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Friday, February 19, 2016
1960's A GLOVER CHRISTMAS REMEMBERED
Yeah,
Christmas was two months ago, but I just came upon this Christmas
article I had written many years ago. A writer always has one or more columns which he holds in high esteem; this was one of my best in my 30 plus years of writing. Judy and I presented the above Christmas present to our three
children Juliane, Tom and Ken as a special present to help them
understand what the Christmas season meant to our generation and would mean to them in their generation. Now, at
the age of 82, I look back on this article with tears in my eyes. So
much has happened in the intervening years! I recall
how I personally suffered "empty nest" syndrome when my three went on
to live their own independent lives. I suffered, but Judy was elated;
happily accepting the fact that they were going to go their own way and
make their own choices; be that a life of happiness or adversity. Please
forgive me for posting this graphic; it is one of my very best and came
straight from my heart, and I do believe that many of my visitors can understand and agree with my sentiments.
Thursday, February 18, 2016
1941: AN INCREDIBLE CLOSEUP OF E. STATE AND CARROL STREET IN TRENTON
It took a bit of tweaking to bring this beautiful closeup of E. State Street looking west. The DeLuxe Diner, Moose Hall and Post Office (on the right) give an excellent view of the city of Trenton in this area as it looked in the early years of World War II.
Wednesday, February 17, 2016
2016: THANK YOU JACK RAFFERTY!
How time has flown! Were it not for this Hamilton Township legend, there
would be no Hamilton Township Public Library LOCAL HISTORY COLLECTION.
Jack and Mayoral Aide "Mo" Rossi, along with then Hamilton Business
Administrator Joe Bellina were kind enough to let me present my case
that Hamilton needed a comprehensive local history repository. I had pointed out the fact that the city of Trenton put us to shame with their incredible interest in preserving their local history. Hamilton on the other had had destroyed countless valuable historic material in order to gain storage space. Even today, few in the upper levels of local governments are too busy with every day business to concern themselves with history. Indeed, the only time they realize that there is a need is when they are commemorating an historic anniversary and seek information. Jack is a
fellow history buff and especially knowledgeable on the subject of
local American Indian lore. In his earlier years, he did archaeological
digs seeking Indian relics and came up with an impressive collection
which has been on display at the American Indian Museum that he founded
at Hamilton's Veterans Park. In today's society, The Hamilton Library
website, "Tom Glover's Hamilton" will soon reach one million visitors;
not unique visits, but from those who return day by day looking for the
latest posts. I will be eternally grateful to former Mayor Jack Rafferty
for accepting my proposal to bring local history to those who are
interested.
Tuesday, February 16, 2016
1930: NORTH OLDEN AVENUE EXTENDED
Did you know that North Olden Avenue once terminated at Princeton Avenue? In 1930 an "extension" was added at Princeton Avenue northward. The article indicates that it terminated at the Scotch Road which I interpret as being Parkway Avenue.
Wednesday, February 03, 2016
1943: TRENTON DECORATES A FEW OF THE MANY WORLD WAR II HEROES
100 Years from now, future area residents will seek out genealogical
information on their relatives who lived back in the 20th century and
the World War II era Indeed, it is my belief that future descendants of
the men in this photo will avidly resurrect this photo and include it
in their respective family trees. Thus, my mission to preserve and
digitize as much as I can while I am still able to do so. This post will
be posted on my www.glover320.blogspot.com
website as well as here on Facebook. All of which begs the question: Will future generations still be able to retrieve these digital posts.? I feel confident that my "hi-tech" local history articles and graphics will survive in some form. If I am able to retrieve old newspaper articles and photos from the earliest years of the printed page, certainly future generations will probably have a much more refined method of historic research. History must be preserved for future generations and I have devoted my retirement years to embellishing local history.
website as well as here on Facebook. All of which begs the question: Will future generations still be able to retrieve these digital posts.? I feel confident that my "hi-tech" local history articles and graphics will survive in some form. If I am able to retrieve old newspaper articles and photos from the earliest years of the printed page, certainly future generations will probably have a much more refined method of historic research. History must be preserved for future generations and I have devoted my retirement years to embellishing local history.
