Investigating The Hopewell Dress Factory
Presented by Douglas Dixon, Wednesday, November 5, 2005
– Talk References – Ferrante Dress Factory Presentation Video and Slides
– Full History Brief – Ferrante Dress Factory History Brief (PDF)
– View Talk Video – Ferrante Dress Factory Presentation Video (YouTube)
Why is this Italianate villa standing alone in a field in the Sourland Mountains above Hopewell Borough? And how was it a “dress factory,” where locals still remember their mothers working?
In this talk, Doug Dixon investigates the history behind these mysteries, using public records and family photos to reveal a quintessential early 20th century Hopewell story: a young family – first-generation Italian immigrants – who came to Hopewell from the Bronx in the early 1930s, seeking both a good home for their family and a supportive environment for their entrepreneurial spirit.
We’ll also explore the larger social and business context for this small company, including the evolution of women’s dresses, the process of manufacturing dresses, and the impact of world events and government regulation.
About the Speaker:
Douglas Dixon is an independent technology consultant and writer, now morphed into a history enthusiast and author. He is a board member of the Hopewell Museum and the Hopewell Valley Historical Society.
Doug also created the Hopewell Valley History Project in 2019 to digitize and freely share local historical materials to aid research into area people and places. With the assistance of some 160 local contributors, the site now hosts some 5600 documents and maps, images and videos, and an interactive Hopewell History Map. With these materials, Doug has presented over ten local talks, hosted historical walking tours, and authored over 40 Hopewell Borough History Briefs — over 500 pages of research reports on local organizations and properties.
Investigating The Hopewell Dress Factory
Wednesday, November 5, 2005 – 7:00 – 8:30 pm – Free and open to the public
Hopewell Presbyterian Church, 80 West Broad Street, Hopewell NJ 08525
– If attending in person, please register here
– Or register here to join the meeting online via Zoom
Hopewell Public Library Speaker Series
Co-sponsored by the Hopewell Valley Historical Society and The Hopewell Museum
Please contact us if you have (or know of) additional materials or information related to the story of the Ferrante Dress Factory.
More on the Ferrante Dress Factory
Presentation
- Talk Video & References – Ferrante Dress Factory Presentation Video and Slides
- View Talk Video – Ferrante Dress Factory Presentation Video (YouTube)
- Talk Description – Investigating The Hopewell Dress Factory
Media
- Photos – Ferrante Dress Factory building images (Image Gallery)
History / Brief
- Post – The Ferrante Dress Factory
- History Brief – Ferrante Dress Factory History Brief (PDF)
