Talk: The Story of the Hopewell Inn – and the People Who Sustained It

Explore the forgotten history of the Hopewell Inn, and the people and families who nurtured and reinvigorated it over its almost 150 year history as a part of the town of Hopewell. Douglas Dixon, Hopewell Valley History Project Wed., May 3, 2023, 7 pm – Free and open to the public – Attend in person … Continue reading Talk: The Story of the Hopewell Inn – and the People Who Sustained It

Hopewell Train Station Painting with Steam Engine 602

This painting by Fred Schuster shows the Reading Railroad #602 steam engine travelling past the Hopewell train station. It’s fascinating, because Schuster took some artistic license in rendering the scene, imagining the old steam locomotive in the c1970s scene, and because Schuster is something of a mystery, since we do not have much information about … Continue reading Hopewell Train Station Painting with Steam Engine 602

Hopewell Borough History Briefs – 2022 Edition

This is the 2022 Edition of a compilation of some 40 Hopewell Borough History Briefs written over the past three years. These History Project research reports have been compiled into a book, which is now available as a free PDF download for convenient reference, searching, and printing. The goal of this ongoing work is to … Continue reading Hopewell Borough History Briefs – 2022 Edition

February 2023 Update – School Days

The February updates to the History Project featured Hopewell schools, plus old phone directories and some more recent history with photos from 2000. (See Site Updates for more.) By the numbers, we finished the month with 291 files in the Archives, including 144 documents and 147 maps and aerials. The Image Gallery now has 3209 … Continue reading February 2023 Update – School Days

History in Local Photos – 2000 and Today

Can you picture what our area was like twenty years ago, fifty years ago, a hundred years ago? We actually have a good collection of photographs of important local scenes across the Hopewell Valley around the turn of the century (1900), from postcards and some local photographers, and because local boosters were creating publications to … Continue reading History in Local Photos – 2000 and Today

Hopewell Elementary School 1952

Part of our Pamphlet Collection is a growing category of pamphlets from local schools, including the original Hopewell High School from the 1890s to 1920s (now the firehouse), and then Central High School from the 1930s. These include yearbooks, graduation programs, and programs for class plays. And now, courtesy of Roger Labaw, we have the … Continue reading Hopewell Elementary School 1952

January 2023 Update – School Mascots

The January updates to the History Project featured Hopewell school mascots, plus historic photos of “railroad trains and flooded bridges.” (See Site Updates for more.) By the numbers, we finished the month with 290 files in the Archives, including 143 documents and 147 maps and aerials. The Image Gallery now has 3195 files, and the … Continue reading January 2023 Update – School Mascots

Hopewell History Project – 2022 Highlights

by Douglas Dixon Here are some of the highlights of the 2022 additions to the History Project site, with links to more information, plus associated documents, maps, photos, and videos. The purpose of the Hopewell Valley History Project is assemble an archive of reference material in local history, shared online in digital and searchable formats … Continue reading Hopewell History Project – 2022 Highlights

December 2022 Update – Hopewell Creamery

The December updates to the History Project featured the Hopewell Creamery, plus a variety of other historic photographs. (See Site Updates for more.) By the numbers, we finished the month with 289 files in the Archives, including 142 documents and 147 maps and aerials. The Image Gallery now has 3187 files, and the Panoramas Collection … Continue reading December 2022 Update – Hopewell Creamery

Hopewell New Year’s Artifacts

Happy New Year! In the spirit of the holiday, here are some Hopewell Valley artifacts related to celebrations, including fluid intake and recovery from the same. These span the 1920s into the 1970s, and include organizations and businesses that are still operating today, including the Hopewell Pharmacy and the American Legion. (This is also a … Continue reading Hopewell New Year’s Artifacts