BROMLEY FROM THE AIR: WHO LIVED WHERE

lMany years ago, I acquired this incredibly fascinating aerial photo of my Bromley as seen by a pilot flying over Greenwood Cemetery and taking this incredibly clear photo. Then much to my delight, my Hamilton High Class of 1951 classmate Bob Shinkle (Dickinson Avenue) located fellow Bromleyites with the identifying labels I posted on the original photo. This is a huge map and only here will you be able to see the full photo. I have posted a "zoomed" image of the map on my Facebook pages. THANKS BOBBY! YOU'RE THE BEST!

This is a 4 page tabloid size insert that was in an April 1889 supplement to the old Daily True American. This is what the Hamilton Township Public Library's Local History Collection is all about. To many, this is boring and droll subject matter. To Me and others who are interested in the roots of the area, it is a true treasure. It is important to note that this graphic will not be too legible on Facebook. Scanning, tweaking, framing and digitizing this 4 page supplement required multiple scans due to the size of the page and the process was quite time consuming. However the content makes the time spent well worth while.

1961: HAMILTON TOWNSHIP INTRODUCES GRICE AND REYNOLDS MIDDLE SCHOOLS.

Steinert High School, Nottingham High School and Junior high schools. What a change in the educational system of the Hamilton Township public school system occurred as the second half of the 20th century arrived.! With the once rural farm filled township now experiencing phenomenal growth and expansion, with the very rapid loss of the countless farms being sold and turned into housing developments, it became clear to the township officials that Hamilton High School and the neighborhood schools were no longer capable of accommodating the influx of new residents. Thus the construction of two "Junior" high schools noted in the above article which I have re-assembled from the original full page Trenton Times edition of August 23, 1961.

PENNINGTON BELL TELEPHONE DIRECTORY FOR WINTER 1932-1933

It would be a huge project for me to digitize the entire Mercer Country Bell Telephone Directory the cover of which is shown in the upper left of my graphic. However, the little and very classy town of Pennington, the town I visited so often to the Howe family during my years with the Kusers, left me with the unrequited desire to live there. I loved that town but unfortunately real estate in that area is reserved for the more affluent among us. In the meantime, I took the time to put together the pages  from the depression era N.J. Bell Telephone directory with the phone numbers of the residents during that time. I am posting this on Facebook, but the graphic will probably be illegible there due to the size limit on the size of graphics they allow. Enjoy!

1885: ORIGIN OF TOWN NAMES IN MERCER COUNTY

This is a truly historic artiicle which tells the derivation of the names of Mercer County's town names. Over the many years I have been doing local history research, the fascinating story of Hopewell and Amwell keeps appearing in different articles from various years. This is one of them, as is the reference to "LIttleworth" a name that was given to today's Trenton in the very distant past.

HAMILTON SQUARE FROM "HISTORY OF MERCER COUNTY, NEW JERSEY

I'm sure future generations will be very happy to know that this "bare bones" history and nostalgia website was created. Assuming that this technology remains the same over future generations, there will be countless future historians, scholars, genealogists, and other like minded history lovers to vist these pages.  Unfortunately there are a number of graphics from the 2010 era that will not show the graphic I originally posted. Through some glitch on my or Google's part, they were removed and replaced by a triangle with an ! in the middle. It would take an excessive amount of time for me to go back and repost the graphics. Accordingly I am asking anyone who encounters the afrorementioned triangle to go to the top of the page and enter the EXACT entry including punctuation and email me at tglover320@optimum.net and I will attempt to re-install the graphic. This site will soon receive its one millionth visit and I humbly submit is  great site for historic research and local history.

