Hopewell Valley History Project
Preserving Our History
Do you know the many historic sites in our Hopewell Valley? The Hopewell Township Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) has helped spread the word by publishing two sets of bookmarks describing local historic properties. The HPC published these in two sets, with sixteen bookmarks done in 2004, and a second set of eight in 2020 (with … Continue reading Hopewell Township Historic Sites
[Updated 9/3/21 – Additional photos for clearer view across back of Seminary] The 1910s saw a revolution in the lives of people and towns with the introduction of the automobile, including Henry Ford’s Model T, launched in 1908. We can track this change in Hopewell Borough and other local towns through the decline of the … Continue reading Hopewell’s Lost Liveries: From Horses to Cars
Can you help identify and date these photos taken in Pennington in the mid to late 1900s? These are from different sets of postcards, but none of the cards were dated. There are some clues in the images, especially the models of the cars, but does anyone know more about these – when they were … Continue reading Postcards of Pennington
Mercer Street in Hopewell is a fascinating example of how familiar – and also how different – our streetscapes appear compared to the early 1900s. For example, today’s Mercer Street has businesses in the commercial area the West Broad Street end, and is residential at the Model Avenue end. But at the northeast end, before … Continue reading Mercer Street – Legion Hall and Stonecutting
The July updates on the Hopewell Valley History Project site added two new history briefs – on the well-remembered Soupe du Jour restaurant, and the long-forgotten Hopewell brickyard. We also added two collections of images around town from the 1960s and 70s – a set from Bob Gantz showing both familiar buildings and lost streetscapes, … Continue reading July 2021 Update – Bricks and Soup
These trade cards were issued around the mid-1880s for J. Thomas Gandy’s drug store in Hopewell. These pocketable cards with colorful images were a popular method of promotion to clients and customers, and are shared here thanks to the kindness of Bob Gantz. == View all the Gandy Drug Store Trade Cards in the Image … Continue reading Gandy’s Drug Store & Trade Cards
This wonderful view down Railroad Place in Hopewell seems so familiar – with the Chocolate Factory and then J. B. Hill & Sons to the right and the Tomato Factory at the end of the street. But this photo actually captures a long-lost streetscape, including two buildings that were destroyed by arson, and the railroad … Continue reading Hopewell 1965 and Railroad Place
The Soupe du Jour restaurant was a beloved Hopewell fixture for 35 years. It was founded at the Tomato Factory Antiques Center in 1972 by Valerie Hartshorne and Frad Young, and moved the following year to 10 East Broad Street at Blackwell Avenue. Patty Phillips then took over the business from 1980 to 2007. The … Continue reading Remembering Soupe du Jour
To echo the fun of the recent Hopewell Valley celebrations for Memorial Day and July 4th, here are a selection of photos of Hopewell Memorial Day parades from 1961 to 1978. These show the crowds and marchers and buildings on various streets along the parade route. (Note the dates are approximate.) These are from a … Continue reading Hopewell Memorial Day Parades – 1960s & 70s
The Hopewell Valley is blessed with some wonderful and impressive (and solid) brick buildings. But where did all those bricks came from, especially for construction around 1900, with delivery by horse and wagon? It turns out that the Hopewell Valley area did have some local brickyards, including near Lambertville and in Hopewell Borough. We can … Continue reading Hopewell Valley Brickyards
