1938: THE UNION TIRE SHOP, 38 UNION STREET CORNER OF NEW STREET

Mr. Tom Tighue is very proficient at  the task of finding these old Trenton tax photos from the Trenton Free Public Library's Trentoniana Collection. The graphic is a splendid example of one of the countless merchants who once inhabited the community known as "Jewtown;" due to the area being settled in a large part by those of Jewish extraction. I have an intense interest in that area of Trenton before before it became the victim of "urban renewal" back in the 1960's. Unfortunately, most of these old tax photos were overwritten with a white marker and many of them obliterated the detail in the photo. Fortunately a bit of time consuming PhotoShop image I have altered this photo to its original status. 

For some reason, one of my regular and very valuable contributors, Mike Kuzma has been posting comments which for some reason have been segregated as Spam. I have an editor section and he was once again listed as spam. I have no idea why, and Google Blogger is not into giving personal attention to problems. Mike, next time you comment, sign in using "ANONYMOUS" and sign your comment if you aren't already doing so. 

FOLLOWING IS MIKE'S VERY INTERESTING AND HISTORICALLY VALUABLE COMMENT:

Tom:
This tire store was run by the Kravitz family. The photo shown was before my ability to get a drivers license. Although there are those who say I was around before Methuselah. When old enough in the late 40's early 50's I spent a lot of time here with Dave, and Mendy Kravitz, and bought many a tire from them. Never new, since that was beyond my pocketbook.
The Kravitz's were neighbors and good businessmen. Fair, honest and trustworthy. As the City's chief Real Estate Officer, I bought them and many other homes and businesses in my "Jewtown" neighborhood. The grandson of the founder; Allen ran the business when they relocated to W.Hanover St. just before Calhoun.
I too have been to the Trenton Library and gleaned some photos from the Trentoniana Collection.
One of which I carried to Jacksonville NC to present to Itcy Popkin who grew up in the block prior to the address on Union St. Itchy a very very prominent businessman today was thrilled abd deeply appreciative of have vestigages of his childhood to share with his grandchildren.
We all appreciate your efforts in this regard.
Keep up the good work.

Thanks again, and best regards

Mike Kuzma

Friday, April 04, 2014

 

1941: SO. BROAD STREET AT GREENWOOD AND CENTRE STREET

This is a beautiful R.C. Maxwell copyrighted photo of the "Green-Mar" area of Trenton, adjacent to Trenton's Sacred Heart Church; the oldest parish in the State of New Jersey which is celebrating its 200th anniversary in this year of 2014. Note the predecessor to Samuel F.B. Light. Note also the Gulf station that is long gone and replaced by a vacant lot.

SOUTH TRENTON EARLY 20TH CENTURY NEWS NOTES

 

 

 

 

 

 

These community notes from the "SOUTH TRENTON" folder will be of interest not only to me, but to a number of visitors who hail from that area of Trenton. Once again, you will be seeing more and more of these community posts as they are uncovered. Realizing that many visitors are not interested, the channel can easily be changed by arrowing down to the next post. South Trenton is one of the more historic areas of Trenton from Mill Hill to the river southward to all those intricate streets that intertwine between So. Broad, Centre Lalor, Lamberton, etc.

1937: ATHLETIC FIELD - SEWAGE TREATMENT PLANT

Not being an expert on South Trenton, this photo puzzles me. As indicated above, the photo is identified as being an athletic field which was in the Marine Terminal - Riverview Cemetery area of Lamberton. The "Bing" map below shows both sites, but your humble webmaster is completely confused. It appears that tombstones from Riverview Cemetery can be seen in the upper left of the photo. Help requested from my numerous Trenton experts.

SJBill said...

Where route 129 leaves the river and approaches "the tracks" and Sturgey, there were two fields. So this was behind the north end of the Marine Terminal and abutting the southern border of Riverview Cemetery. In my time, these were the South Trenton Babe Ruth and 6 - 11 Ward Little League baseball fields. Lamberton Road Extension, was the name of the road. The main attractions along the right of the road included the city dog pound, the sewage treatment plant, and the baseball fields. On the left side of the road was the Trenton Naval Reserve and Marine Corps Training Center, probably built during or immediately after WWII.

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Tom Glover said...

Many thanks for that very informative description, Bill. Much appreciated.