1869: A DETAILED ACCOUNT OF THE FIRING ON CHARLESTON

THE ABOVE ARTICLE HAS BEEN

TRANSCRIBED FROM THE STATE GAZETTE, FEBRUARY 27, 1869

USING OCR (OPTICAL CHARACTER RECOGNITION

The Swamp Angel:  The entrance to the harbor of the city of Charleston is formed by Sullivan’s island on the north and Morris Island on the south. Morris Island is a low, sandy reef, about three and three-quarter miles long, and varies from twenty five to one thousand yards in width. Its area is some four hundred acres. The outer end of the island that nearest the bar is separated from Folly Island, a sand reef of like description, by Light House inlet. Across this stream at day break, July 10, 1863, the successful bombardment and assault of the rebel batteries was made by the Tenth Army Corps, under general Gillmore. This fight secured to the Union forces about three-fourths of Morris Island. A half mile from the inner end of  the island Fort Wagner stretched from  the sea shore to Vincent’s creek, which  with another sand fort, called Cummings’ Point Battery, gave the rebels a foothold  on the island. Let me remark, in passing, that this last mentioned Battery is the one which fired upon the Star of the West, January 10, 1861, and all descriptions of the bombardment of Sumter which followed that event, call it an iron clad fort. It was made simply of sand, more impregnable indeed than if covered, as was supposed, with bars of rail road iron, or erected of the heaviest masonry. This point is exactly 6,616 yards, about three and three quarter miles from the wharves of Charleston. Morris Island is made up  of sand ridges, the highest thereof being twenty feet, while just in front of Wagner it is but two feet, and in the Spring the tide here breaks entirely across the  reef. It is separated from James’ Island by deep and almost impossible marshes from one to three miles in width. Crooked and often very deep creeks or bayous traverse these marshes in every direction.  Indeed Morris Island, as well as the islands adjacent, are but deposits of sand made by the sea and wind upon the surface of these salt marshes. On the sixteenth day of July 1863,  Gen. Gillmore directed Col. Edward W. Serrell, 1st New York Engineers, and Lieut. Peter  S. Michie, U. S. Corps of Engineers, to examine these marshes to ascertain if a battery could be placed on- our left front  within range of the city of Charleston.  For several days they continued their reconnaissance, accompanied by Lieut. Nathan M. Edwards, of Serrell’s regiment, and they reported its feasibility. Soundings were made in the marsh with an iron rod thirty feet long and three quarters of an inch in diameter. They found the mud about twenty feet deep, the weight of the rod carrying it one-half the distance and easily pushed the rest with  one hand. The bottom of the marsh was apparently sand, while the top was

covered with wild grass and reeds some four  feet high, but with such little root as to  furnish no sustaining power whatever.-  Two men standing on a plank on the surface of the mud, and throwing their weight from side to side made waves of  mud, vibrating like jelly for many yards  around. Several trials of the sustaining power of this mud were made. A platform was erected and loaded with sand bags. It sustained about six hundred pounds to the square foot, but on increasing the weight to nine hundred pounds, the pile upset and most of the sand bags vanished in the mud. A man of one hundred and fifty pounds weight sank in the marsh eighteen inches at every step if he moved rapidly. A witty officer, when ordered to do some work in this swamp sent in his requisition to Col. Serrell asking for a detail of “twenty men eighteen feet long” for duty in fifteen feet of mud!  It was decided to locate the battery about half way between Morris and James islands, at a place in the marsh where a deep creek flowed in front and to the left side. It was just 7000 yards to the lower end and 7,410 yards or nearly four and a quarter miles to the heart of the city of Charleston. It was in easy range of Forts Hascall, Simkins and Cheves, and indeed of all the batteries on James Island. This made it necessary, of course, that the work should be done at night. An estimate of the labor required in the construction of the battery was made on the morning of the 2d of August, and the order was immediately issued for its erection. Large working parties commenced felling trees on Folly Island, and men were employed day and night, making and filling sand bags. A pile driver could not be used had one been at hand. Two platforms were at first placed on the surface of the marsh. The plank to be driven into the mud, sharpened on one end, was fastened to a long pole by taking a bight thereto with a rope. The short end of the pole was then attached to one of the platforms, which had been loaded with sand bags, and five men on the other platform, pulling at a rope adjusted to the long end of the pole, pressed the plank down to the solid substratum of sand. As soon as enough piling had thus been driven in two places on opposite sides of the proposed battery, the plank was  attached to the centre of the pole and  then parties on each end thereof, pressed  the pile down as before. Cheerfully, with great enthusiasm, and very rapidly, the men worked exposed every moment to shelling from the rebel batteries. When the foundation was thus constructed, cross-beams, or to speak technically, a grillage of large yellow pine logs was bolted together strongly thereon. Thirteen thousand sandbags, more than eight hundred tons in weight, were then carried by the soldiers from the Engineer camp, over a mile and a half distant, and a parapet, with a return or epaulement constructed in form like one-half of a hexagon. A road two and a half miles long,  made of logs and sand-bags, was also built from this place to our left batteries  in the approaches to Wagner and another  round the left flank to the edge of the  creek before alluded to. Over these roads the entire armament of the battery was carried. A bout this time, August 12th, boats armed with naval bow howitzers commenced to picket the streams leading to James Island and Charleston, and heavy log booms were fastened across them a little distance from the battery to obstruct, if possible, the approach of the enemy from the harbor. A mock battery was also built by the soldiers, of boards and sand-bags to draw the fire of the James Island batteries, and in this it was to some extent successful.  An eight-inch parrott rifle gun, a 200 pounder, was on the 17th of August, ordered by the commanding general to be mounted in the battery. This gun, I may add, is often confounded with the great 300 pounder which battered down Fort Sumter. The gun erected in the swamp never fired at Fort Sumter, the ten inch rifle, or 300 pounder, the only one of that caliber at this time in the Department never fired into Charleston. The latter gun was in position at Fort Strong, on our left batteries and the muzzle was blown off by the premature explosion of a shell. It threw nineteen thousand pounds of metal at the gorge wall of Sumter. The gun in the marsh was manned by a detachment of the 11th Reg’t. Maine Volunteers, Lieutenant Sellmer commanding.  On all official papers it is spoken of  as the “Marsh Battery,” but the soldiers  called it the Swamp Angel, and I have  also heard it referred to by them as the  “ Marsh Croaker" and the "Mud Lark.”  At nine o’clock on the morning of 21st  of August a communication was sent by Gillmore to Gen. Beauregard, Commanding the rebel forces at Charleston, demanding the surrender of Fort Wagner  and assuring him unless it was done the city would be bombarded from batteries  established within easy and effective range of the heart of the city.” Of course Beauregard laughed at Gillmore’s presumption and took no heed thereto.  That night the order of Gillmore reached Lieut. Sellmer and the “Swamp Angel” was ranged for the steeples in Charleston city. Heavy woods on James Island near Fort Simkins hid the city from their view.  An elevation of 31°, 30’ was given the gun, sixteen pounds of powder the charge and one hundred and fifty pounds the weight of the projectile. At half past one on the morning of the 22^nd, the firing commenced. "Through the air, with a rush and a yell, with a screech and a roar went the howling shell" 

