Builders’ Guide to Hopewell Valley Construction Projects – 1888-1940

We know the stories of some of our historical buildings – but who actually designed and built them, and to what specifications? Who designed and built St. Michael’s Orphanage and its additions, or the school buildings on South Main in Pennington, or other town halls and residences, schools and churches, banks and theaters?

It turns out that there is a wonderful source for this kind of information, and we now have a collection of over 170 descriptions of construction projects in the Hopewell Valley from 1888 to 1940, also including parks, roads, bridges, railroads, and trolleys.

These listings are extracted from the Philadelphia Real Estate Record and Builders’ Guide, which was published weekly in 44 volumes from 1886 to 1940, with about 1000 pages per year. The listings include notices of upcoming work, calls for proposals with specifications of new projects, and announcements of contracts awarded. These also provide details on the project specifications, and on the associated funders, architects, and contractors.

Philadelphia Real Estate Record and Builders’ Guide, 1886-1940

While the Builders’ Guide was focused on Philadelphia, its geographic scope ranged well beyond. The Hopewell Valley Extract summarized here is 32 pages, with over 170 listings, including Hopewell Township, Hopewell Borough, Pennington Borough, Titusville, Harbourton, Woodsville, and Washington Crossing.

View the Hopewell Valley Extracts from the Builders’ Guide (PDF)

View full Philadelphia Real Estate Record and Builders’ Guide – Browse & search (PDF)

Early Projects: 1890s

Cook’s Block, 1890s – Broad & Greenwood [RDG]

The earliest Hopewell Valley listings in the Builders’ Guide include the 1889 listing for the immense Cook’s Block at Broad and Greenwood in Hopewell (see post), which unfortunately burned down in 1899:

At Hopewell, Mercer Co., a business block will be erected at Main and Greenwood streets, which will contain three stores and a bank on the first floor, and the other floors will be flats and offices. The material will be pressed brick, with stone trimmings and galvanized iron cornices. The plans have been prepared by W. A. Poland, 11 West State street, Trenton, N. J. The owner is Mr. A. S. Cook, of Hopewell.

St. Michael’s under construction, 1897 [HHH]

Then in 1890 were the first listings for the construction of the main building of St. Michael’s Orphanage in Hopewell (see post), which was followed in 1904, 1914, and 1931 for the later additions:

At Hopewell, Mercer Co., the farm of John Vandike, just outside of the town, has been purchased by Bishop O’Farrell. The farm contains about 187 acres, and will be used as a site for the erection of a building for an orphan asylum, to take the place of the one now at New Brunswick, which is now cramped for room. Work will be begun in the autumn on the new buildings.

Trolley on West Broad in Hopewell, 1913 card [MAT]

Starting in 1899, and through 1902 were announcements of plans by various companies to construct a trolley line from Trenton to Pennington and then to Hopewell (see post): “The company has agreed to macadamize the main street.” The trolley line reached Pennington in 1903, and Hopewell in 1904. Service ended to Hopewell in 1924, and to Pennington in 1931.

Hopewell’s first movie theater is described in a 1914 listing. The Hope Theater was built by C. N. Allen in 1914 at 16 Seminary (see post), and continued until a fire in 1922, when the operators relocated to Columbia Hall:

Moving Picture Parlor, Hall and Lodge Building. Hopewell, N. J. $15,000. Architects, W. W. Slack & Son, American Mechanic Building, Trenton, N. J. Owner, C. N. Allen, Jr., Hopewell, N. J. Brick and stone, 3 stories, 48×100 feet, hollow tile, slag roof, electric light, steam heat.

Colonial Playhouse, c1940 brochure [HT.com]

The new Columbia Playhouse movie theater on South Greenwood in Hopewell was listed in 1939 (see post). This replaced the original Columbia Hall community hall / theater and firehouse from 1897:

Concrete block, steel and frame, 1 story, 56 x 90 feet, slate and built-up roof, reinforced concrete floors, tile work, steam heat, electric work.

Public Projects and Buildings

Jacob’s Creek Bridge, Washington Crossing, 2016 [Hunt]

The Builders’ Guide also had listings for public buildings and other public projects, including municipal buildings, roads, bridges, water, and parks.

There was an 1890 listing for the 60-foot Jacob’s Creek bridge (60 by 16 feet, capacity 80 pounds):

At Pennington, Mercer Co., N. J., Daniel Clarkson will receive proposals until June 13, for the construction of a truss wrought iron bridge over Jacob’s Creek, on the road between Pennington and Titusville, 60 feet in the clear, between abutments, 16 feet in width, clear of guardrails, and to have a capacity of 80 pounds, superficial foot, with factor safety four, and to have wheel guards, floor of white oak 2 1/2 x 2 1/2, iron work to have two coats of paint.

East Broad Street with muddy streets, 1902 card [SC]

Hopewell Borough had a listing in 1900 to solicit bids for street improvements:

At Hopewell, N. J., E. V. Savidge, Borough Clerk, will receive bids until June 11 for surveying the streets of the borough and establishing permanent grades, levels and curb lines.

Hopewell Borough also had a listing in 1907 for improvements to the municipal water company:

At Hopewell, Mercer county, it is probable that the contract for a new reservoir and other improvements will be let in April. The cost is estimated at $12,000.

Pennington Borough had a listing in 1915 for the town hall: “brick, two stories, 44×89 feet, slate roof, metal ceilings, electric lighting, steam heating.” There also was a 1929 Pennington listing for alterations to Borough Hall: “stucco, 2 1/2 stories, 36×78 feet, slate roof, hardwood and composition floors, electric light, general alterations.”