Tom Glover

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Anonymous said...

As SJBill says, those were the South Trenton Babe Ruth fields and Little League. I played ball in the Babe Ruth League and enjoyed batting on the Little League field as a teenager pretending how great I was hitting home runs out of the little league field.

Warren Rue

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

1898: A FLEETING GLIMPSE OF LIFE IN TRENTON'S 4TH WARD

I find a certain fascination in reading the community news from that long gone era when Trenton was on the rise. The South Trenton area is of particular interest. Urban redevelopment which occurred in the mid 20th century changed the South Trenton area forever. It is refreshing to read of the persons, places and things that once were.

From Mike Kuzma:
You hit a nerve with this post. This is where I grew up in the early 1930's to our move to the 1300 block of So. Broad in the 1956. Fair street was renamed "Bloomsbury St." 531 So. Warren St. was the block in which Dr. Drezner who delivered me, and his son the famous surgeon Dr. Malcolm Drezner lived, and grew up, just a few doors from Herb Speigel Famed professor, and former Furniture maven grew up. The mention of the shirt factory on Union St., was the site of Jesse Goss's gym where the world's Champion (when Titles meant somthing) Ike Williams trained. The repaving of Fall St was the block just west of my house where I was born. Mill and Fair Streets, is where Princeton Worsted Mills grew.

Thanks for refreshing my memories.
Mike Kuzma

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

NO MIKE, THANKS TO YOU FOR YOUR INTERESTING REMINISCENCES AND INSIGHTS!

TOM

1886: WHEN TRENTON WAS THE PITTSBURGH OF NEW JERSEY

From the "COOPER HEWITT - TRENTON IRON COMPANY" folder, comes this article that reveals the fact the South Trenton was alive with steel producers back in the 19th century and up to the early 20th. I highlighted area in a darker gray to point to the location of the American Steel and Wire Company as I recall it in the 20th century. Remember that walkway bridge that spanned Hamilton Avenue, giving workers access to the other side of the factory?

1912: HAUNTED HOUSE AT 728 CASS STREET

The street numbers may have been changed. As you can see, the photo of the current structure at 728 Cass Street is different from the news photo. However, there is no doubt that ghosts resided in one of those residences in the 700 block! (colored photo from Google Earth)

1917: PARKER SCHOOL PERFECT ATTENDANCE

From the "SOUTH TRENTON" folder in the Library digital database, this truncated extract from the weekly
South Trenton page of the Trenton Times. If you have relatives in that area, and many visitors do, they probably went to the Mott School on Centre Street ( see the mini-photo) or the Parker School on Union Street. A very close reading of the names of students at Parker reveals many very familiar names. Perhaps you have a relative in the listing, or perhaps in the other articles on the page. I note the name of Samuel Lenox and wonder if it is the locally prominent judge or a relative.

Michael said...

Tom: Boy did bells go off, and the lights go on with this item. Previously I have noted that I was one of the first students to walk into the "New Parker School" in 1939, and also noted that I grew up in "Jew Town"; the heart and soul of South Trenton. This being the case, I read over the "Parker School list", and recognized names of neighbors, friends, and relatives. To wit: "special class: Alex Elias, his family were Syrian immigrants who ran a dry goods store at Bridge, and South Warren Streets. His brother George (3rd grade) was our Insurance man who came by every week to pick up the quarters for the Life insurance policies. A wonderful family. 6th grade: Rachel Meltzer was a neighbor on South Warren St. across from the Trent House. 5th grade: Anna Manze was my Uncle Jimmy's sister, as was his brother Tony Manze from the 2nd grade. Anna Married a Trenton Cop by the name of Butcher. Tony was my sister's godfather. 4th grade: Rose Sokalner, was the sister of the brother's who owned the firm my Dad worked for. Her brother Milton (3rd) grade or Mutkie as we called him, was my mentor in my business life. The Sokalner's were like family to us. When my dad took ill, they kept him on the payroll and paid his hospital bills up until he died. They looked after us throughout our lives. Really and extenstion of our family. Wonderful people. I was originally named after thier brother Arthur. Johnny Fue's family ran a small grocery store on Ferry St., and he later became Trenton's Civil Defense Director. Mary Krupienski though not related by blood, was always considered to be "Aunt Mary" She was a hostess at the Stacy Trent hotel for years. 1st gradel Harry Berbon He ran a neighborhood saloon, just down the street from Parker School, at the corner of Steamboat St. Harry Berkowitz, who coined the phrase" Valley of the Israulites" for our neighborhood. He too ran a saloon on South Warren St. a block south of the Trent House. His Brother Ben was the Famous Ben of "Ben's Deli" at Market and Lamberton Streets. Lastly: In another article alongside the one in question, the name Tallman Nutt appears. Mr. Nutt ran one of the classiest butcher shops at the corner of Centre and Ferry Streets, just over the railroad tracks from Sacred Heart Church. What fun to go over my memories from the greatest neighborhood of all. Thanks so much for the opportunity to keep the gray matter working. Best wishes always, Mike Kuzma Fun for you and fun for us, Mike. You brought your old neighborhood back to life. When one reads about the folks you related to above, a stark contrast presents itself when we look at that neighborhood today. Thanks for sharing your memories of your life in South Trenton. Stay tuned; more are on the way, and I hope you continue to lend more of your local flavor. Tom Glover