and the fiery missile was pitched over the James Island batteries, the harbor and  into the city. As we lay on the sand hillocks watching its flight, it seemed to go up among the very stars and its burning fuse lit up its track as it descended on its course of destruction. The ringing of fire bells, the screaming of whistles from tug boats in the harbor told us truly that they had reached the city. Fifteen shells at this time were fired and the Charleston dispatches of that day to the department at Richmond report “twelve shell as having fallen into the city.” Just at day break Beauregard sent a message to Gillmore telling him that his firing “with the most destructive missiles used in war upon a city filled with sleeping women and children would give him a bad eminence in history." His protest was four pages in length and enclosed remonstrance from the English, French and Spanish Consuls against burning the city. The latter official said that although “all the women and children have been removed from the city too, “thereby falsifying Beauregard’s pathetic appeal. Gillmore replied very briefly and on Sunday night, twenty more shell were fired into the city.  All the rebel batteries which could obtain the range of the Swamp Angel commenced a furious cannonade. But still our shell kept flying in the midst of their iron hail storm. It was a wild night and the whole Army corps watched and listened for each report from the gallant little party in the marsh. On the thirty sixth discharge the entire breach, just behind the vent blew out and the gun was thrown forward on the parapet. The band which always encases the first re-enforce of Parrott guns was split and has now become entirely separated from the piece.  The Parrott projectiles were the only kind ever used in this gun. Some were called incendiary and contained port-fire mixed with the explosive material. Some of the shell also contained “Short’s Solidified Greek Fire,” and some with powder alone. The Greek Fire was encased in tin tubes three inches long and three quarters of an inch in diameter, closed at one end. These tubes were placed in the shell and the interstices filled with powder. As near as I have been able to ascertain, ten of the fifteen shots fired the first night contained each some twenty pieces of this Greek Fire, and were so far, seacoast mortars were placed there for the purpose of drawing the fire of the James Island" batteries when the navy should commence their part of the siege; which they never did.  Immediately on the surrender of Cumming’s Point, Gilmore had guns mounted thereon, calling it Fort Gregg. It was three and three quarter miles from Charleston. I have the record of one of these guns, a thirty pound Parrott rifle which threw more than four thousand six hundred shells four thousand two hundred and fifty-three of which were seen to fall into the city.  No great military results were ever expected from the erection and firing of the Swamp Angel. As a difficult problem in engineering, as a severe testing of heavy guns, as a novel method of damaging an enemy’s city, over the heads of its army and their fortifications; the result, as we  have seen, was highly successful.       

1941 SEPTEMBER: THAT LEGENDARY "SUN-RAY" STORE ON S. BROAD STREET

What a fascinating page! Just take a few minutes and check out the variety to be found at this very popular downtown Trenton store. My mom spent many hours and dollars availing herself of the many bargain prices offered.

