The November updates to the History Project featured historic Hopewell anniversary quilts, a man and a horse, a Hopewell Presbyterian anniversary, Community Day, and more. (See Site Updates for more.)
By the numbers, we finished the month with 309 files in the Archives, including 154 documents and 155 maps and aerials. The Image Gallery now has 3716 files, and the Panoramas Collection has 50 images. The Pamphlet Collection has 224 documents, and the Property Reports Collection has 87 documents, with 58 Site Survey reports and 29 Property Briefs. The interactive History Map includes 775 addresses with 102 historic places in Hopewell Borough. The History Project YouTube Channel is hosting 28 videos, plus 16 external local history videos, including 6 videos of History Project presentations. Please keep the materials coming!
Hopewell Boro Centennial and 125th Anniversary Quilts
Local children created two quilts to celebrate the 1891 incorporation of Hopewell Borough – one for the Centennial in 1991 and the other for the 125th Anniversary in 2016.
The Hopewell Public Library Hopewell Centennial Quilt was created in 1991. It has a total of 30 squares, presumably prepared by children at the Library, with Hopewell scenes. We would particularly like to know more about the quilt, its makers, and the deigns in the squares.
- See the Hopewell 125th Anniversary Materials in the Mementos Image Gallery, including the quilt makers and show, anniversary poster and logo, and other town activities.
A Man and a Horse: Larry Kidder and Chester
Belgian Draft Horse Chester: A Story of Friendship is a wonderful book (full post) by local historian Larry Kidder about his long friendship with Chester, a draft (working) horse at the Howell Living History Farm.
It’s a charming story that includes some sad moments, and also moments of great satisfaction as Kidder describes his growing friendship and working relationship with Chester and the other horses.
In this book, Kidder tells the story of deep friendship between man and horse, as well as explaining how people lived life on the farm a century or so ago, in harmony with horses.
This is an 88-page paperback, printed in larger type, and written in simple language so children can understand – while adults can appreciate the depth of the connection between man and horse.
- Find Belgian Draft Horse Chester: A Story of Friendship by Larry Kidder on Amazon.
Hopewell Presbyterian Church 125th Anniversary (2002)
The Hopewell Presbyterian Church 125th Anniversary presentation from 2002 was created to celebrate and document the 125th anniversary of the Hopewell Presbyterian Church.
The presentation includes historical photos and information on the early church properties along West Broad and Louellen streets, a chronology of the current church buildings, and a timeline of church leaders back to 1877 – many with photos.
== View the full 2002 Hopewell Presbyterian 125th Anniversary Presentation (PDF) ==
Remembering Hopewell Community Day, 1974 – 1985
For a look back to the Hopewell area in the 1970s and 1980s, we can explore Hopewell Community Day – a very full day of community fun and activities that was the predecessor to the current Hopewell Harvest Fair.
Community Day was held from 1974 to 1985, in the area around Princeton Bank (now PNC Bank) near the end of East Broad Street. We only have a couple of Community Day pamphlets to go with our collection of Harvest Fair almanacs, but we can reconstruct the Community Day story from newspaper reports and from oral history.
Runyon Farmstead Construction Updates
We are tracking progress at the Runyon Farmstead property at 19 West Broad Street, just west of South Greenwood Avenue. this is one of the oldest houses in the borough, and was the site of the Hopewell Baptist Academy from around 1756 to 1767.
Construction on the project started at the end of May 2023 with the installation of the construction fence. Work on the three new barns (duplex apartments) is proceeding, and as of the end of the month the buildings are being closed up.
- See the Runyon Farmstead Construction album in the Image Gallery
Please contact us if you have – or know of – other images and materials that we can share to help illuminate the history of our Hopewell Valley.
