Hopewell Valley History Project
Preserving Our History
Updated 12/4/24 – Sansone & Osif What are the stories of the Hopewell Pharmacy and the two other buildings at the corner of West Broad and South Greenwood in Hopewell? We have some facts and photos of the businesses and people that were there back to the 1890s – but are seeking more information and … Continue reading The Hopewell Drug Store Businesses
Updated 11/24/24 – More on moving the monument You never know what you might find in that old photo album in the attic. So why is this photo interesting? It’s just some kids marching in a parade, with some buildings across the street. OK, so this is an historic 1920s photo, courtesy of Joan Bratsko, … Continue reading The Hopewell American Legion Monument – 1925
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
The video and slides from the “Hopewell 57” presentation on Oct. 9, 2024 now are available on the History Project site, along with the updated 25-page History Brief research paper on the facility and the street. This work is intended to document the history of this for this crazy-quilt of a manufacturing complex, and the … Continue reading Understanding “Hopewell 57” – Rockwell / Smith
The “Hopewell 57” complex at the corner of Hamilton Avenue and Somerset Street in Hopewell Borough was first known as Smith Novelty, and then Rockwell and Kooltronic. This presentation – Smith to Rockwell to “Hopewell 57” – chronicles the saga of Hugh A. Smith, who chose Hopewell in 1901 to pursue his dream of establishing … Continue reading Smith to Rockwell to “Hopewell 57” – Presentation Video and References
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
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
— 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
What is “Hopewell 57” – that big brick building complex at the corner of Hamilton Avenue and Somerset Street in Hopewell Borough, which was earlier known as Rockwell and then Kooltronic? That block along Hamilton actually has an agglomeration of buildings that developed over time as part of a quintessential Hopewell story – as an … Continue reading Talk: Smith to Rockwell to “Hopewell 57”
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