Sunday, January 31, 2016
THANK YOU, HARRY PODMORE!
Saturday, January 30, 2016
1934: AMAZING RADIO RECEPTION FROM AROUND THE WORLD!
As a licensed radio amateur, I have always been interested in radio. My army career with the super secret Army Security Agency had me using an incredible state of the art Collins "R-390" military radio receiver which back in the 1950's was state of the art. As a young boy I had an intense interest in radio, even experimenting with a very primitive "cat's whisker" receiver. Ask your grandfather to explain that antique receiving apparatus. As a teenager, I developed an addiction to what fellow radio buffs call "DX;" which is short for long distance radio or television reception. Thus this article from a 1934 TRENTON magazine telling the story of the revolutionary new radio receivers being sold by downtown Trenton department stores. I found this article completely captivating as will any of my fellow radio lovers; whether amateur such as I (WA2RVU) or just plain "DX'ers.
Thursday, January 28, 2016
1869: A CLOSEUP LOOK AT THE SWAMP ANGEL
One of the more fascinating subjects in our local history centers on the fabled "Swamp Angel" and of course the legendary Camp Olden. I have been pursuing historical documents on that subject since the 1980's when I found an article in my newspaper collection relating to Henry Lawton who had a farm over in the area of today's Kuser School ("Lawton Avenue, etc.) His farm was said to have been on a portion of the Camp Olden boundary. In 1992, I wrote a column in the MERCER MESSENGER telling the story of Camp Olden as recalled by the brothers Lawton. That article spurred Bob Butera and Vince Mercandetti, and then-Mayor Jack Rafferty to clear the decks for the establishment of today's Camp Olden Park which is located on that triangular intersection of Liberty Street and Hamilton Avenue.
Above is an article from the Daily State Gazette telling the fantastically interesting story of the Trenton made Swamp Angel and with the date of the article being only 4 or so years after the end of the war between the states, one attains a sense of "immediacy" as the article is read. Today, President Bruce Sirak is keeping the Civil War and Hamilton's historic Camp Olden alive with the very viable CAMP OLDEN ROUNDTABLE. (www.campolden.org) This scholarly group meets monthly at the Hamilton Township Public Library.
ABOUT THE ENGRAVINGS: One of our favorite pastimes when we were kids was to sit down at the table, bring out the "Crayola" wax crayons and start filling up that coloring book! Well, folks, at the advancing age of 82, this old codger is enjoying that joys of coloring once again. This time, I find that my crayons are on a Photo Shop color palette where I merely click on the desired color and paint my subject, all the while remembering my Kuser School teachers to "Stay in the lines!" Above left is the original engraving from the 16 page "INDUSTRIAL EDITION" of the Daily State Gazette of July 31, 1897. Now look at the results of my digital coloring book wherein a added a colorful border, atempted to match the colors of the Swamp Angel, greened up the grass at the base, and even lit the lamps on top of this historic treasure. There's a little boy in each of us even as there is a little girl in each of our ladies!
Above is an article from the Daily State Gazette telling the fantastically interesting story of the Trenton made Swamp Angel and with the date of the article being only 4 or so years after the end of the war between the states, one attains a sense of "immediacy" as the article is read. Today, President Bruce Sirak is keeping the Civil War and Hamilton's historic Camp Olden alive with the very viable CAMP OLDEN ROUNDTABLE. (www.campolden.org) This scholarly group meets monthly at the Hamilton Township Public Library.
ABOUT THE ENGRAVINGS: One of our favorite pastimes when we were kids was to sit down at the table, bring out the "Crayola" wax crayons and start filling up that coloring book! Well, folks, at the advancing age of 82, this old codger is enjoying that joys of coloring once again. This time, I find that my crayons are on a Photo Shop color palette where I merely click on the desired color and paint my subject, all the while remembering my Kuser School teachers to "Stay in the lines!" Above left is the original engraving from the 16 page "INDUSTRIAL EDITION" of the Daily State Gazette of July 31, 1897. Now look at the results of my digital coloring book wherein a added a colorful border, atempted to match the colors of the Swamp Angel, greened up the grass at the base, and even lit the lamps on top of this historic treasure. There's a little boy in each of us even as there is a little girl in each of our ladies!
