Hopewell Valley History Project
Preserving Our History
We know the stories of some of our historical buildings – but who actually designed and built them, and to what specifications? Who designed and built St. Michael’s Orphanage and its additions, or the school buildings on South Main in Pennington, or other town halls and residences, schools and churches, banks and theaters? It turns … Continue reading Builders’ Guide to Hopewell Valley Construction Projects – 1888-1940
The July 2024 updates to the History Project include 1960s vintage road maps showing changes to the local road network, railroad timetables from 1945 to 1978 illustrating the decline of service from the 1940s, plus more on the St. Michael’s Orphanage, school, and cemetery. (See Site Updates for more.) By the numbers, we finished the … Continue reading July 2024 Update – Road Maps, Train Schedules, and St Michael’s
Every now and then we can get a glimpse back in time to what life in Hopewell was like 50 or 100 years ago. Sometimes these come from newly-discovered photos or writing. And sometimes they come from names and numbers on a page, as with two newly-discovered sets of St. Michael’s Mission and School annual … Continue reading St. Michael’s School & Mission Annual Reports, 1940s-1973
Yes, there was a cemetery at St. Michael’s Orphanage in Hopewell. And no, we do not know much about it, except from a few brief references and a few memories. So please do contact us if you have additional information about the cemetery. The St. Michael’s cemetery was located in a tree-lined lane set back … Continue reading The St. Michael’s Cemetery – and Celtic Cross
The June 2024 updates to the History Project focused on the Straube Center and the Cointreau Distillery in Pennington, plus more on the St. Michael’s Orphanage farm, the Hopewell Township Police 50th, and tips on using the History Project resources to explore Hopewell Valley. (See Site Updates for more.) By the numbers, we finished the … Continue reading June 2024 Update – Cointreau and the Straube Center
What would a large farm operation be like in Hopewell in the early 1900s? What kinds of animals did they raise – livestock and poultry? What variety of produce did they grow – vegetables and fruit? How much product did they generate – hay and grain, dairy products, eggs? And how did the finances work … Continue reading St. Michael’s Farm Report – 1914
The May 2024 updates to the History Project focused on the St. Michael’s Orphanage presentation and videos and images of local Memorial Day activities. (See Site Updates for more.) By the numbers, we finished the month with 323 files in the Archives, including 161 documents and 162 maps and aerials. The Image Gallery now has … Continue reading May 2024 Update – St. Michael’s Presentation
What was life really like for our ancestors in Hopewell a century ago? We have some of their writings (see post on Hopewell Booklets), and we continue to do oral history interviews to capture memories – even back to the 1930s (see post on Hopewell Grammar School Kids). And now we can hear the songs … Continue reading Songs and Prayers of St. Michael’s Children
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
Most of the formal photos of the St. Michael’s Orphanage show only a front view of the imposing building, with no visible signs of life. So here are some photos that show some groups of St. Michael’s children in various activities. These include views of kids swinging on the playground, a boy scout group, and … Continue reading Photos of St. Michael’s Kids
