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Tom:
The camera man is in fact standing on the Deleware Toll Bridge property ramp right in front of Bridge Guard Chief St. John;s house. the slope to the right of the photo is taking you down Bloomsbury St.(formerly known as Fair St.) where a few of my siblings were born albeit to the left of the photo.
The Big building on the left is "Sam's Long Bar, the Billboard on the left is on the Sisti Property. The "Premium Station in the background is on the Corner of So. Warren, and was owned by Ed Budny. Behind the station in the big building was Zier Brother repair. Shop this was at the corner of Decature St. and is where Union St. meets Brige st as they go under the railroad trestle and up the hill where Ferry St. and Bridge St. X and go on to terminate at Broad St.
Having grown up here on these streets, and walking under that brige to go to first Skelton School, and than to Parker School, I knew each brick in the pavements.
This was a great neighborhood.
Regards
Mike Kuzma -
ps Tom:
You mentioned Trenton Glassery in this photo. Just the other day, I posted notes about Lew Rosen the dentist and his dad's store near the corner of So. Broad, and Roebling, I too mention Trenton Glassery. The owners Leon Rosenberg, married Phylis Goldberg who ran the So. Broad St. store.
Ironically, in this photo, the men standing on the sidewalk (left corner) are in front of the store/apartment where Phlyls grew up, and her dad Nate Goldberg ran the store. The lunch room was Johnny Brennan's where my godfather's brother was the cook.
The barber shop was John "the pig skinner" Targalia's shop. Above it, a very talented baseball player Mickey Kusnerik grew up.
The saloon on the corner of Warren across from the Premium station was owned and operated by Mike Robinson, father to Prominent attorney Leon Robinson, and Dr.Robinson.
Question to you Tom; I am not quite sure I understand the first line about Warren st, merging with So. Broad.
South Warren St. Terminated at John Fitch way, at the old Trenton Farmer's market, where the old Trenton Docks were and still are I think.
Parker School yard, faced the 800 and last block of So. Warren St.
I managed Kerney Homes which was built on the vacant land across from the original Farmers Market.
As Warren St. blended into John Fitch way, which ultimately blended with Lamberton St. and terminated at Duck Island.
As I remember, So. Broad, and Warren street paralelled from the Battle Monument down through south Trenton, where Warren St. ended at John Fitch Way.
Hope this helps.
BTW, I'm sure you recognize the Steeple on the church on Center and Bridge in the distance. You mentioned it in the recent past.
Regards
Mike Kuzma -
Mike Kuzma,
During the years of Prohibition, "Sam's Long Bar" was a tire and auto parts business operated by my dad's step-dad, Arthur J. Fowler. During the 1920s, my dad lived with his mom, step-dad and siblings above the business at 108 Bridge Street until he was married in 1932. Arthur Fowler sold the property in July 1934 having been granted a beer license for the property in April 1933 by the City. On the morning of September 10, 1953 a man walked into the bar and shot a woman in the head using a sawed off shotgun. She had spurned his advances over a period of time and had sent her a letter specifying she had until that date to change her mind or else. -
To my young eyes, a few things stand out. Like the "gas war" at 12.9 cents a gallon with high test only on both sides of the street.
The US Route 1 sign on that corner and would that mean that Simpson Chevrolet was open for business on the Morrisville side yet?
The Bridge Diner sign seems to verify that it was indeed taken at the bridge. I once heard an old saw that Trenton had a tavern on every corner if you added up the number of licensed establishments. With Tom's photos, there may have been an equal number of diners? And of course, in almost any picture of Trenton, there, looming in the background are the "high tension" towers of the Pennsylvania Rail Road. I suppose this is where the Jewish and Irish "ghettos" met. Was there a PSE&G gas yard near that area? Our "original" family home was on South Warren and as a supervisor, it was said the home was owned by Public Service. I would hear the "oldsters" speak of things like "The Water Power and still have no clue as to what or where it was. -
This picture is amazing, My mom worked at the rubber mill (vulco) in morrisville pa from 1936 to 1946, she lived on 2nd street and walked to work in morrisville everyday, when she was on the night shift she walked home after mid-night for years, can't do that today.