Wednesday, January 27, 2016
1949: So. Montgomery looking to E. State Street
Remember Zorn's record shop? Back in the late 40's and 50's this was a teenage favorite source to buy the latest record on the top ten tunes of the day. You are on So. Montgomery Street heading toward E. State Street. Recognize that long forgotten "rest station" in the background? Another splendid downtown Trenton photo showing Trenton as it was in 1949.
1941: THE NEW RKO TRENT THEATER
How I love these full page features! Unfortunately they do not reproduce full size on Facebook due to the graphic size limitations of that social media site. However, here at the Hamilton Library Local History web site, you get the full page in all its glory. Here's a fabulous 1941 view of the 75 year old event that gave birth to the legendary RKO Trent theater.John Taylor's original Taylor Opera House stood on this site, and the building shown in the upper left of the photo shows the Trent theater building that was the original opera house. How unfortunate it was leveled and replaced by the modern structure shown to the right of the above page. The original Taylor Opera House is shown below:
LABELS
RKO TRENT THEATER,
TAYLOR OPERA HOUSE,
THEATERS
Tuesday, January 26, 2016
1959: MR. FRANK COOK; TRENTON MOTION PICTURE PROJECTIONIST EXTRAORDINAIRE
1959: Movies were getting from television when this article was written. However, it is a really interesting look at the career of Mr. Cook who began back in tThere is a reference here to the early years with the Rialto and American theaters which were allied with Hildinger Enterprises one of the early Trenton are conglomerate who ran numerous Trenton area movie houses. The late Mrs. Rosemary Kerwick McLaughlin was our across the street neighbor and was a relative of the Hildinger family. Rosemary told of the early live piano and/or organ accompaniment that was used during the silent film era.
1888: THE FABLED BLIZZARD OF '88
As this is being posted the northeast U.S. is still cleaning up from a monster blizzard that hit the eastern seaboard and dropped massive amounts of snow that led many to believe that this 2016 storm was the worse snowstorm ever in the northeast. Here's an article. You decide.
1914: A SUMMER AND WINTERTIME PLAYGROUND
Here's a 1914 article dealing with the "old swimming hole" and
playground at Sanhican Creek. This is from my "WEST END" folder in the Hamilton Township Public Library Local History Collection.
LABELS
HERMITAGE AVENUE,
PLAYGROUNDS,
SANHICAN CREEK,
SWIMMING
Monday, January 25, 2016
1914: THE HERMITAGE AVENUE SWIMMING AND PLAYGROUND AREA
Sunday, January 17, 2016
1929: WHEN QUALITY WAS KING - THE NEW TRENTON CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL
Like many area residents, I was saddened to see that the legendary Trenton Central High School had to be done in. In my ignorance of the building trades, I thought that even though there was water damage throughout the building due to shoddy maintenance over the years, the red brick super structure could be saved and the interior of the red brick shell re-built with modern classrooms inserted. Newer construction could have been extended out the back end of the building. However, and very unfortunately, experts far more knowledgeable than I said it would be too expensive and too much extra labor. Even though I am a Hamilton High alumnus, my memories of the great rivalry between HHS, Trenton High and Trenton Catholic hearkened back to the golden years of that great high school where educational excellence prevailed.
Friday, January 15, 2016
1915: URKEN AND KOHN DEPARTMENT STORE
It took a bit of time to bring all these graphics together and form a vignette of one of Trenton's more popular stores in Chambersburg. The Messrs Urken and Kohn are shown in a photo from a 1915 Trenton "Daily State Gazette." The popular "flatiron" construction was a very busy department store right up to its demise, which I place as the early 1950's. I am currently working on an expanded CHAMBERSBURG on screen presentation which will be presented this coming year at one of our monthly Hamilton Township Historical Society meetings which are held on the first Monday of each month except July, August, and December.
Wednesday, January 13, 2016
1912: CHAMBERSBURG AS RECALLED BY AN OLD RESIDENT
These old clippings are truly a goldmine of interesting and little known history. Most historians will agree that old newspapers area an incredibly rich source of historic information. Of course, the newspaper publishers of the day never dreamed that they were creating these wonderful moments in time. Such is the case with this graphic and countless others that are being digitized in the Local History Collection of the Hamilton Township Public Library. Former (and current) residents of this historic neighborhood will find this enhanced graphic to be a fascinating journey into the past of what old timers call "the old borough."
