Collections of references for popular topics on the History Project site, with links to associated posts, full History Briefs (PDF), images, and presentation videos.
Contents
– Hopewell Quarry Posts – Quarry History – Swim Club History –
– Photos – Videos – Talk Video & References –
More on the Hopewell Quarry and Swim Club

Presentation
- Talk – Memories of the Hopewell Quarry: Stones to Swimming
- Video and References for the Hopewell Quarry Presentation
History / Posts
- The Founding of the Hopewell Quarry – history
- The Evolution of the Hopewell Quarry Swimming Hole – history in photos
- Hopewell Valley Quarries – still visible today
- Stone Crushing Machines – with video
- Hopewell Quarry Swim Club Photo Gallery – 150+ photos
- Hopewell Quarry Swim Club – Boats and Floats – in photos
- Quarry Swim Club Photos – 1950s and 60s
- 1940s Hopewell Videos – Hopewell Quarry Swim Club
History Briefs
Media
- Photos – Quarry Swim Club photos in the Image Gallery
- Videos – 1940s Quarry videos on the History Project YouTube channel
- Videos – Hopewell Quarry History – Presentation and additional external videos
More on the Hopewell Harvest Fair
Harvest Fair
- 1939 Hopewell Carnival and Hopewell Fairs and Carnivals
- Harvest Fair Wooden Car Derby – 1983 – 2006
- The Game of Hopewell from the 1985 Hopewell Community Day
Pamphlets
- Harvest Fair Almanacs and Community Day brochures – from 1981
- Pamphlets – Harvest Fair Almanacs in the Pamphlet Collection
Media
- Hopewell Harvest Fair – Photos
- Images – Harvest Fair album (and Community Day) in the Image Gallery
- Images – Wooden Car Derby album in the Image Gallery
More on Town Events
See also Memorial Day
Hopewell – Harvest Fair, Community Day, Fire Dept. and Legion Carnivals
- Hopewell Harvest Fair – Photos
- Hopewell Harvest Fair Almanacs (1987-) and Community Day
- Harvest Fair Wooden Car Derby – 1983 – 2006
- 1978 American Legion Carnival – Gary Saretzky
- The Legion Carnival Train and Booths
- 1939 Hopewell Carnival Mystery Photo
Pennington – Pennington Day
Titusville – Fourth of July
- Titusville 1956 July 4th Parade and Water Show – and video
More on Memorial Day Activities
Posts on Memorial Day parades and activities
See also Town Events and Veterans Organizations
Memorial Day Parades
- Hopewell Borough Memorial Day Parade – 1992
- Hopewell Scenes – Memorial Day 1950 – 1990
- Hopewell Memorial Day Parades – 1960s & 70s
- Memorial Day 1967 – Eagle Bakery
- Memorial Day Snapshots – Behind the Scenes – 1960s and 2005
- Hopewell Memorial Day Parades c. 1950
- Hopewell Parade Videos 1946 – 1948 – Memorial Day & 1948 Firemen’s videos
Memorial Day and Related History
- Memorial Day – Hopewell’s First Fatality in WW II (1943)
- V-J Day in Hopewell (1945), as reported in the Hopewell News
- 1940s Hopewell Videos – Hopewell Honor Roll
Memorial Day Observances
- Hopewell Memorial Day Weekend Parades and Veterans Services 2023
- Memorial Day Weekend Veterans Services 2022
Veterans Organizations
Media
- Images: Hopewell Memorial Day Album (Image Gallery)
- Video: Anderson Hopewell Parades 1946-48 (YouTube)
More on Veterans Organizations
Posts on the American Legion and other local veterans organizations
See also Town Events and Memorial Day
History
Activities
- Memorial Day – Hopewell Memorial Day Parades – 1960s & 70s
- Legion Carnival – 1978 American Legion Carnival – Gary Saretzky
Media / Materials
- Images – Veterans / Legion album in the Image Gallery
- Documents – Veterans / Legion materials in the Pamphlet Collection
More on Hopewell Valley Schools
Posts on school materials, including yearbooks, graduation programs, and plays:
- c1912 Hopewell Grammar School Kids – photos
- 1917 Hopewell High School Yearbook
- 1920s Hopewell High School
- 1924 Hopewell High School Program and Ads
- 1952 Hopewell Elementary School – Graduation program and yearbook
- The Confusing Hopewell Firehouse – and Boro Hall and High School (1910)
- Hopewell School Mascots – and the Frog – School names, mascots and logos
- The Timberlane School Name – The Timberlane Drive development
Browse school materials in the Pamphlet Collection:
- All School Pamphlets
See also the Document Archive for additional historical school materials.
