Hopewell Valley History Project
Preserving Our History
It’s difficult to imagine life in Hopewell Township in 1880 – almost century and a half ago. It was an exciting time, since two train lines had been recently built though the township, accelerating the growth of the region. (See the Hopewell Railroads post.) We are blessed with some maps of the area, including details … Continue reading The Villages of Hopewell Township in 1883
Somerset Street is the lost street of Hopewell Borough. Yes, the street is still there, but the physical history is gone – all the homes and buildings, and even the remnants of foundations and the ground itself are lost. This was mostly the result of the clean-up in the 1990s of the contamination from the … Continue reading Lost Somerset Street
The December updates to the Hopewell Valley History Project site included historical photos of snowy views around the valley, the Hopewell train station, and some possibly false images around the area. Plus a 1924 high school program packed with ads for local businesses, and New York Times articles published directly after the Hopewell Frog War. … Continue reading December 2021 Update – Hopewell or Not
The October updates on the Hopewell Valley History Project site focused on the local Hopewell and Pennington train stations, including a trove of over 40 historical photos by Ralph Curcio. Other posts showed examples of how to use historical maps to learn about local properties, such as the additions to St. Michael’s and Weart’s Market … Continue reading October 2021 Update – Train Stations
How can you begin to investigate the history of your house, or street, or town? When were the buildings built and expanded, and how did the streets develop over time? The best way to get a quick sense of how our towns changed and developed is to look at the maps. And we are blessed … Continue reading Investigating History in Hopewell Maps
The Hopewell Valley Bistro and Inn building at 15 East Broad Street and Seminary Avenue has been in the news, with plans to demolish the structure and rebuild a historically familiar design for use as an upscale restaurant and apartments (see MercerMe article). The building has a nearly 150 year history as a residential home … Continue reading The Hopewell Inn / Central Hotel
[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
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
