Hopewell Valley History Project
Preserving Our History
The October 2025 updates to the History Project included the history of Hopewell Valley funeral homes, and several mystery photos. (See Site Updates for more.) Hopewell Valley Funeral Homes The Hopewell Valley Funeral Homes report summarizes the funeral directors and funeral homes that operated in Pennington, Hopewell, and Titusville from the late 1800s into the … Continue reading October 2025 Update – Funeral Homes and Mystery Photos
Here are three “mystery” photos – We know generally what they are but not specifics of the dates or people or the event that the photo is depicting. These include a Hopewell Baseball team, probably from the 1940s, a group photo at the Hopewell Fire Department, perhaps 1940s, and the Hopewell Fire Department Carnival, also … Continue reading Mystery Photos – Baseball, Fire, Carnival
The July 2025 updates to the History Project included a new postcard views of Hopewell sights, a 1941 Hopewell Elementary School newspaper, and additional Hopewell photographs. (See Site Updates for more.) New Old Views: Hart Monument, Ralston Castle, National Bank A newly-discovered collection of historical postcards provides better views into some of familiar Hopewell Borough … Continue reading July 2025 Update – New Old Views & 1941 School Newspaper
The June 2025 updates to the History Project included a new photo of the 1937-38 Hopewell Fire Department Rainbow Carnival, an amazing baby book from 1916, and additional railroad timetables. (See Site Updates for more.) Hopewell Fire Dept. Rainbow Carnival – 1937-38 Before the Hopewell Harvest Fair (since 1987), there was Community Day (1970s-80s), the … Continue reading June 2025 Update – Fire Dept Carnival & Baby Book
Before the Hopewell Harvest Fair (since 1987), there was Community Day (1970s-80s), the American Legion Carnival (1960s-70s), and the Hopewell Fire Department Carnival that ran from 1911 to 1953. And now, thanks to Joan Bratsko, we have a second image of the Fire Department Carnivals in the late 1930s: the previous image of the 1939 … Continue reading Hopewell Fire Dept. Rainbow Carnival – 1937-38
This Pennington N. J. Fire Company 125th Anniversary Booklet was published in 2016, and includes 64 pages with photos and information on current and past officers, members, and equipment. There are also extensive sections on the history of the history of the Fire Company and the Ladies Auxiliary. The Pennington Fire Company is one of … Continue reading Pennington Fire Company 125th Anniversary – 2016
These are some fascinating photos of two fires at the Van Doren lumberyard on Model Avenue in Hopewell. The photos of the 2004 fire are courtesy of Ann and Tom Johnson, and the photos of the major 1991 fire are courtesy of Dick Sudlow. The Model Avenue lumberyard began in 1892 under Abram S. Golden … Continue reading Van Doren Lumberyard Fires
Part of the joy in exploring Hopewell is discovering history in unexpected and even undistinguished places. For example, there is a small one-story building at 8 Somerset Street in Hopewell Borough – at the intersection with Hamilton Avenue, on the railroad side of the street, just past the Tomato Factory and before the parking lot. … Continue reading Rockwell Fire Brigade on Somerset
This could be the most confusing building in Hopewell Borough – The current firehouse and former Borough Hall on the corner of Columbia Avenue and South Greenwood Avenue (2-4 Columbia Avenue). Yes, these three images are the same building – The tall three-story High School built in 1910, the squat two-story Borough Hall renovated in … Continue reading The Confusing Hopewell Firehouse (and Boro Hall and High School)
Our local fire companies – Hopewell Fire Department & Emergency Medical Unit, Pennington Fire Company and Pennington First Aid Squad, and Union Fire Company & Rescue Squad in Titusville – all need volunteer firefighters and emergency medical technicians. To learn how you can help, visit http://ProtectHopewellValley.com. We are continuing to celebrate the history of the … Continue reading Hopewell Valley Fire Departments