More on Hopewell Valley Churches
Historical information on Hopewell Valley churches.
See also the Document Archive for historical books on local churches.
Hopewell Borough
- Hopewell Boro Church Anniversary Booklets (1966 & 1977)
- Calvary Baptist Church – 95th Anniversary book – 1966 – with extensive history (PDF) Calvary Baptist Church – Anniversary (1941) and Dedication of New Front (1952) – with histories (Pamphlet Collection)
- Hopewell Presbyterian – Broad and Louellen – History and Brief – 2020
- Old School Baptist Church – Special Services (1993, 1993) – with histories (Pamphlet Collection)
- St. Alphonsus Church – 100th Anniversary book – 1977 – with extensive history (PDF)
- St. Alphonsus Church – Directory extracts – 2000 & 2010 – with history (Pamphlet Collection)
- Second Calvary Baptist Church – History and Brief – 2021
Pennington Borough
- Historic Churches of Pennington Borough Open House – 4/26/2015 – with histories (PDF)
- St. James Church – Cook Book extract – 1965 – with history (PDF)
More on Hopewell Railroads
Two railroads were built in the 1870 to connect Philadelphia and New York by travelling up from the Delaware River, through Pennington and Hopewell, and then north towards New York. The Mercer and Somerset opened in 1874, but was shut down in 1880. The Delaware and Bound Brook opened in 1876, and is the predecessor of the line that still runs through the area.
Hopewell Valley Railroad Lines (1870s)
- The Railroads of the Frog War
- History Brief – Hopewell Valley Railroad Lines (PDF)
- The Hopewell and Pennington Train Stations (1876)
- History Brief – The Hopewell and Pennington Train Stations (PDF)
- Image Gallery – Hopewell Boro Railroad Images
The Frog War (1876)
- The “Frog War” in Hopewell – with references on the event and the railway
- Presentation / Video – The Mercer and Somerset Story and The Frog War – tracing the M&S route
Hopewell Railroad Presentations
- Presentation / Video – Industrial Hopewell: Railroad Place – References
- Presentation / Video – Life in 1900s Hopewell With the Arrival of the Railroad – References
- Presentation / Video – Hopewell Train Stations: History and Art – References
Railroad and Train Station Artifacts and Artwork
- Hopewell Valley Railroad Artifacts
- Video – 1940s videos of people boarding trains at the Hopewell Train station (YouTube)
More on the Frog War
The “Frog War” is the name of the confrontation that took place on January 5 and 6, 1876 at a railroad crossing just south of Hopewell Borough, as the Delaware & Bound Brook Railroad (D&BB) needed to construct a “frog” so that the tracks of its new line could cross the existing tracks of the Mercer & Somerset Railroad (M&S). After a violent confrontation, the D&BB succeeded, and brought two rail lines across the Hopewell Valley.
The Frog War (1876)
- The “Frog War” in Hopewell – with references on the event and the railway
- The Railroads of the Frog War – with newspaper articles and more on the competing railroad lines
- Article – The Mercer & Somerset Railroad and a Frog War” by John Kilbride (2016)
- Article – “Battle of the Frogs” (reprint of Sunday Times-Advertiser, April 30, 1916)
- Presentation / Video – The Mercer and Somerset Story and The Frog War – tracing the M&S route
Links on Industrial Railroad Ave. and Somerset St.
