1916: THE CHANDLER PALRUBA FIRE, YARDVI.LLE

This was one of the area's very tragic fires.

1875: THIS WAS YARDVILLE, AKA "SAND HILLS"

I dug into the "MAPS" directory in the Hamilton Library Local History Collection and zeroed in on Yardville showing the village as it was 138 years ago. Fascinating!

1923: THE YARDVILLE "3M" BASEBALL TEAM 90 YEARS AGO

This is the first I had heard of an organized baseball club playing in the "Three M" league. Speculation would suggest that the three M's are for Mercer, Monmouth and Middlesex or something similar. Unfortunately, the news clip didn't identify the whole team.

1955: SUNNYBRAE VILLAGE

You think real estate is not a good investment? Check out the prices on these homes in Yardville's Sunnybrae area. This was when newly weds Tom and Judy Glover went house hunting. $12,000 to $13,000 dollar homes were out of the question for us. Back then when one applied for a loan, the banks would not accept a woman's salary as part of the earned income and thus Tom Glover's under $100per week take home salary put homes such as those in Sunnybrae Village off limits. I remember how we fell in love with that brand new home on the corner of Nottingham Way and Paxon Avenue, but alas, it was priced at a price that I could pay cash for today. How tempus has fugited and how prices have risen!

2012: GROPP'S LAKE, LAKESIDE, LAKESIDE PARK, YARDVILLE A HEADS UP

Here's an exciting entry into local Hamilton history. My friend Nancy Johnes Fell has put together a volume based on a journal which was written by her father, Robert Teunon Johnes. Those who are familiar with Charles Teunon, whose articles I have posted and/or referred to over the years, will recall that he was one of the developers of today's Lakeside Park as a "bungalow community" back in the early 20th century. The very interesting reminiscences which Nancy's father wrote in his journal are historic treasures. As seen in the graphic, copies are available from Nancy, and and are also available in the Local History workshop at the Hamilton Library. Call in advance to be sure I am in the office:

609-581-4060 Ext. 4016.

RALPH LUCARELLA said...

HI TOM....LAKESIDE WAS A GODSEND DURING THE 30'S AND 40'S. I LEARNED TO SWIM THERE AND MADE GOOD USE OF THE DIVING PLATFORM ALONG WITH THE REST OF THE BEACH AND THE STORE. OUTSIDE OF THE CANALS, GROPP'S LAKE WAS ABOUT IT WHEN IT CAME TO COOLING OFF AND ENJOYING THE WATER. IT WAS NEARBY THE CITY AND EASY TO GET TOO. BEST REGARDS.

Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Ron Bound said...

Love this picture. When the AF sent me back to NJ, we bought a house on the other side of Gropp's Lake. When I left in 1970, I wanted to keep the house, to come back to and maybe retire in, in 79. When I came back the lake was a swamp, when the damn burst. Sad site to see it as a swamp.
Ron Bound HHS 56

Thursday, June 28, 2012

1885: A DESTRICTIVE FIRE AT YARDVILLE

This would have been in an era where the rural villages of Hamilton Township and other rural Mercer County communities were sadly lacking in fire fighting equipment.

1899: CADWALADER PARK TO YARDVILLE ON THE TROLLEY

I am a hopeless romantic. Indeed, this incredibly interesting and fascinating 113 year old article from the Trenton Evening Times will find fellow romantics hoping that the trip will never end. As the writer describes the scenes along the 3 or 4 mile journey, we romantics can imagine the cows grazing in open fields, apple orchards, the White Horse Tavern and........well, you click on the graphic and draw your own mental images as you ride a 113 year old historic journey to the past!

1902: THE "YARDVILLE ROAD HOUSE" UPDATED

THIS IS AN UPDATED POST RELATING TO THE WIDMANN FAMILY OF YARDVILLE. THANKS TO KATHLEEN HOWARD WIDMANN IVINS FOR THIS HISTORICAL BRANCH FROM HER FAMILY TREE.

Even as Bill's Olde Tavern" in Mercerville was once known as the "Mercerville Road House," so too was Widman's Yardville Hotel identified in the early years of the 20th century as the "Yardville Road House". It was the gathering place for many transients who were going to or from the depot at Sand Town on the Camden and Amboy Railroad. It was also the location of Zwerlein's German oriented hotel and restaurant where many prominent local men gathered for a lively pigeon shoot....yes, with live pigeons. The Kuser boys were avid shooters.

On December 15, 2011, Kathleen Ivins wrote:

Widmann's Yardville Hotel was owned by the parents of John Phillip Widmann who married Mary Hand Widmann. (Note the two "n's" on the end of Widmann.) When John's father died his mother was not allowed by the "city fathers" to run the hotel as she was a "woman" and it would be unseemly. She moved from her hotel into the little voting house next door to the hotel where she raised her children. John enlarged the house after he married Mary. They raised four sons in that house. Their fifth son died at the age of 7 after being hit by a truck. Mary Hand Widmann still lives in that house. Her oldest son, John P. Widmann and his wife, Charlotte live with her. Mary celebrated her 100th birthday on July 22, 2011. Yes, local men gathered there for pigeon shoots. One year Annie Oakley attended a shoot where John Widmann (the first) out shot her.

I am Kathleen Howard (Widmann) Ivins.