1920: FROM THE HAMILTON LIBRARY'S "CULINARY" FOLDER

Every family has kept at least one and probably many more of Mom or Grandmom's classic recipes. My daughter Juliane saved the ingredients of my dear Judy's recipe for chili, and it was handed down to Judy from her Mom, Elizabeth Britton. Interestingly, Juliane's children will also probably carry on the family tradition and 70 or 80 years from now, those family recipes will still shine. Over in the Chambersburg area, today's descendants are known for saving "Nona's" recipe for "gravy" or sauce. Every nationality has carried on the tradition of saving family recipes. Mom Britton's recipe for stuffed capon was to die for, as was her Thanksgiving turkey stuffing recipe. .

1938 GENERAL MOTORS COMES TO TRENTON

I had no way of knowing it back on March 17, 1952 when I went for a job interview with the Trenton Bearing Company at 1812 North Olden Avenue Extension that I was  entering a profession that would ultimately see America and the Trenton area lose industrial supremacy to foreign manufacturers who could produce products at prices far, far below those required by the American manufacturers. Indeed, I started as a delivery driver for the bearing company, making daily deliveries to the COUNTLESS industrial entities in the area at that time. Just to name a few: General Electric, C.V. Hill, Ternstedt Division of General Motors, Fairless Works Division of U.S. Steel Corp., L.A. Young Spring and Wire Co., Bayer Aspirin, and as indicated above, COUNTLESS other factories and businesses that required machine replacement parts. The graphic posted herewith was one of our MAJOR customers. I made daily trips to Ternstedt Division which ultimately became Fisher Body. They were a major source of income for our little bearing distributorship as was U.S. Steel Fairless Works in Morrisville, Vulcanized Rubber and Plastics also in Morrisville, along with other far flung industries such as Cold Spring Bleachery in Yardley, Warner Company and really, too many others to list in this posting. I ultimately became an inside telephone-counter salesman at the Trenton Bearing Co. along with my equally talented side kick, Bill Kuestner. Things went great until the imports began to arrive in the latter part of the 1950's. Datsun, Renault, Volkswagen, began to bring their autos into America with prices far below those of our American counterparts, all of whom had to price their vehicles far above the foreign competitors in order to offset the relatively high union worker's, and upper management wages. From then on it was DOWNHILL. I remember that U.S. Steel Fairless Works Purchasing agent let it be known that anything foreign would place a vendor on the "no bid" list. Indeed, I remember the day then salesman Charlie Brown returned from a sales call at Fairless and told us of the foreign boycott that extended to even our use of American only automobiles. Trenton and American never recovered from the true "Industrial Revolution" that occurred in post-war America, and today our heavy industry is only a memory.

1929: BUILDING A LEGENDARY HIGH SCHOOL

This Trenton Sunday Times Advertiser washed out and faded photo took quite some time to enhance and restore to at least a legible specimen. This is an historic photo that will be looked upon in future generations who will be studying the history of Trenton's school system; especially the legendary high school system that began on Mercer Street in the 19th century. This photo is also being posted on various Trenton Facebook pages, but I fear it will not be legible enough to read the small print of the caption.

1943: BELIVE IT OR NOT, THERE ARE THOSE WHO WANT TO ELIMINATE CURSIVE WRITING!

Many years ago, Kuser School Custodian and close friend George Scott called me and told me he had been following my many Kuser School columns as had many of the teachers at Kuser. He said he had a very large black trash bag that he was told to dispose of and he thought of me. How grateful I am that he did. In that bag were countless VINTAGE class photos, and other memorabilia from the glorious past of Kuser School. Unfortunately, there are some administrators who are more interested in "tidiness" than they are in preserving precious historical photos and documents. Ironically, I have returned the collection to Principal Roberto Kesting with the promise that they will be saved and preserved for future generations. I am assuming that they are now back in their rightful place in the historical files at Kuser. HOWEVER, there is one that I have opted to keep. It is the one class room instructional poster that I remember quite well. I am hearing the very stupid opinion from some quarters that "cursive" writing is now an unnecessary subject to cover in today's society with the advent of the computer and its ability to communicate via the written word replete with "spell checking." What an idiotic observation! Hand writing was near the top of the list for those of us who attended grammar school in the first half of the 20th century. I remember how we were instructed to sit up straight at our desk, feet planted firmly on the floor, and to assume the posture of the students in the photo. Summoning all the humility in my power, I am proud to say that my handwriting at the age of 82 is every bit as good as it was when I was a student. Indeed, my handwriting ability has even led to a number of folks requesting that I calligraphically label wedding name tags. (No, I no longer do that service.) I remember when there was a class known as "PENMANSHIP;" which we all were subjected to. I also remember that constant use of the pencil and later the "straight pen" left a physical "bump" on our middle finger from extensive use of our writing tools. No need to ask me my opinion on "Common Core." I prefer the antiquated disciplined and work hard ethic of learning taught by teachers whose hand writing was beyond splendid.