- Industrial Hopewell: Railroad Place – and video of the associated presentation
- Hopewell Chocolate Factory (1892) – Tomato Factory (1892)
- Railroad Sidings / FCA (c1875) – J. B Hill and Sons (c1875)
- Kooltronic / Rockwell / Smith (1900) – Rose & Chubby’s (c1890s)
- Somerset Street – Brickyard / Rockwell (1890)
More on Industrial Hopewell – Railroad Avenue and Somerset Street
The arrival of two railroads in the 1870s spurred the growth of the town of Hopewell. But local boosters also saw a greater opportunity, and invested in developing Railroad Place as an industrial district that could support larger-scale manufacturing. Further down, Somerset Street also was used as an incubator area for starting new businesses.
Industrial Hopewell – Railroad Place
- Presentation / Video – Industrial Hopewell: Railroad Place – References
Railroad Place
- Industrial Hopewell: Railroad Place
- The Hopewell Chocolate Factory (1892) — History Brief (PDF)
- The Tomato Factory (1892) — History Brief (PDF)
- Hopewell Borough Railroad Sidings / FCA (c1875) — History Brief (PDF)
- J. B Hill and Sons (c1875) — History Brief (PDF)
- Kooltronic / Rockwell / Smith (1900) — History Brief (PDF)
- Rose & Chubby’s Luncheonette (c1890s) — History Brief (PDF)
Somerset Street
- Somerset Street – Brickyard / Rockwell (1890) — History Brief (PDF)
- Hopewell Valley Brickyards
- Somerset – Rockwell Fire Brigade (c1927) — History Brief (PDF)
More on Smith / Rockwell / Kooltronic
The large Smith / Rockwell / Kooltronic manufacturing facility at the end of Hamilton Ave. at Somerset St. expanded from a small job shop to a large manufacturing plant providing over 200 local jobs.
History
Media
- Post – Rockwell Artifacts and Photos
- Documents – Rockwell brochures in the Pamphlet Collection
- Photos – Rockwell images and artifacts in the Image Gallery
More on Industrial Sites on Model Avenue
Model Avenue was the first site of industrial development in Hopewell Borough after the arrival of train service in the 1870s, followed by Railroad Place.
Hopewell with the Arrival of the Railroad
- Presentation / Video – Hopewell with the Arrival of the Railroad – References
Finney & Fetter Saw & Feed Mill (1874)
- Finney & Fetter Saw & Feed Mill
- History Brief – 93 Model Ave., Hopewell – Fetter Saw Mill (PDF)
Golden & Van Doren Lumber Yard (1892)
- Model Ave. Lumber Yard – Golden & Van Doren
- Van Doren Lumberyard Fires
- History Brief – 24 Model Ave., Hopewell – Lumberyard (PDF)
- Image Gallery – Van Doren / Golden mementos – Lumberyard Fires
The Hopewell Creamery (c. 1887)
- The Hopewell Creamery
- History Brief – The Hopewell Creamery (PDF)
– Hopewell Inn Posts – History Brief – Presentation Video – Visual Tours –
– Memorabilia – Demolition – Construction –
More on the Hopewell Inn – 15 East Broad
The Hopewell Valley Bistro & Inn building at 15 East Broad Street on the corner of Seminary Avenue was demolished in July 2022. Long known as the Central Hotel, the building had a nearly 150 year history as a residential home and store, bar and restaurant, and lodging and apartments.