Just seeing that corner and knowing she rounded it so many times and how it looked in 1938 is amazing and gas at 12 cents a gallon.
Great photos and thanks for posting them. -
I thought what Tom was referring to was that "new" jog or dog leg after Warren was adjusted and followed the creek where it ran into South Broad.
What really got me today was looking on the "Google Maps" and seeing the whole section of Warren Street from North at the Cathedral to South by the "Huge" Justice Complex in print as "The Lincoln Highway". I realize that The Lincoln Highway, project of fame in the march west, may have been in some respects technically correct but I can never recall seeing that on a sign post or even by way of casual reference as "The Lincoln Highway". I'll gladly stand corrected of course but that seems as if someone has taken some "poetic" license and I have seen some of the sections by Edison or Highland Park called that since the Route 27 was "The Lincoln Highway". Did it merge names where 27 and 206 meet up in Princeton perhaps?
Ed Millerick -
In resopnse from an old "South Trenton Rivere Rat"
Public Service gas did have a yard on South Warren St. It was in he 400 block just above Mill St. going towards State St. "Uptown".
It was above "Curtis Bowling Alleys" later relocated to Scotch Rd. The "yard had all the pipe and equipment necessary for underground repair. My buddy Don Carter Grew up across the St., and went to work for PS&G in that yard. Worked there for 40 years, and passed on last year.
Directly behind the "yard" was "Trenton Dressed Beef" the newest and most modern Slaughter house in the area.
As far as the statement abut the "Jewish & Irish" Ghetto's meeting at some point.
The RR bridge over Bridge and Union St. was the dividing point of the Jewish & ITALIAN neighborhoods. A little known fact that there was in Trenton a 3rd Italian neighborhood, which consisted of Asbury St, Daymond St. Bridge St., parts of Ferry, Lamberton, and Steamboat Sts.
We had our share of Italian grocers like Johnny Fues, Tartaglia's Melchiondo's and one other whose name escapes me, but thier daughter's leg live on in my memory.
The Irish/German Neighborhood nearest to "Jewtown" was what is now Mill Hill, Mercer, Jackson, and Clay Sts.
Hope that helps.
Question to Joe Lind. Did any relatives live on Bridge St. backing up to the Railroad? Tommy Lind was a pal of mine back in the day. He live across from what I identified as "Zier Brother's" repair shop.
As for the "Linclon Highway" that was built as a "Federal Highway" running from Maine south to Florida" Having lived on Warren St. it was never a question that Rt.1 was and still is the Lincoln Highway. Just as Broad St. was State Rt. 206. In both cases there were signs designating them as such.
Nearing 79, these memeories are so great to recall.
Thanks Tom, and all.
Mike Kuzma -
I am always confused. That station on the right is "Amoco", for American Oil Company of course. I thought in the late 1960's they became American "white gas", which meant "no lead" but it still had a high octane rating so despite the lack of lead you could run your high performance engine on it. In my case, it was a 210 horsepower Corvair Turbo Spyder that was "hot rodded" by the Simpson Chevy folks of my earlier post. That car would only run on American White or Sunoco 260 without dreaded engine knock.
