2014: IT'S THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN FOR HILTONIA HOUSE TOURS!

 

 

 

This fascinating and historic neighborhood is once again inviting the public to the annual Hiltonia House Tours where vestiges of the Trenton that was, and still can be will be presented to those area residents who love the flavor of a vital and historic community which managed to escape the proliferation of neighborhood deterioration. Residents of Hiltonia, like beautiful Mill Hill, exhibit pride in their neighborhoods.

1938: FROM THE "NEIGHBORHOODS" FOLDER

I would have been right at home were I to be in one of those "Our Gang" ("Little Rascals") 1930's movies with Spanky MacFarland and his depression era playmates. With my tattered poor boy clothing and my beloved dog "Sniffy," I am posing on the dirt sidewalk of our home at 119 Hartley Avenue in Hamilton. In the very background of the photo is 131 Hartley Avenue, where we moved in 1940. Hartley Avenue intersects with Newkirk Avenie at Kuser Farm Park. Today, there is a paved sidewalk completely around the block and Hartley and Newkirk Avenues are no longer gravel streets, but paved with modern asphalt.

RAlph LUCARELLA said...

HI TOM.....AS A KID MY FAVORITE SHOW WAS MICKEY MAGUIRE, WITH MICKEY ROONEY. THEY WERE ALWAYS PLAYING STINKY DAVIS AND THE RICH KIDS AND ALWAYS WON. MICKEY ROONEY, BY THE WAY, IS STILL WITH US AND STLL ACTIVE. I RAN INTO HIM IN FORT LAUDERDALE SOME TIME AGO AT THE GULFSTREAM RACE TRACK. AT THAT TIME I ALSO WAS LIVING NEAR JOHNNY WEISMUELLER, REMEBER HIM? MICKEY ROONEY IS ABOUT MY AGE AND WAS MARRIED TO SOME BEAUTIFUL GIRLS. BEST REGARDS AS ALWAYS.

Monday, October 15, 2012 

I spent many hours watching those old OUR GANG movies. They are classics. I remember Micky Rooney, and Johnny "Tarzan" Weismueller.

TOM

1922: HAMILTON-NORWAY AVENUE AREA DEVELOPS

I am always on the lookout for articles, real estate ads and photos relating to neighborhood development. The "NEIGHBORHOOD DEVELOPMENT" folder has early information on areas from Cadwalader Heights, Hiltonia, Millham, Deutzville, Broad Street Park, and numerous other historic graphics. Above is a graphic which is "close to home," as it is the Kuser School area where I grew up and of course, of special personal interest. The black and white article is an extract I borrowed from one of my old "MERCER MESSENGER" columns.

1917: MARGARET ELIZABETH BOUND

From the "NEIGHBORHOODS" folder, and in keeping with my goal to present "Local History With A Personal Touch," herewith a photo of Margaret Bound. The Bounds were Hartley Avenue neighbors back in the 1930's. George Bound is a frequent visitor to this blog.

1905 (Ca. 1905) FRANKLIN PARK AREA

This is an un-dated plat map showing the layout of what would become the neighborhood of Franklin Park. I have given it an arbitrary circa 1905 date, but I believe it was developed earlier. I will continue my search for more definitive info as to the date the development was established.

1903: NEW WILBUR; NEXT TO HOMEDELL

Journalists and real estate agents had a tough time distinguishing the line from the borough of Wilbur in the city of Trenton, and eastward to Hamilton Township. This little glitch can be seen by the real estate transactions in the graphic above. The article is from 1903 and the map has been lifted from my 1905 atlas. For some strange reason, Bromley, "New Wilbur" and "Oldenhurst" always seemed to be included in the Wilbur section of Trenton. The aforementioned neighborhoods were the beginning of the easterly development of "suburbia."

1888: Development of Homedell, Deutzville,Chambersburg etc.

Here's a fascinating graphic from the "NEIGHBORHOODS" folder. The "Jefferson Street" referred to in the Homedell segment is today's Liberty Street. Over the years, the Homedell section has been incorrectly listed as "Holmdale," and "Holmdell". Cedar Street is today's Cedar Lane.

