Hopewell Valley History Project
Preserving Our History
The October 2024 updates to the History Project include the presentation video on Smith / Rockwell / “Hopewell 57” plus a Q&A and additional materials, new photos of the Tomato Factory, and mementos of Hopewell High School in 1927. (See Site Updates for more.) By the numbers, we finished the month with 332 files in … Continue reading October 2024 Update – Rockwell, Tomato Factory, High School
The current Tomato Factory Antiques Center on Somerset Street in Hopewell is well named – it indeed once was a tomato cannery, which operated from 1892 to around 1950. We now have some additional photos kindly contributed by Joan Bratsko that provide a glimpse into its operation. The pace of the canning business was astounding. … Continue reading The Hopewell Tomato Factory – Then & Now
What is the story of the “Hamilton 57” site on Somerset Street in Hopewell? How did it grow and evolve over the past 100 years? Here are some questions in anticipation of the upcoming presentation – with brief answers. The Building Q: What is this crazy quilt of a building? Was it designed as a … Continue reading “Hopewell 57” Historical Questions
The September 2024 updates to the History Project include T. Johnson Design metal works around Hopewell, Smith Novelty local business invoices c1910, 1932 Lindbergh scenes of Hopewell, and the 2024 Hopewell Harvest Fair. (See Site Updates for more.) By the numbers, we finished the month with 331 files in the Archives, including 168 documents and … Continue reading September 2024 Update – T. Johnson Designs, c1900 Invoices
This wonderful collection of invoices from 1910s Hopewell companies vividly show the interconnections of local businesses of the time. The customer here was the Smith Novelty Company on Somerset Street (the predecessor to Rockwell), which at the time was growing past 40 employees. These invoices also show how local companies viewed their own businesses, with … Continue reading Smith Novelty Business Invoices c1910
Jim Davidson’s Lindbergh presentation is this Thursday, September 26, 2024: “Hopewell was like a Roman Circus: Hopewell, the Sourlands and the Lindbergh Kidnapping.” Attend in person at the Hopewell Presbyterian Church, or join the online virtual presentation via Zoom. The event starts at ## 8 pm ## (doors open at 7:30 pm).Click for more information … Continue reading 1932 Lindbergh Hopewell Scenes
— The 2024 Harvest Fair is Saturday, September 21 — The 36th Annual Hopewell Harvest Fair is Saturday, September 21, 2024, from 9:45 am to 4 pm, back at the Hopewell Elementary School, 35 Princeton Avenue, Hopewell, NJ. The rain date is Saturday, September 28. This volunteer community event has been providing fun and entertainment … Continue reading Hopewell Harvest Fair – 2024
The August 2024 updates to the History Project include the video of the “Hopewell 57” / Rockwell talk, a major update of property information to the Hopewell History Map, 1950s memories of Pennington, and more. (See Site Updates for more.) By the numbers, we finished the month with 331 files in the Archives, including 168 … Continue reading August 2024 Update – Rockwell, Grammar School Annex, Pennington
Mike Thomsen has kindly contributed some 75 photographs of Pennington from around 1958, up to when he completed high school. These include scenes of the buildings and businesses along Main Street and Delaware Avenue, views of the train station and other area bridges, and fun views of the local schools, Memorial Day parades, family, and … Continue reading 1950s Memories of Pennington
The interactive Hopewell History Map has been updated to display over 100 new property information summaries as you click to view local addresses. It brings together other materials from the History Project site, displaying over 1700 photos of local properties from the Image Gallery, and providing links to now some 100 detailed History Briefs and … Continue reading New Property Info in the Hopewell History Map