1897 AND 1882: THE WCTU "UNION LIBRARY"

This is a combination of a February 26, 1885 article on the "Union Library" which was once located where today's N.J. Bell Telephone building is on 20-22 East State Street. There were so many incredibly beautiful architectural structures in down town Trenton in the 19th and early 20th century, all of which gave up their beauty to "progress." The building was the headquarters of the WCTU
(Womens' Christian Temperance Union) and was one of the many local meeting places back in the 19th century and into the early 20th. The Trenton Free Public Library purchased most of the books and other memorabilia from the old Union Library and undoubtedly was one of the catalysts that began the incredible "Trentoniana" collection.

1932: BORDENTOWN - READY TO RELIVE ITS PAST

I was pleasantly surprised that I am genealogically related to Joseph Borden for whom this bucolic town is named is directly related to my mother who was a member of the MOUNT family; pioneer settlers in Monmouth County in the area of Navesink and Locust. She nor I never knew that she was directly descended not only from the Borden family, but also John Adams, Conrwallis, and COUNTLESS historic personages from our historic past. Above is a full page scan of the town's history and I am working on page 2. It is a really cumbersome effort to scan these full "broad sheet" pages of the Trenton Times.

1898: THE NEW TRENTON HIGH SCHOOL

What an historic treasure! Here's the original "DAILY TRUE AMERICAN" engraving of the new Trenton High School which was to replace the old Mercer Street Trenton High School. As you can see by my re-formatted graphic, the old newspaper page has been resurrected, brightened up, color added and is now a qualifying digital piece of Trenton area history! This building was on the corner of Hamilton and Chestnut Avenue, and as can be seen in the True American engraving, was an architectural gem. Can you even begin to imagine walking the halls in that splendidly beautiful building? Can you imagine how great it would have been to save that splendid beautiful building? Dream on! The original page is shown below and you will agree that it was impossible to fit this within the boundaries of the computer screen. It is also my goal to make these historic graphics as appealing to the eye as possible. Here is the article and graphic before formatting:

1875: THIS WAS WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP NJ

Here's an excellent antique map of Robbinsville and indeed the whole township of WIndsor showing the many prominent old time names of residents. Robbinsville was a major potato shipping center back in the 19th century.

1916: HAMILTON'S BROAD STREET PARK - ROWAN SCHOOL

These LARGE graphics do not play well on Facebook, but here on www.glover320.blogspot.com they shine clear, legibly and brightly. This is about 90 percent of a full page dedicated to Hamilton's Rowan School as published in the Trenton Times during 1916 highlighting many of our local schools. The photo on the bottom, along with the Hamilton Library Local History graphic have been added as "fillers" and to complete the page. The very interesting mini articles by the various students adds a certain charm to the page.

1875: JOHN TAYLOR'S "TAYLOR HAM"

One thing I have found while researching the pork roll phenomenon, John Taylor wins hands down as to historic longevity. John Taylor's product goes back to England when a Taylor family member provided pork products to the royal family. That fact, along with the fact that John Taylor was direct descendant of the British Taylors, led to his setting up shop in Trenton. First in the mid 19th century in an austere establishment in the Academy Street area. In 1870 he moved into the expansive farm property shown in this exquisite engraving from the year 1875 which I find was at the foot of today's Perrine Avenue in Trenton. Little wonder that it was known far and wide back in the 19th century as "Taylor Ham." I have also learned that It was John Taylor who invented "pork roll in a bag.;" so popular in modern times.
Another very interesting and little known fact: Back in the 19th century, Sand Hills (today's Yardville) was a major pork shipping center receiving the products from neighboring pork farmers and sending them north or south from the Sand Hills railroad depot.

1934 AND 1937: PENNINGTON GRAMMAR SCHOOL GRADUATING CLASSES

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome the class of 1934 AND 1937, Pennington Grammar School. There are a number of familiar old family names in these photographs. See how many you recognize.

1943: AMERICA WILL NEED FLIERS!

One of the treasures in my old time radio collection is a selection of world war two broadcasts of my childhood hero, Hop Harrigan. Announcer Glenn Riggs was famous for his nightly admonition on the 15 minute radio program as he proclaimed, "and remember, AMERICA NEED FLIERS!" This ad from my WWII folder coincides with the year that my older brother Len was flying daily missions over Nazi German cities in a B 24 Liberator.

1849: ANDREW QUINTIN'S WASHINGTON RETREAT

Once again, an incredibly interesting graphic has been assembled to bring back just a bit of the essence of the Mill Hill of the mid 19th century. My unbridled interest in this historic area of Trenton knows no bounds. Looking at that photo of Mr. Quintin's Washington Retreat, one can easily imagine a warm summer evening as well dressed ladies and gentlemen venture to this romantic spot for an ice cream treat and a relaxing evening of listening to the music of the "Trenton Brass Band." No "Hip Hop," "Rap" or noisy "Rock" here; just plain beautifully melodic music that is right at home in such a bucolic environment.

