Hopewell Train Stations: History and Art

References and links for the Hopewell Train Stations: History and Art presentation on the Hopewell and Pennington train stations that was held on December 1, 2021. These include the online video (to be done), the presentation slides (13 pp.), the associated slide shows on the two stations (75 images), and more detailed briefs on the Train Stations and the Railroad Lines (35 pp.), plus related posts with additional information on the art and artists.

– Presentation Video –
– Train Station and Railroad Lines Briefs – Art and Artists –

The Hopewell and Pennington train stations not only are historic National Register-listed properties, but they also are iconic symbols of our communities.

Built in 1876, these stations served over 20 trains a day between Philadelphia and New York in the heyday of the railroads, before sinking into disrepair with the decline of railroad traffic into the 1980s.

But the stations have since been reborn, as a private residence in Pennington and as a community park and gathering place in Hopewell Borough.

This presentation by Doug Dixon provides a visual history of these train stations, illustrating their story with photographs and artwork. The talk celebrates both the history of the railroads in the Hopewell area, and the photographers and artists who captured these past moments for us.

Hopewell Public Library “Wednesday Night Out” Lecture Series
Co-sponsored by the Hopewell Valley Historical Society and The Hopewell Museum

See Hopewell Train Stations: History and Art for a full description.

Hopewell Train Stations – Presentation Video

Zoom presentation from December 1, 2021.

The presentation included these slides on the history, architecture, and design of the Hopewell and Pennington train stations, plus a visual history of the Hopewell station (the slide shows below).

See Presentation slides: Hopewell Train Stations: History and Art (PDF)

Hopewell Train Stations – History Briefs

More detailed history briefs on the train stations and the railroad lines, with extensive chronologies and references.

Brief: Hopewell and Pennington Train Stations (PDF)

The Train Stations brief discusses the history of the two train stations, describes their design and architecture, and concludes with a chronology with references.

Brief: Hopewell Valley Railroad Lines (PDF)

A history of the railroad competition in the Hopewell Valley, and the resulting golden age and then decline of local railroad service in the area. Plus a chronology with references for these and other local transportation services.

Hopewell Train Stations – Art and Artists

These historic Hopewell and Pennington train stations are iconic symbols of our communities that have inspired the creativity of numerous artists, as shown in the variety of these images shared by the History Project. Beyond their artistic value, these works also can provide valuable historical information in the details that the artists have carefully captured, from now-lost buildings to the details of switches on railroad sidings.

See Hopewell Train Station Art and Artists for a summary of local artists at the event, and other artists and photographers who have contributed works to the History Project.

Train station images from the History Project Image Gallery

Artwork: View the Hopewell Artwork Collections Gallery
Brief on the artists and their art: Hopewell Train Station Art Collections (PDF)

Photography: View the Hopewell Photography Collections Gallery
Brief on the photographers and their work: Hopewell Photography Collections (PDF)

Artists & families who exhibited at the Hopewell Train Stations: History and Art event

More on Hopewell Railroads

Two railroads were built in the 1870s to connect Philadelphia and New York by travelling up from the Delaware River, through Pennington and Hopewell, and then north towards New York. The Mercer and Somerset opened in 1874, but was shut down in 1880. The Delaware and Bound Brook opened in 1876, and is the predecessor of the line that still runs through the area.

Hopewell Valley Railroad Lines