Ed Millerick
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Friday, July 20, 2012
1938: BRIDGE STREET AT SO. WARREN
1954: HAMILTON BOWLING LANES

THANK YOU VERY MUCH TOM...THE HAMILTON BOWLING LANES WAS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF WHAT YOU CAN ACCOMPLISH IN THIS COUNTRY WITH THE HELP AND ENCOURAGEMENT OF MANY PEOPLE. MY BROTHER LOU AND I WERE WORKING AT THE POST OFFICE AS LETTER CARRIERS WHEN WE GOT THE OPPORTUNITY TO OPERATE THE OLDEN BOWLING ALLEYS IN THE OLDEN THEATRE BUILDING IN 1952. WE FELT THE NEED OF MORE BOWLING FACILITES IN HAMILTON TOWNSHIP AND WITH THE HELP OF MEL BLATT, ALBERT ENOURATO AND MANY OTHERS WE LOOKED INTO FINDING A LOCATION. WE DECIDED ROUTE 33 WAS THE PROPER SITE AND WITH LOU'S MONEY FROM A MORTGAGE WE BOUGHT THE PROPERTY ACROSS FROM TONY CAL'S AND PATTERSON CHEVROLET IN 1954. WE RAN THE BUSINESS UNTIL 1970 AND LOU SOLD IT AND JOINED ME IN FLORIDA. THE LANES WERE MOVED TO KUSER ROAD IN ORDER TO QUALIFY FOR A LIQUOR LICENSE. WITH EVERY ONES HELP WE SHOWED WHAT CAN BE DONE IN TH U.S.A. THANKS AGAIN TOM AND I'M GLAD TO BE ABLE TO HELP WITH YOUR EFFORTS.
TOM, I WOULD LIKE TO ADD ANOTHER GOOD EXAMPLE WITHIN THE LUCARELLA FAMILY INVOLVING MY YOUNGER BROTHER DR. "CHUCK. AS A MEMBER OF THE 1948 SCHROTHS HE LED THE TEAM TO THE AMERICAN LEGION WORLD SERIES. AFTER A BAD ACCIDENT HE COULD'NT PLAY ANY LONGER AND DECIDED TO PRATICE MEDICINE. OVEFCOMING MANY PROBLEMS HE GRADUATED FROM THE JEFFERSON MEDICAL COLLLEGE IN 1955 AND SPECIALIZED IN HEARTHS. HE MANAGED TO OPEN AN OFFICE IN CHAMBERSBURG AND IN 1988 PASSED AWAY FROM CANCER. ALL MY SUCCESS CAN'T COMPARE WITH WHAT HE ACCOMPISHED. MAY GOD BLESS HIM MAY HE REST IN PEACE.
Tom, I just reread the Newspaper article and saw Ralph was an owner. Thanks, Ralph, for opening that bowling alley. Have many fond memories of my times there, even tho I left there in 19 for my time in the service. Each time I made it back to town, I headed to the lanes to see if any old friends were there. Ron
Thursday, July 19, 2012
REMEMBERING LELAND "LEON: BUKER'S TRENTON TRANSIT

Tom,
My brother and I spent many a hour playing against the brick wall waiting for my dad to get his assignment. Saw many Trailways, Greyhounds, Royal Blue Coach, and Public Service buses running in and out of the terminal and of course your favorite bus. "LIBERTY ST." Thanks for the posting.
Tom Buker
What always amazed me (as a kid), was how they managed to squeeze the bus from the rear lot and between those brick buildings out onto Front Street, as the buses got larger and larger, like the Greyhound and Trailways I think it was a combination of luck and/or skill.
In the early 1950's we still didn't have a car and used my Uncle Tom's Airstream Trailer down at Holgate at the tip of Long Beach Island. Our trip for a week at the shore involved a few bus rides and took almost the entire day. We would take Trenton Transit (S-Colonial), to the Cathedral and then over to "The Terminal" where we would get a bus to Philadelphia. Often it was a hot ride with no AC but there was one refreshment/potty stop by Route 72 in Lebanon. Then it was on to the end of the line at Beach Haven leaving about 5 miles to go to Holgate and with no bus or cab service you were left with an outstretched thumb. Back in the 50's, the stretch between Holgate and Beach Haven was essentially deserted; just dunes and grass till you got to Lindhal's Trailer Park (that still survives today). Holgate had the Coast Guard tower for coastal defense against Kraut subs and such from WWII. During the big storm of (62?) the owners perished when they left the safety of the tower, but essentially is was not much of a "resort" with a single bar, one hot dog stand and a small sit down small burger place and of course the obligatory boat repair shop. Aside from that, just a few dozen trailers and a one street of houses. To go fishing for snappers off the Beach Haven dock, well Dad was quite resourceful and we rode into town on the milk truck, bottles clanking (standing room only), and returned on the "summer school bus" in the afternoon. Tom, seeing that old photo sparked the memory. Then there were the fires, at times you could barely see the road. Hard to imagine but it took all of the day to make that "journey" back then. When LBI was so quiet and heaven to a city kid. The only "entertainment" aside from snapper blues and splashing were the cheap comics, old ones and for 10 cents you got a pack of 12 with the covers torn off. Thanks ...