1922: A CONCERTED EFFORT TO LURE SHOPPERS TO SOUTH WARREN ST.

Here's an interesting composition that I put together recalling an area which was always of interest to me. Most of my trips to downtown (uptown) Trenton were when I was a young boy and Mom Glover would take me there during her visits to pay the Public Service bill and at the same time visit the many stores in the State and Broad area. (Nevius Voorhees, Swern's, Gimbels, Kresge's, Woolworth's, W.T. Grant and countless other center city venues. It wasn't until I got my driving license that I got to explore South Warren Street where I often visited Penn Jersey and So. Warren Street when we went "cruising" an a Thursday night when the stores were open until 9. I am a firm believer that Trenton will once again become a more viable city and already we are seeing the Phoenix rise from the ashes with Mr. Eric Maywar's classic book shop, a barber shop and I am sure more to come. 

1902: TRENTON SCHOOLS: THE WAY IT WAS

What a wonderful job I have as the local Hamilton Township Public Library historian-Archivist! I have been perusing my "SCHOOLS-HAMILTON," SCHOOLS-TRENTON, "SCHOOLS- MISCELLANEOUS" folders and am pleasantly surprised to find that the files in these folders is, and has been slowly growing. Assuming that these digital history folders survive the test of time after Tom Glover moves on the the great beyond, future generations will be very grateful to Hamilton Township and their public library for preserving these historic documents for the future use of students and those interested in the local history of Hamilton, Trenton and the outlying area. Except for the wonderful Trenton Historical Society, it would seem that none of our local libraries seem to be interested in digital preservation. If I am in error on this observation, please let me know.

WILSON AND STOKES LUMBER CO: THE CIVIL WAR CAMP PERRINE CONNECTION

This graphic is for the "hard core" historian who loves the heritage of the Trenton of yesteryear, and also loves local Civil War memories. These two graphics come together after being separated by a number of years. The graphic on the right was in my "BUSINESSES-TRENTON" folder for many years (1983). Then along came the photo on the right just today to join in a dual graphic of historic interest. Fascinating!

1992: A DEFINIITIVE ARTICLE ON HAMILTON'S CAMP OLDEN AND THE MEMORIAL PARK

I posted this graphic on Facebook, but it is not legible due to the large size and length of the articles and accompanying letters to the editor. limited. Had I not uncovered the old Trenton newspaper article relating to the Lawton brothers who had a farm in the Hamilton Avenue in the area of today's Kuser School, I would never have been able to come up with such a splendid example of local Civil War history.

2016: THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF HAMILTON IS A BLAZING SUCCESS!

We have found the secret of a successful local historical society! After assuming the leadership of the Historical Society of Hamilton Township, a few years ago, Dr. Jim Federici, Ms Lois Majarowitz and I have had our suspicions confirmed as to how to increase interest in our programming. we find that our historic poor attendance centered around former officers program choices. (Those former officers include Tom Glover and Dr. Jim Federici.) We found that the average citizen would really love to hear and see programs that were relevant to them personally: BROAD STREET PARK, WHITE CITY, NJ. STATE FAIR, KUSER FAMILY, CHAMBERSBURG, and on and on. These programs have proved to be successful with large crowds attending as opposed to programs such as "open hearth cooking," "tile making in Trenton," "Flemington NJ," and other bland and boring subjects of interest to only a select few. The attendance began to decline during my time as president when we were lucky if 15 people showed up for our meetings, most of whom were senior citizens. Now with what I have termed our "New Departure," we are experiencing incredible attendance numbers of attendees who are avidly interested in RELEVANT local history.

The photo is from last evening's BROAD STREET PARK - WHITE CITY" on screen presentation. It was taken before the program began at 7 P.M. The final count was 59 or 60 attendees, all of whom enthusiastically asked questions or contributed to our on screen photos and articles. Former Sheriff Gil Lugossy and local Broad Street Park Historian Jim Colello loaned us their historical expertise on the neighborhood and the program was a huge success!.
Our future programs will include material of interest to Trenton and outlying areas for those citizens who are interested in Trenton as it was in earlier years.

