Hopewell Valley History Project
Preserving Our History
Have you seen the Hopewell Borough Honor Roll and Service Flag that were created during World War II to honor residents serving in the armed forces? And what about the Honor Rolls for Hopewell Township or Pennington or Washington Crossing / Titusville ? These honor rolls and service flags were commonly created by different groups … Continue reading Where are the Hopewell Valley WW II Honor Rolls?
This archive of twenty early Mercer County area farming and school photos comes from the 1914 Farm & Business Directory of Mercer and Middlesex Counties (see previous post). These wonderfully evocative photos include scenes of local schools and school children, and farm scenes with different animals and crops, ranging from horse-drawn plows to more “modern” … Continue reading 1914 Mercer County Farm and School Photos
4/3/26 – Add 1913 & 1927 Maps – 4/1/26 – Add Mercer County farming photos We have another amazing reference source that gives us a view into the lives of people in the Hopewell Valley in 1914, through data on farming and from lists of the people and the businesses of the time. The contrast … Continue reading 1914 Hopewell Area Farms & Businesses
In November 2025, the construction work on the exterior of the new Hopewell Inn building was nearly complete (at Broad Street and Seminary Avenue in Hopewell Borough), and the focus was shifting to finishing the interior. But first, it was a good time to replace the old driveway and parking area behind the building and … Continue reading Historical Cisterns Found at the Hopewell Inn
Rev. 3/7/26 – Add another local Tom Thumb wedding What kind of fundraiser can you run for elementary school kids? There’s selling candy or books, or school hats or shirts, or discount cards for local businesses, or simply holding a raffle. Instead, it really would be better to have some kind of event involving the … Continue reading Tom Thumb Wedding in 1941 Hopewell
Since we’ve been having so much fun with snow and ice and sub-freezing weather, you’ll really appreciate these scenes from a couple decades ago: the blizzard of February 17, 2003. These are scrapbook pages kindly donated by Edie and Roger Labaw, that show chilly views around their home on Columbia Avenue near Seminary Avenue. The … Continue reading More Snow: The Blizzard of February 2003
The January 2026 updates to the History Project were focused on more late1800s Hopewell trade cards that provide new information on Hopewell businesses, and in packing up the story of the Hopewell Elementary School for this Centennial year. There were also significant additions of materials to the Image Gallery and the Pamphlet Collection. (See Site … Continue reading January 2026 Update – Trade Cards / Hopewell Elementary Centennial
The Hopewell Elementary School at 35 Princeton Avenue is celebrating its centennial in 2026, one hundred years after it opened in 1926 as the Hopewell Grammar School. The Grammar School originally held classes for kindergarten through 8th grade, but has changed over the years with the introduction of a separate middle school between elementary school … Continue reading Hopewell Elementary School Centennial
Trade cards provide fascinating views of local Hopewell businesses in the late 1800s. These cards with their colorful artwork were a popular method of promotion to clients and customers. And they are helpful historical artifacts for us, as they provide information including the owner’s name, descriptions of the business, and listings of important products. Thanks … Continue reading 1880s Hopewell Trade Cards
by Douglas Dixon This document reports end of year highlights from the 2026 additions to the History Project site, with links to more information, plus associated documents, maps, photos, and videos. Thanks to assistance from many families and other contributors, major research projects this year included the Ferrante Dress Factory, 4 Mercer Street (Franco’s Pizza … Continue reading Hopewell History Project – 2025 Highlights
