These fun blankets and flags from Hopewell and Pennington to the collection, celebrating the streetscapes of our historic towns and important anniversaries of their founding.
They are part of a long history or our local towns creating fun and interesting objects to commemorate important anniversaries, including community-designed quilts, plus other items including posters and plates (see the links below).
Updated 8/16/26 with information from Facebook commentators.
We would appreciate finding out more about the stories of these objects – how and why they were made, and by who.
1997 Pennington Toll Gate Throw Blanket
The 1997 Pennington Borough Throw Blanket includes some 20 Pennington landmarks and streetscapes, featuring the Toll Gate Grammar School. It is further decorated with cars and school buses, kids playing and trees, trains on tracks, and roads with kids on bikes and animals.
This woven tapestry throw is some 66 by 45 inches, with the same pattern on both sides in opposite opposite light on dark and dark on light.
The corners are marked “Pennington, New Jersey, 1997” plus “DEG,” and “Made for Toll Gate Grammar School” plus “R3.”
Debbie Gwazda (DEG) created the blanket / coverlet, including the design. She aimed to represent represent the different styles of architecture in Pennington, and added the papercut silhouettes, including “the carefree children and the mom vans.” It was offered for sale in colors including green, red, and light blue.
Tracy Meyer reports that “R3” was a slogan taught to elementary kids for positive school behavior: “Respectful, Reasonable and Responsible.” Gwazda reports that this was a nod to the important lessons that Mr. Fitzpatrick encouraged while he was principal at Toll Gate.
- See Local Historic Blankets in the Image Gallery
2013 Hopewell Fire Dept. Historic Hopewell Blanket
The 2013 Historic Hopewell throw blanket was a commemorative fundraiser released by the Hopewell Borough Fire Department Ladies Auxiliary (HFDLA). This was the second such blanket created by the HFD, with different historic sites than the first blanket issued in the 1990s.
The design features eight local historic sites, plus the John Hart Monument at the Old School Baptist Church. It also included an accompanying brief history guide that described the sites.
The 48-by-68-inch, machine-washable cotton woven blanket was sold for $40 to benefit volunteer fire department equipment and community projects. It was available with colored border/accent options including black, cranberry, hunter green, and duke blue. (See Hopewell Express 2013 and Hopewell Express 2016.)
Can someone provide a photo of the first HFDLA Historic Hopewell blanket from the 1990s?
- See Local Historic Blankets (and accompanying history guide) in the Image Gallery
1991 & 2016 Hopewell Anniversary Flags
These two flags were created in 1991 and 2016 for the 100th and 125th anniversaries of the 1891 incorporation of Hopewell Borough. Both of these flags have survived well after display over the intervening years.
The blue 100th flag features a fireworks display, and lists the incorporation dates, 1891 – 1991.
The beige 125th flag features the event logo with the Hopewell train station. It also explains the larger context: Hopewell was established in 1703 (as a settlement) and then formally incorporated as a borough on April 14, 1891, as a separate municipality from the surrounding Hopewell Township.
- See Local Historic Flags in the Image Gallery
Can anyone share more about these more about the stories of these blankets and flags, or other similar mementos. How and why were they created, and by who?
Can someone provide a photo of the first HFDLA Historic Hopewell blanket from the 1990s?
More on Historic Hopewell Valley Quilts, Blankets, Flags
Historic mementos from the Hopewell Valley, celebrating events including the U. S. Bicentennial and the anniversaries of the founding of local towns, including quilts, blankets, and flags.
Quilts
- Post – Pennington Bicentennial Quilts
- Post – Hopewell Borough Centennial (1991) and 125th Anniversary (2016) Quilts
- Post – Hopewell Bicentennial Quilt (1976)
- Pamphlets Collection: Information on local quilts
- Image Gallery: Local Historic Quilts
Blankets
- Post: Pennington (1997) and Hopewell (2013) Borough Historic Blankets
- Image Gallery: Local Historic Blankets
Flags
- Post: Hopewell Boro Historic Flags (1991 / 100th and 2016 / 125th)
- Image Gallery: Local Historic Flags
Images
- Image Gallery: Full Mementos Album in the Image Gallery
