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Tuesday, July 10, 2012

Circa 1940: 1800 BLOCK OF SOUTH BROAD STREET


This original post of this photo has been removed and re-formatted. I enlarged it, lightened the darkened areas and darkened the lightened areas and brought the overall view into clearer focus. This is brings out the best in this nostalgic look at this popular "go to" place of the 40's and 50's.

Didn't we get our Hamilton High School class rings at Heitz Jewelers? My age has finally caught up with me. I will need Jim Colello or another Broad Street Park area old timer to tell me whether I am correct in identifying the street corner on the right as Sewell Avenue. My memory failed me on this photo. I always thought that Heitz Jewelry story was on the south side of South Broad Street. Comments, Please, so I can set the record to historic accuracy. Regardless of the historical accuracy, this is a beautiful photo of the road I have traveled countless times.


Tom, this photograph is wonderful. Thank you for posting. The street to the right with the fire hydrant in the foreground is Sewell Avenue. The street center background below the billboard is Lily Street. The corner occupied by Heitz Jewelers, Orlando Tailoring and Ely Radios is occupied by the building once occupied by Bob Lang Appliances and today is occupied by The Salvation Army Thrft Store and the studios of WIMG AM 1300. The three men are standing in front of Sam's Liquor Store. The image of the Park 5c & 10c further down is priceless. Jim C.

Lee Belardino said...

Tommy
We got our rings from Heitzs jewelers. I still got mine. I lived one street behind Broad on Genesee. Heitz was across the street from Tiltons bakery. Asterino's liquor store was on the corner Holy Angels was down the street.Freidman and Fromkins was our drug store down from Tiltons bakery.Broad street park was my neighborhood from Rowan to Hamilton.Great place to grow up.

So glad to see this photo! My uncle Dr. John Dzienis and my aunt Vera lived on this corner in the 1940's. They bought the big white Victorian house because it was the perfect location for a Doctors office right next to the bus stop and on the corner of a main street (Broad and Sewell)
When I was a toddler we stayed here briefly until my parents bought their home in Broad Street Park. I remember watching the sign on the jewelry store blink on and off at night. There was a Barber shop and a dress shop across Broad Street which my parents patronized. The other corner of Broad and Sewell had a grocery store where I got my cherry ice pops! Near Tiltons bakery there was a doll repair shop and a Drug store at Harrison St.

Lyric

1939: PRINCETON AVENUE AND MILLER ST. - CALHOUN STREET

This is an enlarged extract from a larger street view in the R.C. Maxwell collection, focusing on the central point of interest on Duke University Library's Maxwell number XXX4735. As usual an incredibly pristine view of a familiar intersection where Princeton Avenue meets Calhoun Street.

I worked in an auto repair that was once the Richfield Gas in 1973. Hi-Way Liquor survived but those factories that loomed in the background were not there in the 1950's when I was a kid.

Behind you to the right would have been the Barrett Paving piles behind Fritz"s Diner with Uncle Sam's Diner just a few blocks away. Reminders that that was once part of the main highway between Philly and NY City. Even the sign posts lead you to Camden and Atlantic City.

Ed Millerick

Monday, July 09, 2012

1946: A SPLENDID 66 YEAR OLD VIEW OF STATE AND BROAD

What a great photo! One can spend a few very pleasant minutes checking out the little nooks and crannies along West State Street. Maxwell dated this photo as 1946 but the cars on the street are from the 1930's.

CIRCA 1945: HAMILTON HIGH IN ANOTHER GENERATION

Wow, at least when I was at Hamilton in the years 1948 through 1951, we had our "intramural" sporting events on the open field on the right side of the photo. The Pittman field on the immediate left is now Hamilton High West's main athletic field. And to all my fellow Hornets who remember, there's that "3rd pole" that we had to visit when we wanted a smoke....remember?

1946: SO. CLINTON, RUSLING AND WHITTAKER STREET

I am seeing many "Coleman Poultry" ads and R.C. Maxwell photos of this intersection. 1946 seems to be a century ago when I was in the 8th grade at Kuser School, but to me it was "only yesterday."