1927: JOE'S TIRE SHOP ON THE "OLD" SOUTH WARREN STREET

Today it's known as the "New South Warren Street." A few decades ago, Trenton's historic South Warren Street was eliminated to make room for the many re-development projects in South Trenton. A check of a "BING" map will show that the intersection of what was South Warren and Factory Street is now where the Trenton Freeway approaches the bridge over the Delaware. When I was a young man, South Warren Street was alive with businesses; in my case the location of Tilden Brakes, and the Penn-Jersey auto supply store where I was a regular customer during my "jalopy" years as a teenager.

(Tilden Brakes? There's a name out of the past for all you over 70 visitors! And by the way, you're an old timer if you remember "Lee of Conshohocken!")

Mike Kuzma said...

Tom: You have now ventured into the extremities of my old neighborhood. In addition to the intersection merging Factory, and South Warren Streets, it was also the beginning of Lamberton Street, an Assumpink St. ran west for a few blocks towards River Road past Bloomsbury St. Sharpless Ice cream was on that corner the other corners included gas stations, which on one was situated "Happy's Diner" and old dining car much like the famous "Ted Forker's" Dining car on Perry St. Joe's Tire's was just beyond the diner. To the north of the Assumpink, was "Earls Bicycle Shop" they ultimately were relocated to No. Warren St. Next to Murphy Funeral Home next to St. Mary's Cathedral. Futher south on Warren below Joe's, was the Public Service Co. Yard that took up most of the block and ran back to Bloomsbury St. where behind it was Industrial Engineering, Trenton Dressed Beef. Further down the 400 block of Warren was Curtis Bowling Alleys, an than the Trenton Lace works, on the corner of Mill street, so named for the Princeton Worsted Mills on Bloomsbury St. Tilden Brakes featured Thermoid Brake linings whose motto on their Factory along the Railroad Main line on Whitehead Road was "Rely on your brakes, instead of your horn" The best to you always Mike Kuzma

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Thanks Mike! once again your historic insight and memory of Trenton's golden years lend a nice informative addition to the history of our area.

Tom Glover

Circa 1910: FABULOUSLY INTERESTING SOUTH TRENTON STORIES

If there is one area of Trenton which holds a special interest to me, it would be the Mill Hill area, and the area we know of today as that area bounded by the Delaware River, Riverview Cemetery, Centre Street and back to Bridge Street. There is such magnificent and little known history surrounding that area. From the canal barges that once plied the D&R Canal, the riverboats, and most of all the exciting old time residents as described in the article above.

CIRCA 1901: FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH - CENTRE STREET

This interesting mini history of the legendary First Baptist Church in the Mill Hill section of South Trenton is from an un-dated page from an old scrapbook in my collection. based upon the condition of the original, I presume it was from around the very early part of the 20th century.,

MILL HILL IN EARLIER YEARS.

Mill Hill is one of the more fascinating neighborhoods in Trenton. The area has a magnificent history. I have been delving deeply into my newspapers looking for historic material on the area. The narrow streets and the intimacy of the buildings lend a somehow "old town" essence to the area. As time permits, I will check a few of my "Fitzgerald" Trenton City Directories to see if I can approximate the dates of the commercial buildings in the photo.