Tuesday, January 12, 2016
2016: KUSER POND IS NO MORE
"WIKIPEDIA defines progress: Evolutionary progress, the
idea that there is a largest-scale trend in evolution of organisms and that the
trend is toward improvement or adaptation to changing environmental
conditions"
How ironic! Years ago, I recall a story where a member of a Cranbury area of New Jersey complained to the authorities that a farmer was doing what farmers had done for centuries: tilling and fertilizing his land for the new crop. The neighbor complained that the process was raising dust and complained to the aforementioned authorities. I don't know how it turned out, but I would bet that the environmental agency or agencies sided with the newcomer who moved into an area that had been doing what farmers do for centuries. This it is with the graphic I have posted relating to the klate, lamented "Kuser Pond".
Mom Glover loved that pond and was not a cold weather lover. When she heard the ageless croak of frogs in the early spring, she knew that we were soon going to welcome another beautiful spring season. Back when the Lord created that area that I love so much, He decided to place a pond in a low lying area that was noted for a high sub-surface water level. Many homes in the area had damp and water problems in the basements; including the Glover family whose home Hartley Avenue house bordered Kuser Farm. Most of us in the neighborhood accepted that natural water level and opted to prefer the natural habitat that provided us with frogs (tadpoles), cat tails, lily pads, gorgeous Red Wing Blackbirds, countless bird species, and what we kids called "sewing bugs;" which were known by most as Dragonflies." So along comes a city bred newcomer to the neighborhood who complained to the township that mosquitoes, and their wet basement was being caused by Kuser's pond and demanded that it be drained. It was and when it was we lost one of the neighborhood natural wetlands that provided countless hours of fun in the winter for ice skating, and in the summer for us kids to catch tadpoles or float our flat bottom cement mixing vessel as we played pirate or some other wonderful childhood nautical endeavor. So the pond was drained, and don't you know, the basements in the home in which I grew up and others are still getting water and dampness. I think they call it a "high water plane;" not sure.
Monday, January 11, 2016
1951 - 2016 PRECIOUS MEMORIES......HOW THEY LINGER
I am no longer posting on my Hamilton High School class of 1951 CLASSMATES.COM pages. I find that the site is much too limited in bringing the larger and more legible photos and articles. All of which brings me to this post: I have devoted my retirement years to my memories of growing up in a very rural Hamilton Township. I know there are a number of my contemporaries who have absolutely no interest in their past life, but as I grow older and older and older, I find that the memories I hold deep down in my very being should not be repressed. In short I am a hopeless romantic. I am also a hopeless, aging old guy looking back on how blessed I have been with my COUNTLESS precious memories. For instance: The photo I took was on one of my MANY passes I take to the best high school in the world (My opinion, of course.) I can't express the deep, delightful emotional wave that comes over me when I see that lovely settee under the school flagpole. School is ending, we were graduating seniors with our yearbooks at our side, garnering signatures of our classmates, and then that miraculous and never to be forgotten act of young love between me and the girl I would ultimately marry. Some folks take those memories to the cemetery. I take mine to the place where the memories were made, and this is one of those treasured landmarks for me.
Friday, January 08, 2016
1936: EAST STATE STREET CLOSEUP TO FIVE AND DIMES
This closeup view of E. State Street brings you within walking distance of the "five and dime" store that once lined E. State Street near Broad. I posted this on Facebook but you can see the full screen version here; Facebook has limited "magnifying power."
Monday, January 04, 2016
2016: A NEVER ENDING PROJECT - DIGITIZING LOCAL ARTICLES AND PHOTOS
Most presenters use Microsoft's "POWERPOINT" to compile an on screen presentation. Many years ago, indeed in the very early years of Windows 3.1.