Thank you Ms. Ivins. Your input is appreciated and historically valuable.

Tom Glover

1915: THE DAM GIVES OUT AT GROPP'S LAKE

A destructive storm hit the Mercer County area in January 1915. One of the many casualties of the destructive storm was the washout of the dam at Gropp's Lake. Apologies are in order regarding the photos in the top graphic. The photographer was probably snapping photos on a dark and dreary day or perhaps his "F" stop settings were off. Add to that the fact that offset photo reproduction in the early 20th century newspaper was sadly lacking. After Andrew Gropp decided not to repair the dam, Charles Teunon, who had a lot of money invested in Lakeside Park and the lake itself, picked up the gauntlet and assumed the expenses of restoring the dam. "Lakeside," as we called it, also known as Gropp's Lake (which we never called it) is truly an historic natural resource with its spring fed lake. Were I to win the lottery for a few million dollars, I would spend the amount it would cost restore "Lakeside" to its former glory, including laying out a white sandy beach.

michael said...

Hello Tom,

I really enjoy some of these Gropp's Lake area photos. I just have a quick question. Do you know if Lakeside Boulevard and/or Arena Drive were there back when some of these photos were taken, specifically when that Lakeview Hotel photo was taken? I'm just trying to envision what the property around Lakview Hotel might have looked like a years ago. Thank you.

Monday, November 07, 2011

Thanks, Mike:

Old Olden Avenue was the original road to White Horse Avenue. Arena Drive was cut in as part of a WPA project in the 1930's. I am sure Eleanor Guear, George Golday, and other Gropp's Lake area historians will be able to add additional info. Lakeside Blvd. was part of Teunon's original Lakeside Park plans.

1908: THE LAKEVIEW HOTEL

It was billed as a "Temperance Hotel," but due to the temperance leanings of the management, it was bereft of alcoholic beverages. It is also one of the subjects I have searched for over the past 25 years. The Lakeview was located at the corner of Lakeside Boulevard and South Broad Street. My research thus far had led me to speculate that the hotel in the reproduced pamphlet above was once the home of Sylvanus Hutchinson and later, Robert C. Hutchinson both of "Hutchinson Pond" fame. This rare pamphlet has been in my collection for over 40 years. It has been digitzed and the original is being preserved in the "LAKESIDE PARK-GROPP'S LAKE" folder in the Hamilton Library Local History Collection. A very fleeting look at Lakeside Park before the Teunon development.

(REMEMBER TO RIGHT CLICK TO ENLARGE!)

1914: CHARLES TEUNON'S LAKESIDE PARK BUNGALOWS

Here is a fascinating set of graphics from the very early years of the settlement of Lakeside Park. I have been crowned the un-official "Historian" of Hamilton Township. However, in that rather dubious and un-official position, I must admit that my knowledge of local history will never be as complete as I would wish. For example: as familiar as I am with the Lakeside Park area, there are historic Lakeside Park articles and photos which are puzzling to "historians" such as I. The photo of the lake in the above Donaldson photo shows what my un-informed eye tells me is we are looking at the lake from the vantage point of Lowrie's Mill on the "Bordentown" side of the bridge. The bridge can be seen along South Broad Street, and the trolley house next to it. I yield to my more knowledgeable Lakeside Park-Yardville heights visitors to add comments in order to clarify (or disavow) my assumptions.

NOTE FROM TOM: WITH OVER 8,000 POSTS (PAGES), I AM SORRY TO SAY THAT THERE WILL BE DUPLICATE POSTS. BELOW (HIGHLIGHTED IN GREEN) IS ONE OF THOSE DUPLICATES INCLUDING THE ACCOMPANYING COMMENTS. I HAVE RE-POSTED BOTH PHOTOS; THE ORIGINAL, AND THE HORIZONTALLY REVERSED VERSION. LIKE MOST FOLKS, I DO MAKE MISTAKES!

Many Trentonians found Lakeside Park to be the ideal summer getaway back in the early 20th century. These "bungalows" could be had for a price which today seems incredible. I wonder if there are any Lakeside Park visitors to my website who can identify this house.
THIS EMAIL RECEIVED FROM "LAKESIDE GIRL."
Hi Tom - I believe this house is the former home of the Vogt family on the corner of Lakeside Blvd and Dancer Drive (formerly 6th Ave)Lakeside Girl.
THANK YOU, "LAKESIDE GIRL;" YOUR INPUT IS APPRECIATED.

waltsgirl29 has left a new comment on your post
"1914: LAKESIDE PARK: A BUNGALOW COMMUNITY":

This home faces Birch Street and is at the corner where Tettemer crosses it. The house looks the same today. Lakeside will always be "home" for me, so I love the wonderful old photos, thank you. My grandfather built on Tettemer and raised his family there. My father built on Lincoln Ave and raised us there. I raised my girls on Dancer Drive, sold the house to my daughter and in Jan. she will have a son to raise there.

THANKS TO BOTH "LAKESIDE GIRL" AND "WALTSGIRL" FOR ENHANCING THIS POST. YOUR INPUT IS REALLY APPRECIATED. (TOM GLOVER)

Friday, November 04, 2011

Tom - I think we settled this some months ago in your blog - my brother, George Goldy noted that the picture was probably reversed and you then published it in the reverse which make better sense and was correct.