1801: MARCH AND APRIL BARNT DEKLYN SELLING FARM

These old timers speak for themselves. Note the availability of a Negro slave who recovered from Small Pox. Note also the old British letter "s" which looks like an "f."

1893: FIRE AT TRENTON'S UNION STREET SCHOOL

At some point, I hope to retrieve the news account of the fire at Trenton's old Union Street School back in 1893. Apparently, the Principal and the teacher led the students out of the building in a very orderly way, and the certificate above recognizes their heroic efforts. For those who are not familiar with Union Street, it, along with Cooper Street ran off of Market Street between Lamberton and South Broad Streets in South Trenton.

1917: SOUTH TRENTON PERSONS , PLACES, AND THINGS

These little glimpses into the various neighborhoods in our area are always filled with interesting news items which give just the essence of what life was like in years gone by. America was in the throes of World War I when these articles were published.

1931: SOUTH TRENTON, HORSE RADISH, AND TOBACCO

I have always had an interest in the South Trenton area, along the Delaware, and the years when Lamberton and Bloomsbury were thriving communities. Mr. McIntire was one of the members of that community, and his story of Cochran's Island, horse radish and tobacco culture are completely fascinating.

1889: WESLEY METHODIST CHURCH - CENTRE STREET, TRENTON

I have always been a devotee of small, cozy, intimate church buildings. This historic Church on Centre Street next to the Old Mott School is an absolutely fascinating building. I posted the above photo in August, 2009. Since then, I have received additional information on the church which is still listed as an active United Methodist church in the same location. I have deleted the original post and have appended the additional historic information as in the above graphic wherein I added the mini history of Henry Ludecke, Jr.

2009: REMEMBERING THE CENTRE THEATER

I took this photo this morning on my way to bring communion to the folks at South Village on Lalor Street and Stokeley Avenue. I have saved the original in 10 megapixel size which results in a HUGE image. The original is so large it reveals minuscule parts of the photo which are not
visible in lower resolution. However, it is far too large to post and I saved its "little brother" which still has beautiful resolution (thank you, Kodak!) I would bet that there is at least one or two visitors to this website who have fond memories of their visits to the Centre theater. The Centre was the twin of the Gaiety. I have never been able to figure out whether they were under the same management or not. However, their ads in the newspapers were always consolidated as one.

THIS RECEIVED FROM FELLOW HAMILTON HIGH "HORNET" DON NUGENT, A NATIVE OF SOUTH TRENTON WHO ATTENDED WESLEY CHURCH AND ALSO RECALLS THE HAPPY TIMES SPENT AT THE CENTRE THEATRE. MANY THANKS, DON!

DON NUGENT WRITES:
I remember many a Saturday matinee at the Centre Theatre. I lived in South Trenton until I was 12 years old. Mom would give me a quarter and admission was 15 cents, a bag of popcorn 10 cents. There would be a double feature, a cartoon, and newsreel. There were also, as I remember, "dish nights" at various times, where they would give away dishes to the ladies who came.

I lived on Third St., went to Mott School, and Wesley Methodist next door for Sunday School. I have many fond memories of those places.

Don Nugent HHS class of '60
GO HORNETS!!!

1926: Joe's Tire Shop - South Trenton

Perhaps it is a nostalgic thing. I remember when South Warren Street wended its way further south along the riverfront when I was a teenager. Some of my contemporaries will remember Tilden Brakes, Penn Jersey, and other automobile related concerns conducted their business on that very busy thorofare back in Trenton's earlier years. Today, South Warren Street below West State Street makes a curve and merges into South Broad Street. Office complexes now stand where the former street was located. The graphic is a combination of the original ad for Joe Pettingell's Tire company and I inserted an early Trenton map segment which pinpoints the site of his company.

1928: OBIT OF JOHN HERBERT, EARLY LAMBERTON RESIDENT

Men like John Herbert, a pioneer South Trenton African-American citizen, was descended from a black family whose roots go back to the years when the Lamberton-Bloomsbury-South Trenton area was the home of numerous Delaware River boatmen. It is interesting to note Mr. Herbert's educational background as he attended both Roman Catholic and Lutheran parochial schools in the boyhood.