I responded to an ad from a company called "Gold Disk" who were trumpeting a revolutionary digital slide show that had incredible transitions, animation, and other features. It was a program known as ASTOUND! and i have been using it over all these years due to the fact that I have become so familiar with the program. Below is one of the "slides" from my program, "COMPUTERS AND LOCAL HISTORY: PERFECT TOGETHER!" After years of trying to get pristine copies of microfilm on the library printer I found that all I got was neck pain from moving my head up and down as that microfilm slide I sought was sliding through the gate of the projector and sometimes etching the microfilm with vertical scratches. Voila! Along came the digital scanner and with the 100 - plus year collection local Trenton newspapers reposing in my garage for over 20 years, my collection is now part ot the Hamilton Library's local history collection; not for public use, but for future Tom Glover successors who will continue the digitization process through the millions of pages in those Trenton Times, Trenton State Gazette and Daily True American copies in the collection.
Saturday, January 02, 2016
1919: GIOVANNI SARTORI-FOUNDER OF THE TRENTON CATHOLIC CHURCH
Sunday, December 27, 2015
1934: HAPPY NEW YEAR TOMMY GLOVER AT 4 MONTHS OLD
Trenton was THE place to be on New Years Eve back in those dark days of the Great Depression. Few indeed were those Trenton area residents who were affluent enough to partake of the fantastic prices and countless activities from movies to night clubs to restaurants as they bid farewell to 1933 and celebrated the new year of 1934.
Friday, December 25, 2015
1905: CHRISTMAS PAST
This 110 year old editorial is fraught with words of wisdom for those of us who are of the Christian faith.Read it and you will find your beliefs confirmed! To paraphrase the Holy Bible, "Let the little children come to me.."
Thursday, December 24, 2015
1915: ONE HUNDRED CHRISTMASES AGO IN THE "THEATRES"
This would have been a page that grandmother and grandfather would have read in the Trenton Evening Times of 100 years ago. How fascinating it is to peruse through the millions of pages in my Trenton Times-Trenton State Gazette and Daily True American and find truly antique treasures such as this page extract. MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM 1915 AND 2015!
Tuesday, December 22, 2015
1905: HAMILTON TOWNSHIP'S WASHINGTON SCHOOL
This is one of the very interesting and little known grammar schools that were located in various areas in the rural township of Hamilton in the 19th century. This school was located on today's Hughes Drive near today's entrance to Mercer County Park and in close proximity to the old Tindall Farm.
Friday, December 18, 2015
1915: CHAMBERSBURG SECTION OF THE TIMES
One of the wonderful aspects of researching local history is uncovering long forgotten and in many cases little known features that were in newspapers of the past. All historians agree that one of the best places to unearth little know historic facts. Such is the case with the "CHAMBERSBURG" section which was a weekly feature in the teens. The graphic is a partial scan of the page dedicated to persons, places and things in the burg of yesteryear.
1939: THE LITTLE KNOWN "NEW ERA BREEDING FARM"
This is an interesting photo of rural Hamilton Township in the years before our population exploded into the megalopolis we have today. That huge building in the lower photo was located on Route 33 east. I speculate that it was on the southeast corner of Route 33 and White Horse Mercerville Road.
Years ago I procured a few "TRENTON" magazines from my old friend, Meredith "Med" Havens who was largely responsible for the Trenton Fire Museum. These old magazines are a treasure trove of Trenton industry and commerce in the 20's through the 40's.
Years ago I procured a few "TRENTON" magazines from my old friend, Meredith "Med" Havens who was largely responsible for the Trenton Fire Museum. These old magazines are a treasure trove of Trenton industry and commerce in the 20's through the 40's.
Wednesday, December 16, 2015
CHABERSBURG MAP SHOWING WHO WAS WHERE - UNDATED
Wednesday, December 09, 2015
1955: TOM GLOVER'S CHRISTMAS IN THE GERMAN ALPS, JUST A FEW MILES FROM HITLER'S BERCHTESGADEN
This photo brings back painful memories of my first Christmas away from
home in my 22 years of life. It was taken in the little story book town
of Bad Aibling Germany, high up in the German Alps. I was so very
homesick; even more homesick as I realized that it would be over 900
more days that I would have to be away from my Hamilton home. Country
boy that I am, I almost immediately struck up a close friendship with
Phil Kincaid, a farmer from Springfield, Illinois.
