Hopewell Valley History Project
Preserving Our History
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
— 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 this nondescript small building next to the former lumberyard on Model Avenue in Hopewell Borough? It’s actually related to the long apartment building on the right side – since both are part of the Hopewell Grammar School that was built there starting in 1888. The Model Avenue school, also known as the Lincoln … Continue reading Hopewell Grammar School Annex – Jewelry, Guitars, and Metalwork
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”
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
This is a fun collection of material from the Cointreau distillery that operated in Pennington from 1942 through 1967. These include colorful liqueur labels, collections of mini-bottles, and photos including a 1960s staff photo with names. These are all thanks to the Jamieson family, whose grandparents lived next to the Cointreau plant and worked there. … Continue reading The Cointreau Distillery at the Straube Center
Our Hopewell Valley and towns are seeped in history – deep in the names and landscape and buildings around us. One fun way to get out and around and explore this past is with a history tour – driving around the area and walking in the towns. You also can explore virtually online to learn … Continue reading Explore Historic Hopewell Valley – House and Street Tours
History, Presentation Video, Media, and References St. Michael’s was a major local institution that operated just outside of Hopewell Borough for three quarters of a century (1898 to 1973), to provide support and education for abandoned and neglected children. St. Michael’s was home over the years to thousands of children, over a hundred Sisters of … Continue reading St. Michael’s Orphanage
