favorite tomato pie, was at Top Road Tavern, on Brunswick Ave. rayfromvillapark

Friday, July 27, 2012

Anonymous said...

Tom:

If I'm not mistaken, Capital Tomatoe pies was owned by Pete (Pete the gink) Picardi. It was on the left side of Front across from "Pauls",what became Commini's resturant, and Next to Ken's ( last name escapes me) faboulous meat market.
Big Money Mike had a pawn shop, jewelry store on that side of the street, and I bought my than girlfrien's ring from him. Kraus's Deli was also on this block, as was "Sun Ray" Drug store on the Corner where now sits the NJ Dept. of Community affairs from where I retired in 1989. What goes round, comes around.

Regards
Mike Kuzma

Friday, July 27, 2012

Anonymous said...

Tom:

Finally got around to enlarge the photo,, and the name of the meat market where Mary Roebling was often seen picking out what her chef would prepare for Dinner was:
Ken Applegates Market.
Pete's Capital Tomatoe pies were goodd, but nothing like Ricky DeLorenzo's my old Jr.4 buddie's.
Pete the Gink was married to my cousin (by marriage) sister. Cousin "Fat Louie" got his start cokking for Pete.

Mike Kuzma

Friday, July 27, 2012

Anonymous said...

I guess I was born at the beginning of change in Trenton. In the 60's I can remember a corned beef on rye with the trimmings at Krause's or the lunch special at Commini's.

As hard I as I may, I can never recall Gimbles in Trenton, being born in 1948, I have to wonder when they closed?

I can clearly remember the Fire Department rescuing folks in row boats where this picture is taken, during the flood of 1955, the water being to the bottom of the gas station windows.

Ed Millerick

Saturday, July 28, 2012

Anonymous said...

Ed:

Gimble's in those days was more of store full of concessionaires.
When you shopped at Swern's (where I worked in 1950) Sam Swern himself would meet and greet you at the foot of the new contraption; the Escalator!
Goldberg's had "floor managers" as did Nevious Voorhees" who were distinguishable by the buttonaire they wore.
Personal service ( somthing long gone from commerce) was the hallmark of the successful stores.

The flood you speak of was 1955, I than lived on South Warren St. and used my rowboat to help the neighbors, and those in the "Island" neighborhood off Sanhican Dr.

Regards

Mike Kuzma

Saturday, July 28, 2012

SJBill said...

Turn around 180 degrees from the gas station in this picture and you will see Allstate Blue Print, that was owned by Mike Pagano.

Mike ran for City Council in about 1953 or so, and lived at 811 S. Clinton Ave, back in the day. Our family bought that house in 1957, where we lived until we left Trenton for Lawrence Township in 1963.

Our house in Lawrence was two doors away from Charlie Commini, who owned the restaurant on Front St.

The flood made it all the way to S. Broad and Front St, as Assunpink Creek flooded all over everything. I remember dead catfish and suckers all over the place in the dried up mud afterwards.

Saturday, July 28, 2012

1975: YARDVILLE'S "BOATHOUSE PUB"

The Boathouse Pub and the Bob DeFano trio were completely unknown to me during the 1970's. I was commuting daily from Hamilton to New Brunswick and lost touch with much of the persons, places and things that was Hamilton in the 1960's and 70's. I was particularly taken by the Boathouse Pub on Route 156. I would assume it was in close proximity to the Polish American building but closer to South Broad Street. I am not familiar with the Bob DeFano Trio who were performing during that time, but I assume they were part of a number of musical groups that performed around the Trenton area.

Anonymous said...

i think that mighta been in the building where wildflowers too is now located.

Thursday, July 12, 2012

1933: THE CASA LIDO-A CITY OF TRENTON LEGEND

RALPH LUCARELLA said...

HI TOM....AS I RECALL, THE PONTANI FAMILY ALSO OWNED THE LIQUOR STORE ON HAMILTON AVENUE NEAR CHAMBERS FOR QUIT SOME TIME. REGARDS.

Saturday, June 23, 2012

Omad said...

Is this the same liquor store owned by the Lucidis in the
1940s? They were three doors down from our restaurant.