Hopewell Inn History
- The Hopewell Inn / Central Hotel – Summary of the property’s history
- Full History Brief – 15 East Broad Street, Hopewell – Hopewell Inn (c1878) (PDF)
Presentation
- Presentation video and references – The Story of the Hopewell Inn – Video and References
Hopewell Inn Information
- Hopewell Images During the Lindbergh Kidnapping (1932) – Exterior photos
- Seeing What’s Different – Changes to the Hopewell Inn – 4 phases in the building’s design
- Inside the Hopewell Inn – 1932 – Photos of the interior
Hopewell Inn Tours – 2022
- Hopewell Inn Tours – Panoramas, Videos, Photos
- Tour Panoramas – Browse 180- and 360-degree Pans in Panorama Collection
- Tour Videos – Video walkthroughs of the first, second, and third floors (YouTube)
- Tour Image Gallery – 130 images of a photo walkthrough of the entire building
Hopewell Inn Memorabilia
- Hopewell Inn Memorabilia – Building and artifacts
- Memorabilia Image Gallery – Hopewell Inn Memorabilia album
Hopewell Inn Media
- Video – 1975 Video at the Hopewell Inn Bar – Clip of patrons at the bar
- Photos – Hopewell Inn photos (15 East Broad) in the Image Gallery
- History Map – 15 East Broad – Town map and historical images
Hopewell Inn Construction – 2023
- Construction Image Gallery – Hopewell Inn Construction album
Hopewell Inn Demolition – July 2022
- Hopewell Inn Demolition Updates – Photos and Videos
- Demolition Image Gallery – Hopewell Inn Demolition album
- Demolition Videos – Hopewell Inn Demolition Videos (YouTube)
More on Hoproco Toys
Hoproco, the Hopewell Products Company, operated from 1923 to 1929 at 18 Burton Avenue in Hopewell, and is still remembered for the five known metal toys it created.
Hoproco History
- Hoproco – Hopewell’s 1920s Toy Company – Summary of the company and the toys
- Hopewell Toys of the 1920s – More on toys of the period and how Hoproco fit into the market
- Hoproco – Hopewell’s 1920s Toy Company – Talk & Exhibits – Talk description
- Hoproco Toy Company – Video and References – Talk video and references
Video / Presentation
- Talk Video – Hoproco – Hopewell’s 1920s Toy Company – 11/2022 (YouTube)
- Talk Slides – Hoproco – Updated version of the presentation slides (PDF)
Briefs
- Hoproco History Brief – Hoproco Tin Toys (1920s) (PDF)
- Factory History Brief – 18 Burton Avenue – Stair / Toy Factory (1897) (PDF)
- Handout – Hoproco Toys Handout (PDF) – One page summary of the five Hoproco toys
Images
- Image Gallery – Hoproco Toys album – 45+ images of the toys and materials
Map
- History Map – 18 Burton Avenue – Property map and historical images
More on Information from Local Photos
Even prosaic family snapshots of everyday life can be tremendously useful in understanding and illustrating local history, as they show more in the backgrounds, providing glimpses of people and places that were previously through to be lost.
Here are examples of the kind of information we can find from photo collections, that have been shared by several local families.
- Yard Sailing for Local History – local discoveries
- Easter Bonnet Photos – along the railroad tracks
- Railroad Avenue – and Fletcher’s Castoria – display ads
- Preserving Hopewell Yard Sale Artifacts – mementos
- Hopewell’s Lost Liveries – liveries to auto repair
- Hopewell 1913 Snowy Scenes – seeing the backgrounds
- Memorial Day Snapshots – behind the Scenes
- Snowy Day in Hopewell – 1910s – Blackwell & Railroad
- Snowy Day in Hopewell – early 1900s – empty Broad & Greenwood
- Memorial Day 1967 – Eagle Bakery
- Hopewell Scenes – Memorial Day 1950 – 1990
More on Hopewell Phone Directories
Phone service in Hopewell started in 1899 with the Hopewell Telephone and Construction Company, which was acquired in 1904 by the Delaware and Atlantic Telephone Co., part of the Bell System. We have early phone directories from c1910. We also have the 1932 (Lindbergh) Hopewell Phone Directory that was compiled by the New Jersey State Police, who tracked toll calls made from the Hopewell area around the date of the kidnapping.
c1910 Phone Directories
- Early Telephone Service – 1908 Phone Book – Phones come to the Hopewell Valley
- PDF – 1908 Hopewell Area Bell Telephone Directory – Extract of Hopewell Valley & area listings
- PDF – 1910 Hopewell Bell Telephone Directory – Extract of Hopewell listings
- PDF – c1910 Annotated Hopewell Phone Directory (1908-1910) – Merged and annotated listings, 1908-1910
1932 (Lindbergh) Phone Directory
- 1932 Hopewell Phone Directory – From the Lindbergh kidnapping – Analyzing the listings
- PDF – 1932 Hopewell Phone Directory Report – State Police directory
- PDF – 1932 Hopewell Phone Directory – by Street – Listings sorted by street address