Ed Millerick
VERY INTERESTING RETROSPECTIVE, TOM AND ED. .ALL THESE COMMENTS ENHANCE THE GRAPHIC VERY NICELY.
TOM GLOVER
1949: 800 BLOCK OF SOUTH BROAD STREET AT ROEBLING AVENUE

Above is a "Google Street View" showing the intersection of South Broad Street at Roebling Avenue as it looks today. The buildings in the R.C. Maxwell photo below is another another exquisite view of that area of Chambersburg as it looked during the "golden years." The photo has been carefully tweaked to bring out more detail of the distant landscape.
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
2012: FINALLY! A PHOTO OF TRENTON'S "COUNT FELIX"


Many many thanks to regular visitor Dennis Rue for sending these two graphics. The photo of Dennis' mom with the count is the best one I have seen thus far. Most have been washed out photos. Also of interest is the photo of Dennis' mom at the Club Veldof (Remember that old timer?) and also long gone radio station WTNJ. Our choir recorded "You'll Never Walk Alone" at the WTNJ studios that were on Bellevue Avenue. (Please correct me if I'm in error on TNJ's location.)Tom:
The old gray matter in your head is correctorooney.
WTNJ was in a big house on the north side of Bellevue a door or two away from the corner of Prospect St. It was as I remember next to Poulson Van Hise Funeral Home ( the original)and the same block as Mercer Hospital.
Seeing my old Sacred Heart buddy Jack Walsh reminds me of the terrible rug he wore. This photo is apparently when his heirisute appendage was original. Jack died last year, and was quite a character around in the 50-60's. We would go out to Mercer Airport and watch him in feats of strength pull and airplane with one finger. Drive a car over his stomach etc. A great friendly Irishman.
PS: WTNJ moved to East State St. in the block of Lee Overalls, between So.Clinton, and Wall St.
Regards
Mike Kuzma
Anonymous said...I don't recall that station at all; when did they fall from favor?
Oh! For a picture of The Count, dressed in a tux with a WWII gas mask with a hole for the cigar while he played some Chopin classical number on the organ. Or his wood block puzzles he would do with his back to the bar and a towel around his head ... "Where did you learn that stuff? ... and Count deadpanned ... "Jail". Another time he caught me off guard with his "telephone" and after a few rings "It's for you Eddie" .. as I wondered who could possibly call me at .... the geyser of water got me in the puss. They say that Ernie Kovacs learned his early routines from him and what a treasure we had; slapstick for sure and Count ... you are missed and there will never be another like you.
Ed Millerick aka "Your Apostle"
Thursday, July 19, 2012

Anonymous said...Trying to get The Count? My buddy and I thought and thought of how to get a rise out of him. He always had the perfect comeback in the "thrust and parry" of the humor and try as you would it was always "checkmate" with Felix on top. So we thought some more and after the military ... well our hair was quite long. My bud's Mom made us some "togas" and without saying a word, we took our usual spot in the corner. Needless to say The Count never batted an eye; absolutely nary a reaction till an "old time" local walked in and looked at the two long haired "sheeted" types, silent at the end of the bar. He finally asked Felix ... "what's with those guys? ... and he just deadpanned "I, am Jesus Christ and those are my Apostles, what of it? .... this went on for a week or two and I think he got some mileage out of it. One day he said if he ever wrote a book, this was worthy of a few paragraphs.
Ed Millerick
RECEIVED VIA EMAIL AUGUST 1:
Thanks, Sam, and welcome to the website. Your personal "Count Felix" experience is quite amusing and interesting.