1909: Madeline Kuser Weds Bentley Pope

I am, and have been doing DEEP research on the Kuser Family, uncovering some very interesting articles and photos relating to one of Hamilton's most famous families who settled in the city of Trenton and Hamilton Township along "Pond Run." It took some time to re-assemble this Trenton Times 1909 article, but when you read it, you will see just how ELEGANT the Kuser family fit into our "high society" segment of the population. This is "Victoriana" at its very best. Imagine a wedding at the Astor Gallery of New York's famous Waldorf Astoria! I would wager that there are many of my female facebook friends will read and absorb the essence of a wealthy wedding in a venue known all over the world.

1926: FORTY FIVE DOLLARS DOWN, THIRTY MONTHS TO PAY!

Back in the :Roaring Twenties," you could have gotten a choice piece of real estate at Ortley Beach, located between the Seasides and Lavallette for the princely sum of $45 down and 30 months to pay. It would be interesting to know how much real estate at Ortley Beach is compared to those 90 years ago.

1936: EIGHTY YEARS AGO TODAY

It's always interesting to look back "on this date in history." Here's a graphic I put together detailing community activities as they were reported way back in the early part of the 20th century. More to come.

1920's: HAMILTON AND PARK AVENUES, VILLA PARK

From my "VILLA PARK" folder, this photo was part of a real estate ad relating to the area of Hamilton Township's Norway/Hamilton Avenue area. In my younger years this was occupied as a store known as "Margerum's" where I often stopped for a double dip (side by side) vanilla ice cream cone.

THE FAMOUS YARDVILLE "MILL RACE"

I need an expert on Yardville as well as an interpreter for this mysterious but FASCINATIN photo of what they are calling the "Mill Race." My source of confusion revolves around the numerous other views I have seen of this particular vantage point: the old Lawrie's Mill, Gropp's Lake, Etc. Will anyone be able to tell me what that building with the widow's watch is, also is that bridge railing and the narrow raodway South Broad Street? I have seen many versions of this particular view, but this one is really clear and perhaps someone can tell me if we are looking SOUTH or NORTH, (ELEANOR G.? GEORGE G.? GARY L.? CLAIRE Z,? Any ideas on this confusing graphic?

1938: HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THE TAYLOR OPERA HOUSE AND THE RKO CAPITOL

Here's an interesting article telling the story of the heritage of the late, great RKO Capitol theater which took over the legendary Taylor Opera House which was built in 1867. To those of us who are interested in music, musicals, theater, acting, etc., the visions that come to mind are the old days when vaudeville was the entertainment of the masses. Judy's father, Raymond Britton came into the theatrical business just as vaudeville was on the way out. He and his partner Mickey Dailey, were end me in a po;ular Trenton area blackface mistrel show.

1918: EWING PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

This beautiful edifice is one of Ewing Township's historic treasures.The above graphic took up nearly 1/4 of the full page of theThursday, April 25th edition of "The State Gazette" and has been meticulously re-formatted so that it can be legibly be seen here in the year 2016.

1923: Trenton's notorious "Comfort Station"

Only those of us in the "Senior Citizen" category will remember this vestige of Trenton's past. As I recall, my Facebook friend Tom Tighue posted a photo of this building picturing workers shoveling snow from the sidewalk surrounding the building. Many are the citizens who wished they had brought a clip on clothes pin for their respective noses when they answered nature's call and they had to make a visit to the structure.

1940: NORTH BROAD ENTERING THE STATE STREET INTERSECTION

How I love these vintage R.C. Maxwell photos that bring our Trenton past so beautifully into view!
Here's an enlarged zoomed in photo of that very familiar downtown Trenton intersection as it appeared 76 years ago.

2016: ONE OF MY FAVORITE COLUMNS

Life is beautiful! Wake up and smell the roses! I have written hundreds of columns during my 32 years of freelance journalism. Some of my favorite columns tell of "all the girls I loved before" starting with my first true pupply love at age 10, Mary Lou Saxton; my next door neighbor who broke my heart when she moved to California. My early years of courting Judy Britton; the lovely girl who would end up being my dear wife for 62 years. My years at Kuser School and Hamilton High School before it became "West-Watson," and my musical attraction from singing in a boys' barbershop quartet and another octet, school choir, and singing around the Glover Gulbranson upright piano in our Hartley Avenue home. One of the God given and too often ignored by our hustle and bustle to raise a family and earn a living lies in the beauty of nature. The column I wrote and repeated a number of times for succeeding generations is reproduced below. If you haven't taken the time to take Robert Frost's "Road Less Traveled," try a woodland walk. It will go a long way to increasing your longevity and well being.

1941: MILITARY INDUCTEES FIVE DAYS AFTER PEARL HARBOR

 

Here is an historic photo and article from the December 13,1941 edition of the Trenton Evening Times. Perhaps a relative or neighbor of yours is among those shown in the photo.I am familiar with two of the inductees. One is Charles Paul who lived on Hobson Avenue here in Hamilton. He is  the brother of my brother in law, the late Bill Paul. The other is Al Serini who built a house on the corner of Hartley and South Olden Avenue after the war. Small world!