Tuesday, December 08, 2015
Friday, December 04, 2015
1909: ST. MICHAEL'S P.E. CHURCH
I was "confirmed" in this church way back in my very early childhood. Even though St. James P.E. Church on Greenwood and Logan Avenues was the church my family attended after leaving Christ P.E. Church on Hamilton Avenue and Whittaker Street in Trenton. My conversion to the Roman Catholic faith back in the early 1960's was a very easy, indeed almost a lateral move as the doctrine of the Anglican faith is very close to that of the Roman Catholic faith to which I converted. AS to St. Michael's that grand old historical treasure is a tribute to the remaining parishioners and equally importantly, the church is steeped in Revolutionary War history. It was here that the British commandeered the church for sleeping quarters for the Hessian troops during their occupation of Trenton.
1877: A TRENTON "DAILY TRUE AMERICAN" CHRISTMAS EDITORIAL
Only a few of us in the senior citizen community remember this somewhat obscure Christmas song:
"Let's have an old fashioned Christmas
Dress up an old fashioned tree.
Let's make the spirit of Auld Lang Syne, the same as it used to be.
Hearts will be light as a feather,After some old fashioned cheer
So let's all be good people together,
Let's have an old fashioned Christmas this year."
I spent some worthwhile time putting this graphic together. It was published in the Trenton "Daily True American" on Christmas Day, 1877. Sure, Christmas is that new I Pad, or I phone or I watch or video game, or other material treasure but we must never forget the spiritual gift of the new born infant who is the "reason for the season."
"Let's have an old fashioned Christmas
Dress up an old fashioned tree.
Let's make the spirit of Auld Lang Syne, the same as it used to be.
Hearts will be light as a feather,After some old fashioned cheer
So let's all be good people together,
Let's have an old fashioned Christmas this year."
I spent some worthwhile time putting this graphic together. It was published in the Trenton "Daily True American" on Christmas Day, 1877. Sure, Christmas is that new I Pad, or I phone or I watch or video game, or other material treasure but we must never forget the spiritual gift of the new born infant who is the "reason for the season."
Saturday, November 28, 2015
1848:THE HISTORIC ALLINSON FAMILY OF HAMILTON
More "Hard Core Hamilton History:"
This is Josiah Allinson, son of Samuel Allinson who founded the New Jersey State Home for Girls in Ewing, and also the State Home for Boys in Jamesburg. Mr.Josiah Allinson is shown in the graphic I composed with an accompanying 1848 advertisement for fruit trees which the his father, Samuel Allinson cultivated on the Farm which is on today's Yardville-Hamilton Square Road in the development known as "Locust Hill.". The family home was known as "Burholme" The derivation of the name "Burholme" is unknown. There is a Pennsylvania connection to that name. The Allinsons were ardent followers of the Quaker religion and were regular attendees of the Crosswicks Meeting.
This is Josiah Allinson, son of Samuel Allinson who founded the New Jersey State Home for Girls in Ewing, and also the State Home for Boys in Jamesburg. Mr.Josiah Allinson is shown in the graphic I composed with an accompanying 1848 advertisement for fruit trees which the his father, Samuel Allinson cultivated on the Farm which is on today's Yardville-Hamilton Square Road in the development known as "Locust Hill.". The family home was known as "Burholme" The derivation of the name "Burholme" is unknown. There is a Pennsylvania connection to that name. The Allinsons were ardent followers of the Quaker religion and were regular attendees of the Crosswicks Meeting.
Wednesday, November 25, 2015
1909: THE POOR CLARES COME TO BORDENTOWN
That beautiful old red brick building fascinated me every time Judy and I made a trip to her sister's Bordentown home. The article is from 1909 but I don't have the actual date.
1849: MILL HILL WAY BACK IN TIME
Monday, November 23, 2015
1940: TRENTON CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL
He who opens a
school door, closes a prison. ~Victor Hugo
They were our nemesis all through my years at Hamilton High School. They were also the epitome of good sportsmanship. No one was more disappointed than I when I heard that the building had to be razed. In my uninformed mind, the red brick structure could be preserved and an interior renovation with new material being brought into play to re-design the interior with classrooms, and add the more modern rooms necessary to the back of the interior restored building. However, I ultimately found that it was beyond preserving. Thus another local Trenton landmark goes the way of the passenger pigeon. Even though I am a Hamilton High graduate, I followed their activities during my school years as did many non Trentonians who were interested in their annual Sports Night, Operettas, and other social outreach programs served up by Tornadoes from the golden years.