1945: Hamilton Avenue, HamiltonTownship

This view is pretty much as it has remained over these 70-plus years. That little open area on Hamilton Avenue still exists. The car is heading toward Newkirk Avenue from a vantage point near Norway Avenue.

Friday, July 06, 2012

2012: A NOSTALGIC SLIDE SHOW THE FABULOUS 50'S

I am a hopeless romantic; it's in my blood. click on the link below. It is a slide show I put together with files from my "the Hamilton Library's "NOSTALGIA" folder. Unfortunately, this slide show will not be viewed by the majority of people who are 70 and over, as a pitiful few are on the internet. It is especially relevant to those of us who remember the 1950's. But for those of my generation who took the time to learn the computer and are regular visitors to this website, click on the link above. I hope you get the same emotional jolt that I received as you advance through 98 pages of memories.

http://smilebox.com/play/4d7a497a4f4455334d7a633d0d0a&blogview=true&campaign=blog_playback_link

CLICK ON "FULL SCREEN" AND WHEN THERE IS A SLIDE YOU WANT TO EXAMINE MORE CLOSELY. CLICK ON THE PAUSE/PLAY ARROW. ENJOY



Anonymous Ron Bound said...

Great memories, the penny candies. A time when we didn't have many pennies. I can remember the excitement of finding a penny on the ground, and heading for the corner store, Franklin and Ashmore, to get a piece of penny candy. Ron

Saturday, July 07, 2012

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1947: 1434 PARKSIDE AVENUE


This was just around the corner from the intersection of No. Olden Avenue, heading toward Spruce Street. The area has changed drastically over the years as can be seen in the Google Street View photo.
SJBill said...

Wow, this image was back when Ewing really was "the sticks." ;-)

These cars appear to be headed in towards Trenton with Ewingville at their backs. Not 100% sure, but that stately looking building across N. Olden might have been the site for the future Parkside Diner.

ALso, might my memory be tricking me into thinking the excavation site on the left was for the future Sherwood Liquors?

Anonymous Sally Logan Gilman said...

Hi Tom: I passed thru this intersection many times over the years growing up in West Trenton and I remember that Parkways Diner was on one corner and Sherwood Liquors was on opposite corner. Aside from that I'm sure what is what. But it's always great see pixs from home. Regards

Monday, July 09, 2012

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1933: SOUTH BROAD STREET APPROACHING VAN SCIVER'S

Van Sciver Furniture; what a mysterious place for a young boy back in those 1930's and 40's. Visions of Prince Valiant coming out the front door was a fascinating imaginary journey as I passed by that incredible building on our L-9 Liberty Street bus. Van Sciver's was the home of quality furniture. Indeed, far above the Glover family budget. Ray Paskiewicz, what in the world is that fascinating auto in the foreground? Absolutely intriguing!

About my newly revised home page:
July 4th is past history and it's time to think of things summer. I spent some time designing the new "summer" Glover320 home page, and included some of the memories of a much simpler time. Note the one piece bathing suit on the lovely lady on the right. Be assured there were no risque anatomical body parts to be seen. Like the lady on the right in that summer dress, CHASTITY and good taste were the custom of the era. How I miss them! There's my buddy, Phil Rizzuto, 45 RPM records, "Stopette" in a squeeze bottle, the car which I so lusted for, a gorgeous Nash "Ambassador," nickle Kool Aid, and oh, how those memories linger!

Thursday, July 05, 2012

1939: MERCER BEVERAGES

I remember Mercer as the supplier of "Twin Cola;" a Coke substitute that was just as good as Coke, Pepsi, or Royal Crown Cola. They had a distinctive bottle which looked like two twin containers. Sort of like a belt that is too tight on an overweight body!