Saturday, June 23, 2012

Anonymous said...

I just assumed that such names were associated with the town from which the family had it's origins, perhaps a coastal fishing village? Or, perhaps to give a simple place in Trenton some "zing" or flair. As a kid I was always puzzled that the Hudson Beer Garden was nothing like the Hanging Gardens of Babylon? Where were the toga draped young ladies playing harps amid trays of grapes, figs and other exotic fruit?

Ed Millerick

Saturday, June 23, 2012

omad said...

LOL Ed

Saturday, June 23, 2012

Anonymous said...

Tom:

Descendants of the Pontani family might be able to tell you the origin. The Pontani brothers run a Jewelry store at five points in Mercervill where the old Exxon Station was.

Regrards

Mike Kuzma

Saturday, June 23, 2012

The Pontani family brought their exquisite Italian cuisine to center city Trenton ad immediately found that the new restaurant found favor with citizens from far and near. As the success piled on, the restaurant hosted many local service clubs, civic associations, and just plain citizens. Local talent also found a performing audience at the late great Casa Lido. I would be interested to learn why they chose "beach house" as the name of the restaurant, given the fact that the nearest beach to Trenton is some 35 or 40 miles east.

1947: THE DELUXE DINER, 411 E. STATE STREET

This is a cut and paste segmented graphic giving an unusually clear view of the old De luxe Diner which was located on E. State Street. I remember going there once when I first got my driver's license in 1950. Those old "trolley car" diners had a certain charm and intimacy that is sadly lacking in the huge diners of today. Before I am descended upon by any English and spelling nitpicker, I would point out that my spell checker tried to correct "DE LUXE" with "DELUXE," but the photo speaks for itself.

1969 IN THE TRENTON AREA; TIME MARCHES ON!

Wow, does this bring back some pleasant memories, and I would bet that many other visitors will also pore over the ads above and find one or more spots they visited those 42 years ago. Hmmm....there's the Old Heidelberg, Cedar Gardens, Cesares Meat Market and their familiar "longhorn" trade mark, Lido Gardens, the old Hudson Beer Garden who apparently dropped the word "Beer" from their name. Lord, how time flies!

JoeZ said...

Love those ads and you can't beat the prices.

Thursday, September 15, 2011

Sally Logan Gilman said...

I love the old ads and always check to see if one rings a bell. My dad, Russell Logan, took me to eat at Lido Gardens in the late '40s. Could it be the same place as in the ad -- Hanover St? He used to stop at the Lido for takeout when he transferred buses to go home at night. He said the bus smelled really good. Again, Tom, thanks for the memories.

Thursday, September 15, 2011

Anonymous said...

My gosh, look at the prices. I note the Wayside on the Pennington Circle. To put the brakes on the rumor that the Route 69 signs had to be changed for risque reasons, that is just not true.

When the "Class of 1969" freshman hit the dorms at dear old Trenton State, the DOT could not keep the signs up fast enough.

I do believe we ate much better on far less income back then.

Ed Millerick

ELEANOR (LAKESIDE GIRL):

RIGHT CLICK ON THE IMAGE AND CHOOSE OPEN IN ANOTHER PAGE. YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO ENLARGE THE GRAPHIC,

TOM

Ralph Lucarella said...

HI TOM...SEEING THAT AD OF CEDAR GARDENS REMINDS ME OF THE TIME MY BROTHER LOU AND I BUILT THE HAMILTON BOWLING LANES ON ROUTE 33 IN 1955. WE WANTED TO BUILD IT NEXT TO CEDAR GARDENS BUT WERE UNABLE TO ACQUIRE THE GROUND. THE OWNER OF CEDAR GARDENS AT THE TIME WAS FRANK AGABITI, ONE OF THE AREA'S BEST BOWLERS. WE WERE ABLE TO GET THE GROUND DOWN THE ROAD ACTOSS FROM TONY CAL'S AND PATTERSON CHEVROLET. WHEN THE LANES WERE SOLD IN 1970 THEY MOVED THEM TO KUSER ROAD. BEST REGARDS.

Monday, September 19, 2011