Tom Glover
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
1950's: 1880 SOUTH BROAD STREET: LEVIE'S RELIABLE FOOD MARKET

1950'S: WHITE CITY ROLLER RINK
Jim Colello, my friend and fellow historian from Broad Street Park will be quite familiar with this relatively rare photo of the old White City Rink on Genesee Street in Hamilton. Jim, these recently discovered photos I have found also belong on your wonderful Broad Street Park historical site. Just rignth click the image and post it on your website. To my many visitors, Jim is and has been maintaining an excellent website at http://www.bsp086.blogspot.com.You will find many interesting posts which relate to the Broad Street Park area. Jim is very selective in his choice of quality graphics. If you haven't been to Jim's site, click on the link above.
Monday, July 16, 2012
1937: SOUTH BROAD STREET AT WHITE HORSE
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Hi Tom, The car parked at the curb, in front of the telephone pole, has quite an interesting story. It is a 1937 Graham. In 1936 and 1937, Graham was short of cash, (actually, they were in constant financial straits, during most of the depression), and they didn't have a plan for an improved car that would keep up with the competition. They made a deal with Reo, to purchase their bodies, and put them with the very good Supercharged Graham six cylinder engine, thereby creating the car you see in the photo. A rare car in it's day. I might add, that not every Graham had a supercharged engine, but it appears that there are Supercharged script emblems on the side of the hood of this car. The following year, the Spirit of Motion, (shark nose) style was introduced, and it bombed in the marketplace. Too radical! In 1940, Graham used a highly modified Cord 810 body, and called it the Hollywood, but so much hand work was involved in getting them into production, they, too, failed. By 1941, it was over for the Graham automobile. Although, the first 1947 Frazer automobiles, carried the Graham name on their trunk lid. But, that's another story for another time. I might mention, that the Graham dealership was at 1560 Chambers St. somewhere near the location of Pete's Steakhouse. rayfromvillapark
- Tuesday, July 17, 2012
Tom
1937: 75 YEARS AGO IN DOWNTOWN TRENTON
Saturday, July 14, 2012
1917: HARRY BREIMEYER'S WWI HOME GUARD BADGE
1951: N.J. TIURNPIKE OPENS BETWEEN BORDENTOWN AND NEWAKR
It was big news those 62 years ago when the highly publicized New Jersey Turnpike opened to the public. The new super highway would be a real advantage to commuters from the Central New Jersey area who were using state highways to get to northern New Jersey. The photo accompanying this article is from the Hamilton Library Local History files. It was posted on the Yardville-Allentown Road.
Thursday, July 12, 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. Wednesday, July 11, 2012
1936: NORTH BROAD STREET AT STATE
I can't get enough of these wonderful R.C. Maxwell photos of State and Broad Street. I was 3 years old when this photo was taken. Vintage beauty! (Not me, the photo!)- RALPH LUCARELLA said...
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HI TOM...I WAS 16 YEARS OLD WHEN THIS PHOTO WAS TAKEN AND IT WAS A VERY GOOD YEAR. I WAS PLAYING WITH THE SCHROTHS AND DOING FINE AT TRENTON HIGH. MY EARLY AMBITION WAS TO BE AMONG THOSE SELECTED ON A TEAM THAT EVERY KID IN THE CITY CHERISHED. THE WHOLE THING TURNED OUT DISAPPOINTING WHEN THE HAMILTON AMERICAN LEGION TEAM BEAT US AND WENT ON TO WIN THE STATE CHAMPIONSHIP. IT STILL WAS GREAT TO BE CONNECTED WITH THE SCHROTHS AND ALL THE NICE PEOPLE AT POST 93. YOUR EFFORTS IN THESE PHOTOS GIVE ME GREAT JOY THAT I WAS AROUND WHEN "TRENTON MAKES THE WORLD TAKES" WAS IN EFFECT. BEST WISHES.


i think that mighta been in the building where wildflowers too is now located.
Thursday, July 12, 2012