THERMOID COMPANY - A MINI HISTORY OF A HAMILTON GIANT

Few indeed are the visitors to this site who didn't have a relative or friend who worked at the
fabled "Thermoid Rubber" plant, as we called it many years ago. "Rely on your brakes instead of your horn" was the catchy sales and safety slogan for which they were famous. The above R.C. Maxwell photo from the Duke University Library collection shows the view of the plant as a paaenger on a PRR train would see it as they pass through Hamilton Township. From its very beginnings back in the 19th century as the Trenton Rubber Manufacturing Company to the 1909 name change to Thermoid, right up to demise of the company in the 1960's, Thermoid will go down in history as one of the Trenton area's more prominent manufacturers.


Above is a Circa 1910 ad for the company from my local history collection, and below is a fascinating story of the evolution of Thermoid as it became known after a disastrous fire destroyed much of the Trenton Rubber Manufacturing Company.


Anonymous Lee Belardino said...

Tommy
a month after we graduated I got a job at Thermoids thanks to Ray Danbury;s grandfather who knew some of the Thermoid bosses GOD bless him.I worked in the brake inspection section but I didn't in spect brakes. That was done by about 40 women. After the inspected the brakes they put them in a carton and when it was filled
Iwould move them to a pallet for shipping. Not much brainpower but it helped pay for my 49 Olds convertible.Fooling around I broke all their safety records so they were glad to see me join the Airforce in October. Great company and the women were fabulous.
Lee

Thursday, July 05, 2012

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Anonymous Anonymous said...

Tom:
As I mentioned in past posts, Fred Schluter was head honcho at Thermoid when I as a kid attended the boys club of which Mr. Schluter was also the Chairman.
Mr. Schluter was a very generous man, and the father of Bill the former State Senator from Pennington,with whom I became friends and a supporter of when he ran for public office.
I used to see the elder Mr. Schluter in my travels around Mercer County. I always thanked him for all he did for the kids of Trenton. I also let him know How much I not only respected his son Bill, but supported him in seeking publc office.
Mr. Schluter a stern looking tall gaunt man, would say " If you really appreciate what I have done, you could do me a favor and tell me son to smile more"!

Best regards

Mike Kuzma

Thursday, July 05, 2012

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1939: PENNINGTON AND PARKWAY AVENUES

What a familiar photo! Back in the 1950's I often had lunch at Cook's Luncheonette on Parkway Avenue with Bill Kuestner and Andy Kettle. The best sandwiches around at the time! Let's see, there was Sohl's, Trenton Axle Wheel and Brake and some long forgotten shops in that area. Peter's garage as seen in the background was one of our sources for tires and general auto repairs. In later years, I recall Ed Peters as being involved in the antique auto hobby.

Monday, July 02, 2012

1947: APPROACHING THE WHITE HORSE CIRCLE

Here's a view of Route 206 north as one approaches the White Horse circle that is historically significant. The fabled White Horse Hotel is seen in the background, but what about that mansion with the mansard roof? I would be interested to know if any White Horse area visitors can identify the house and its historic past. The architecture would indicate that the home was an historic edifice before the wrecker's ball removed it.

1934: DOWNTOWN TRENTON DURING THE GREAT DEPRESSION

This is a fascnating high definition photo of E. State Street approaching Broad Street. All those old autos streaming through the intersection, along with the trolley on West State Street provide eye candy for old Trenton photos such as this. Unless my aging eyes deceive me, that's a Pierce Arrow in the foreground with those "frog" headlights.

ps "downtown.'' They used to have a great time. You know this is one of my favorite Trenton spots. Regards

joe lind said...

Hi Tom,
The pictures that you post from the Maxwell collection are awesome, I was thinking that it would be nice to match a picture like from 1934 alongside a picture from the same location in 2012, Then I was thinking it would be TOO depressing and very dangerous for the person taking the pictures.
The Maxwell pictures are national treasures of the once great industrial city of Trento.
Thanks for bringing them to us.



1947: PERRY STREET AT CATHEDRAL

This great photo brings out the true beauty of that beautiful building on the corner of North Warren and Bank Street in Trenton. the corner of St. Mary of the Assumption Cathedral can

be seen in the far left of the photo. I remember that clock billboard from you younger years.
rayfromvillapark said...