Sunday, November 22, 2015
1856: MILL HILL; IN A WORD, "FASCINATING!"
For over 20 years since the advent of the personal computer, I have been
diligently researching that area of Trenton that I consider to be the
cradle where "Littleworth" or today's Trenton was born. Mill Hill is a
fascinating study for those who are interested in the oldest area in the
city of Trenton. Before I returned to St. Anthony of Padua parish
recently, I had been attending Mass at Mill Hill's historic Sacred Heart
parish. Each Sunday morning as I ministered to the folks
at Trenton's VIllages I and II down on Lalor Street in Trenton, I would
pass through that incredibly historic Trenton treasure and breathe
deeply of the always present sense of history. Though I only have some
300 files in my Hamilton Township Public Library Local History database,
I find myself taking a break from other local historical research and
journeying back in time as I read the reminiscences of old timers who
were around when there was a Lee Blacksmith shop, a Whittaker, Corey,
Quintin Washington Retreat, and countless other fascinating stories from
an illustrious past. Here's just one of those fascinating Mill Hill
historic favorites. One can just imagine sitting on a bench and having a
refreshing dip of ice cream at the bucolic retreat.
Friday, November 20, 2015
1870's TO THE EARLY 1940'S: AN HISTORIC TREASURES
Take a very close look at this photo. It is the very first row of my
personal collection of VERY RARE Trenton Evening Times, Daily State
Gazette and Daily True Americans that will be the property of the
Hamilton Township Public Library's "Hamiltonia" collection when I am
forced to retire and no longer able to perform the physical and mental
requirements of Township Historian. While you are taking that close
look, you will see through the first row to the second row which houses
the collection from the 20th century....1900 to the early 1930's, and
around to the front row as seen in the photo which starts in the mid
1930's and ends up with those volumes you see in the lower right which
are only a small part of the 1940's. Not seen in the photo is the very
back of the room in which these valuable volumes are carefully stored in
a temperature controlled, insect free room (that would be my Library
Local History workshop.) That back row houses the 19th century volumes
from 1870 up to the 20th century. I got tired of patting myself on the
back for having the foresight to preserve these treasures. When I
acquired them, computers and digital imaging technologies were just
evolving. "MICRO FORMS" (Microfilm) was the flavor of the day. Bell and
Howell took on the monumental task of photographing trillions of pages
from daily newspapers all over the world and selling them to the
libraries all over the world. The libraries were delighted to be able to
get rid of those huge, heavy bulky bound volumes and the space they
took up. They sent them to the recycle bin and replaced their
collections with a cabinet full of 4 inch 35 millimeter reels of
microfilm; which over time and use develop vertical scratches as they
pass through the film viewing gateway. I have never heard any librarians
mention it, but I would bet that many if not most librarians regret the
destruction of their bound newspaper collection. I have become
moderately proficient in using "PhotoShop" computer software and digital
reproduction technology. Indeed, there are some photos in those older
newspapers that have been scanned into the computer, enhanced and
tweaked and are superior to the original copy on the original source
page.
BOTTOM LINE: This collection will be a gold mine in the future of Hamilton Township insofar as historical preservation. Indeed, the sheer volume of pages in this collection renders it an impossible feat to copy (digitize) all those articles and photos that exist within all those millions of pages. My successor, then his or her successor, and yes, even numerous successors well into the future of the Hamilton Township Public Library's Local History Collection will still be unearthing historically valuable news articles and photographs.
BOTTOM LINE: This collection will be a gold mine in the future of Hamilton Township insofar as historical preservation. Indeed, the sheer volume of pages in this collection renders it an impossible feat to copy (digitize) all those articles and photos that exist within all those millions of pages. My successor, then his or her successor, and yes, even numerous successors well into the future of the Hamilton Township Public Library's Local History Collection will still be unearthing historically valuable news articles and photographs.
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