1930's: DID YOU KNOW THAT TRENTON WAS ONCE A SEAPORT?

Once upon a time for a very short while, the city of Trenton Joined Phildaelphia a seaport but alas, it didn't last. Apparently by the time one moved up river toward Trenton,the shallow Delaware resulted in the termination of the effort. It is supposition on my part but I believe the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers found that deepening the Delaware to Trenton would be much too expensive. Perhaps a visitor to this website with knowledge on the subject can enlighten me on this subject. It would have been a very important accomplishment if the deepening project came to fruition.

1910 (Ca. 1910) CHRIST P.E. CHURCH

This exquisitely beautiful church was where Mr. Thomas Eli Glover married Alice Naomi Mount back in 1923. My family were regular members of that church long before I was born and before converting to the Roman Catholic faith, I was a St. James P.E. Church member during my early childhood. This church was patterned on the typical Episcopal church one would see along the rual British countryside. A nasty schism took place back in the 1960's and the wonderful congregation fell apart and is no more.

1915: JOSIAH ALLINSON NOW LOCUST HILL

All the COUNTLESS hours I have spent over the past 35 years in digitizing local history has given me unlimited resources that allow me to share this incredibly interesting local history with the local communities which I try to include in the Hamilton Township Local History Collection. The graphic is one of MANY that are part of a "Power Point" type on screen presentation wherein I add some delightful backgrounds to a specific image. This slide is from my "YARDVILLE" on screen program which is open ended and allows for new material to be included as an update. Here in the year 2016, "Locust Hill" and "Montage" community take up a large part of the old Allinson Farm on Yardville-Hamilton Square Road.

1951: LET THE COURTSHIP BEGIN!

Every time I recall my very early years of dating Judy Britton and recall how I would "accidentally" be passing by the intersection of Hamilton and Newkirk Avenue and see her standing on the corner waiting for the Trenton Transit bust that would take her to State and Broad Street for her job at Yard's Department Store. Long story short: I ended up passing that intersection any time I was available and she was on the corner. Then it was off to downtown Trenton and an early detour for coffee and perhaps a doughnut at Clede's Luncheonette on E. Hanover Street for an intimate close up conversation and getting to know each other. The rest is history. My Judy ended up as Mrs. Tom Glover and I fondly look back on those precious hours I spent courting the most beautiful girl in the world. The photo of Clede's is a treasure. Of course Judy standing on the corner was put there thanks to the magic of PhotoShop.

1842:OUR LADY OF SORROWS CHURCH - MERCERVILLE

Since early February, I have been working feverishly on correcting the numerous problems on this website. It is, has been, and will be a tedious time consuming project and will be ongoing for some time. I have finally reached the most intimidating part of the "tweaks" and that is to try to retrieve and re-post those many 2009-2010 posts which eliminated the graphic and replaced it with a black triangle with a "!" I have made enough progress on the tweaks and repairs over the past few months that allows me to begin posting again and hopefully reduce the large number of those graphics which were eliminated not be me, but for some reason Google's copies were deleted from their cloud database.
HERE'S AN ARTICLE TELLING OF THE NEW CATHOLIC CHURCH IN MERCERVILLE, OUR LADY OF SORROWS WHICH WAS THE MISSION CHURCH OF ST. ANTHONY'S HERE IN HAMILTON AND HAS CONSOLIDATE THE TWO CHURCHES INTO OLS-ST. ANTHONY PARISH.

2016: HAMILTON TOWNSHIP'S IMPRESSIVE LOCAL HISTORY PROJECT

Thank you, Former Mayors Jack Rafferty and Glen Gilmore for your respective roles in helping me to form a "HAMILTONIA" collection similar (but different in that it is based on digital technology) from the legendary "TRENTONIANA" collection in the Trenton Free Public Library. Jack, you will recall that back in the late 1980's or early 1990's it was you, Mo Rossi and Joe Bellina who accepted my proposal to form an historical collection for future generations similar to the aforementioned "TRENTONIANA" collection with the added feature of a digital database with 59 gigabytes of old photos, news articles, etc. And Glen Gilmore, even though your letter dates back to the year 2004, it added credibility to my ongoing local history project. The year 2016 marks my 25th year of building this "HAMILTONIA" digital local history collection and the accompanying the Hamilton Library's "Tom Glover's Local History" web site www.glover320.blogspot.com will soon reach 1 million visitors who come back frequently to view additional material. I like to think we are ready for any future advancements in digital technology after I retire at age 103 or so! (Lord willing!)