Hi Tom, I walked past that building every day, as I headed into town on my lunch hour. The Public Service Electric, Engineering Dept, Line Dept., and Storeroom, were just North on Warren St. Forgot what it housed, but I can just make out St. Mary's Convent, at the very top on either side of the cross.
There are some spectacular photos of that billboard, with the clock. Check these Item numbers on the Duke web site, Brock's Garage, 4807, and 4808. Ties in with the 1939 World's Fair in N.Y. Also, H0882 and H0883, pg 33 & 42, Best Buiick Yet, 1941. rayfromvillapark

Anonymous said...

And just a few years later that church and rectory would be consumed in a horrible fire. We watched some of it from the area by the bus terminal and as a kid I nightmares for a few year after seeing that.

Ed Millerick

Anonymous said...

Tom:
Behind the Convent on the corner was the Cathedral Gym, where we held our troop 35 Boy Scout meetings. Tom McGann was the scoutmaster, George Swangler the Assistant Scout master.
The Tall brick building in the background was the Manning "Mayfloer" moving and storage warehouse.
The tragic fire took place in March of 1956, It happened the day I left for Northern California to start a bew career,
Monsignor Crean died in that fire, and they honored him by naming a Knights of Columbus Chapter after him.

There was a couple of frame commercial buildings this side of the Maxwell billboard. One was a resturant, and the other a radio repair shop as I recall.
Directly across the street from the billboard was The Episcopal Cememtary, than heading back to Broad St. was the Ave Mariea Shop, next to Frank Robbin's bakery where his "Snowflake" rolls were legendary..

Great stories, thanks to you.

Mike Kuzma

1938: SOUTH BROAD STREET AT LAKESIDE AVENUE


This is an example of the the files I am "segmenting." The top photo is the original which is an overall view of the area. The view on the bottom is an enlarged extract. As you can see, there is a completely different aspect to the photo.

1934: EAST STATE STREET NEARING BROAD STREET

The Hotel Windsor stands proudly adjacent to the Trenton Savings Bank in this incredibly clear photo of downtown Trenton in the heart of the Great Depression. How many times did I (and you)visit that Woolworth's and the W.T. Grant 5 and dime just a bit up the street? Let me (us) count the ways!
Anonymous said...

The wonderfully crafted entry with the brass and stone made quite an impression. I recognize the 5&10 and R.A. Donnelly though it seems the location changed (not to be confused with the F.W. Donnelly) and that fine dining and dancing at the Orient must have been gone when I was a kid. A town that I thought would be "home" forever now only exists in Tom's patchwork quilt of film and comments.

Ed Millerick

Monday, July 02, 2012

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Blogger SJBill said...

TSFS - the bank built by school kids one dime at a time. Every week we deposited money into the bank account. I can't say as I recall withdrawing any, and I'll bet there are thousands more Trenton school kids like me.

I always remember the criss-crossed steel gates closing off the front of the Trenton Savings Fund Society entrance. It was never open when we depositors were visiting downtown.

Monday, July 02, 2012

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rayfromvillapark said...Hi Tom, There is an object, in this photo, that I wish I had a chance to experience, but I was born a few years too late. The trolley car that is approaching State and Broad, from east to west. I would have loved to have ridden downtown, from Villa Park on a trolley. This was one of the last. The photo is dated 1934, and the last one ran in 1934. I wonder when the Windsor Hotel closed, I have no memory of it? rayfromvillapark
Anonymous said...

Ray:

The "Windsor Hotel" was part of a nationwide chain of the same name.
They were prmiarliy inhabited by the traveling saleman type. and offered nothing more than a "clean bed" ro rest those weary feet on.
The windsor hotel ultimately moved in the 40's to No. Warren St, and East Front, over the Tropical fruit drink store, Lido Garden's restaurant, and Zock Chicaccio's tailor shop. This was directly across Warren St. from the entrance to the Lincoln Theatre, which was located next to my favorite hot dog joint. Texas Weiners, where when you ordered, they server would shout out "ONE UP"!!

Best wishes from Virginia

Mike Kuzma