1928: Darramoor Oaklyn Terrace Wayside Lane Lawrenceville NJ

1920: ARDMORE-GREENWOOD AVENUE AREA

Is there anyone who wouldn't like to have seen the area above efore it was developed? One of the fascinating facets of my search through the pages of the Trenton newspapers is the development of real estate "way back when." From the Hamilton Library Local History folder "NEIGHBORHOOD DEVELOPMENT," comes this ad from James Birks and J. Connor French's Greenwood Realty Company. Even today as one passes down those streets, the beautiful homes still stand. Looking at the map, you will see a large open area along So. Olden Avenuein the Farragut Avenue area. That is the location of the circus and carnivals in the early 20th century. Today's "Junior 2" covers much, but not all of the location.

1914: The Atterbury Tract - Trenton Western Section

From the "NEIGHBORHOODS - NEIGHBORHOOD DEVELOPMENT" digital folder, this graphic illustrates the genesis of another of those beautiful communities in the secluded and sometimes dangerous riverfront area. The map shows the location of what was known as the
"Atterbury Tract."

Jay said...

From a distance, these homes still look very much the same. The roof lines are very much identifiable when you are driving down Route 29.

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Tom Glover said...

MANY THANKS FOR YOUR INPUT, JAY. TOM GLOVER

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

1903: NEW WILBUR AKA HOMEDELL

Their proximity to Villa Park and its proximity to the Borough of Wilbur resulted in the officers of the New Wilbur Land Association to name their new development "New Wilbur." Symmes B. Hutchinson also owned a large are in the Liberty-Hutchinson-E. Franklin Street area, and before long there was a new community in Hamilton Township. (Search for other graphics on this website using the key words: Hutchinson School, Friendship School, Homedell School.)

1897: NEIGHBORHOODS: CADWALADER PLACE

A number of years ago, I was one of the tour guides for the Trenton Contemporary Club's annual "Four Views of Trenton." One of the tour stops was a visit to a home in Cadwalader Place. That visit left a lasting impression on me as I realized that Trenton has managed to retain some of the most beautiful neighborhoods. The residents have managed to maintain their classic beauty and bucolic settings. Cadwalader Place, along with the Berkeley-Carteret, Glen Afton, and Hiltonia neighborhoods, allows one to savor the essence of life as it was lived in the Trenton of yesteryear before the mid 20th century urban blight and urban flight occurred.

1909: NEIGHBORHOODS: LALOR PARK TRACT

Still another digital file from the "NEIGHBORHOODS -NEIGHBORHOOD DEVELOPMENT" folder.

1909: NEIGHBORHOODS: BROMLEY PLACE

From the "NEIGHBORHOODS - NEIGHBORHOOD DEVELOPMENT" digital folder, this real estate ad from Mr. Charles G. Teunon, a prominent developer who was responsible for the Glen Afton development and also Lakeside Park.

1880: NEIGHBORHOODS: DE COU'S BUILDING LOTS

My "NEIGHBORHOOD DEVELOPMENT" folder has many interesting real estate ads for various areas in Mercer County. Above is a Hamilton Township ad for De Cou's Building Lots, which I presume is somewhere within the Google earth map adjacent to the ad. The ad states the location as being in the Clinton, Broad and Chambers Street area.

1926: TRENTON'S GLEN AFTON

Mr. Teunon was a very active real estate developer during the early 20th century. His developments include Glen Afton as seen above, and earlier the development of Hamilton Township's Lakeside Park in 1912-13.

1886: WHEN EAST TRENTON WAS KNOWN AS MILLHAM

Millham, or as we know it today, East Trenton, has a very interesting history. The real estate ad above is for the area that evolved into a predominently Polish neighborhood. However, the area around Mulberry Street, St. Joes, Bruenig, and enviorns were peopled by immigrants from Great Britain who came from their home country to work the many potteries in Trenton. The row homes constructed were built to emulate the construction of their English row homes.

1938:BEAUTIFUL GARDENS ON SPRING STREET AND CHURCH STREET

1921: Cooper Street in the early eears

Today's Cooper Street is a mere shadow of its former self. The Government buildings along Market Street and other high rises make it difficult to visualize the area of Cooper and Union Streets, both of which terminated on the southern part of Market Street. Check out the prices for those row homes! This real estate graphic has been added to the digital "Neighborhoods" folder in the Local History Collection.

1907: OLDENHURST - LIBERTY AND OLDEN AREA

HERE'S ANOTHER "NEIGHBORHOODS" ITEM FROM THE LOCAL HISTORY FOLDER. OLDENHURST WAS IN THE AREA OF LIBERTY STREET AND SOUTH OLDEN AVENUE, WITHOUT KNOWING THE ACTUAL BOUNDARIES, MY GUESS IS IT INCLUDED THE BEAL STREET, PARTRIDGE AVENUE AREA.