Hopewell Borough had a listing in 1929 for the alterations to the original High School building at Columbia and South Greenwood (see post), when it was converted into the fire house and borough offices: “general alterations and partition work.”

Washington Crossing Park had listings in 1929 for alterations and additions to the McKonkey Barn near McKonkey Ferry House: “2 stories, 25×40 feet, shingle roof, maple and concrete floors, steel partitions.”

Local Schools – Pennington Seminary, Titusville, Harbourton

The first listings for local schools in the Builders’ Guide were in 1897 for the Pennington Seminary / School, which had other listings up to an administrative building in 1930.

The first 1897 Pennington School listing was for “one of the finest college dormitories and college buildings in this country (4 stories, stone and brick, $50,000). In the same year, another “handsome new building” was being planned (3 stories, 75 x 150):

Philip Anns is receiving estimates on a handsome new building for Pennington Seminary, at Pennington, N. J. It will be three stories high, with a basement, and will measure 75 x 150 feet. The basement will contain a business college, a Y. M. C. A. hall and class rooms. The first floor will contain a chapel and reception rooms; the second, piano and art rooms, library, alumnae rooms, a founders’ room and a museum. The third will be devoted to dormitories and a ladies’ parlor.

Listings for Titusville schools start with a 1914 addition (stone and frame, 1 story, 25×45 feet), followed by a 1917 school building (brick, 2 stories, 51×66 feet, $20,000), and 1921 school building (brick, 1 story, 62×82 feet).

There is one listing in Harbourton for two school buildings in 1915 (each frame, 1 story, 69×30 feet, total $10,000), plus numerous listings for residences in Harbourton.

Hopewell and Pennington Borough Schools – 1920s

There were no listings in the Builders’ Guide during the 1800s or early 1900s for the earlier Hopewell and Pennington borough grammar schools.

Hopewell Grammar School Annex [1918 pc ATJ]

There was a 1915 listing for the Annex to the Hopewell Grammar School on Model Avenue (see post): “frame, 1 story [plus partially above ground basement], 62×35 feet, slate roof, ventilating stoves, gas lighting.”

The major local school listings that then appeared in the Builders’ Guide were from the combined Board of Education of Hopewell Township, for the Pennington and Hopewell Grammar Schools built in 1926, and for the first Central High School in Pennington built in 1929.

Pennington and Hopewell Grammar Schools – 1926

Pennington Grammar School, 1952 postmark [SC]

The first listings in the Guide for the Pennington and Hopewell grammar schools appeared in 1923. There were a total of twelve listings for the two grammar schools, providing the full evolution from initial concept to full plans to final contract and add-ons.

The initial December 1923 listings only provided contact information, saying “Brick. Too early for details.” Follow-up listings in 1924 described Pennington as “brick, 2 stories, 10 rooms,” and Hopewell as “brick, 2 stories, 12 rooms,” with the architect selected and preliminary plans in progress.

Then in the end of 1924 and early 1925 came listings announcing the full plans were ready for bid, with very similar designs, with the Hopewell building slightly larger. Both used the same architect, J. O. Hunt of Trenton.

The new Hopewell Grammar School was built on Princeton Ave. (see post) – now Hopewell Elementary (brick, structural steel, 2 stories, 172×78 feet):

Brick, structural steel, 2 stories, 172×78 feet, built-up roof, hardwood [maple] floors, hollow tile, safety treads, metal ceilings, dampproofing, ornamental iron work, iron stairs, bond, metal lath (heating, plumbing and electric work separate).

The new Pennington Grammar School was built on South Main at Curlis (see post) – now Toll Gate (brick, steel, 2 stories, 156×78 feet):

Brick, steel, 2 stories, 156×78 feet, built-up roof, maple floors, hollow tile, safety treads, metal ceilings, damp-proofing, iron stairs, ornamental iron work, bond, metal lath (heating, electric work and plumbing separate).

The contract awards then were listed in March 1925: $97,128 for Hopewell and $81,068 for Pennington. The same contractor and subs were used for both buildings: “Contract awarded to Griffith & Watkins, Trenton, N. J. Heating and plumbing to Trenton Plumbing & Heating Co., Trenton, N.J. Electric awarded to Carr & Schultz, Trenton, N. J.”

There also was a follow-on listing, for “Lockers, furnishings, septic tank system” for both schools.

Central High School – 1929

Original Central High School, South Main, Pennington, built 1929 [DD]

The second set of listings in the Guide from the Hopewell Board of Education were for the first Central High School, S. Main at Ingleside in Pennington (now the HVRSD Administration building), which was built in 1929.

The original Central High School building listing for bids was in October 1928, again with J. O. Hunt of Trenton as the architect (brick, 2 stories & basement, 133×61 feet and 92×52 feet). The listing with the notice of the contact award then followed in December 1928, for $104,465:

Brick, 2 stories and basement, 133×61 feet, 92×52 feet, slate roof, maple floors, hollow tile, safety treads, metal weather strip, gymnasium and kitchen equipment, ornamental iron, iron stairs, bont, tile, marble, metal lath (heating, plumbing and electric separate).

See the Builders’ Guide Extract for details on more local projects, including stores, banks, church additions, road paving, bridges and culverts, a proposed Pennington speedway, railroad signal towers, and many personal residences.

View the Hopewell Valley Extracts from the Builders’ Guide (PDF)

View full Philadelphia Real Estate Record and Builders’ Guide – Browse & search (PDF)

Please contact us if you have similar reference sources, or additional information or materials on Hopewell Valley history.