Those Places Thursday - Trenton, NJ

Trenton, NJ Postcard (unused) ca 1940

Postcard of Trenton, NJ circa 1940, showing night view of State Street West from Broad Street - you can see the Hotel Stacy Trent in the rear left.

Those Places Thursday - Notable Trenton Homes - Trenton, NJ

On Sunday I posted the obituary of Irvin Wise Rogers, my husband's great-grand-uncle who died 12 May 1912 in Trenton, NJ.  A prosperous and well-respected businessman with the Standard Fire Insurance Company, he had just built a new home five months before he died.  I found this article in the Trenton Sunday Times Advertiser published on 8 Jun 1913:

The article below describes in detail the home inside and out from the architecture of the brick home (modified Colonial) to the garden designed by horticulturalist, Edmund C. Hill.  The home was built in the heart of the old estate of the Cadwaladers, then known as the Cadwalader Park section.  The architect was William W. Slack with much input by Mr. and Mrs Rogers.  The article goes on to describe the entrance, the vestibule, the library with many books, dining room, butler's pantry and kitchen.  There was a porch that at the last moment was turned into a glassed and heated study and after Mr. Rogers' death used by his son Dr. Lawrence H. Rogers.   Family bedrooms were on the second floor along with five closets and a thoroughly modern bathroom.  There was also a third story which was furnished along with a storeroom.

Those Places Thursday - Mercer Hospital, Trenton, New Jersey

I was lucky enough to score these vintage postcards on eBay of Mercer Hospital in Trenton, New Jersey where my husband's ancestors were affiliated, first his great-grandfather, Dr. Elmer H. Rogers who died in 1907 and then his grandfather, Dr. Alvin Stackhouse Rogers, Sr. who died in 1937.

These postcards are postmarked circa 1910 -1913 so are very indicative of the era.

Those Places Thursday - Trenton, NJ - A Century Ago

Having never been to Trenton, NJ where many of my husband's paternal ancestors lived for quite some time, it is hard to get a feel for the area.  Since there are no family pictures from his father's side of the family I can't look back that way either.  I have been lucky to find a couple of old pictures by purchasing a subscription to the historical archives of the Trenton Times for which I am thankful.

Broad Street, Trenton, NJ Postmarked 1909

Another way I have recently found to get an idea of the times these ancestors lived in is to buy old postcards.  I have been lurking on eBay and bidding on those of interest.  Just last night I lost out on one of Mercer Hospital where both his grandfather and great-grandfather both worked as doctors.  That really hurt, but I have to believe I will come across another one!  Here is one I recently bought with a postmark of 1909 depicting a typical scene on Broad Street.  My husband's great-grandfather, Dr. Elmer H. Rogers, well-known, respected doctor and city physician of Trenton died in 1907, but this is close enough to give me an idea of how he must have driven about daily in his horse and buggy, navigating the streets of Trenton.  Evidently this undertaking could be quite precarious and tricky.  See the stories below.

Trenton Times 18 Aug 1888

Trenton Times 7 Nov 1903

 

 

Trenton Sunday Advertiser 13 Dec 1903

Those Places Thursday - Stacy-Trent Hotel, Trenton, NJ

I bought this great old postcard of the Stacy-Trent Hotel in Trenton, New Jersey.  The first class hotel was located at the corner of State and Willow.  It opened its doors on 19 Sep 1921.  Many important people including celebreties and government officials made the Stacy-Trent their base while in Trenton.  Unfortunately, business declined during the 1950's and 1960's and the building was demolished in 1967.

Stacy-Trent Hotel 1920's

Those Places Thursday - Boy Scouts & Quoits?

1933 Trenton, New Jersey Boy Scout Camp Field Trip to Camp Pahaquarra

We have virtually no pictures of my father-in-law, Alvin Rogers, as a child and I came across this picture in the Trenton Evening Times of him and his father, Dr. Alvin S. Rogers on a field trip to a boy scout camp in 1933.  It makes me sad that the quality of the print is so poor.  Alvin would have been just seven years old in this picture.  His father, Dr. Rogers, died just four years later of a streptococcic infection on 23 May 1937 at the age of 47.  Al, Jr. had so few years with his father.

Alvin Rogers, Jr. & Father Dr.Alvin S. Rogers at Boy Scout Camp

 It says the group" made their annual inspection of Camp Pahaquarra, the Boy Scout recreational centre.  The start was made in a motor bus from the Stacy-Trent ."  There "were to participate in baseball, quoits and other sports."  I had never heard of quoits - according to Wikipedia, it is "a traditional game which involves the throwing of metal, rope or rubber rings over a set distance, usually to land over or near a spike (sometimes called a hob, mott or pin).  Evidently it has been around for a long time!

 

Those Places Thursday -"The Bijou" Trenton, NJ

The Bijou Theatre - 23 North Warren, Trenton NJ


Charles Clark Hildinger, my husband's great-granduncle, known as the "Nickel King" of Trenton, Mercer County, NJ opened his first movie theatre, The Bijou on 28 Jun 1906 to much fanfare.  One article¹ described it as a "beautiful little white and gold palace of moving pictures” and praised the "electric fans" which contributed to the comfort of the patrons.  The opening was a great success and it was estimated that between 1200 and 1500 persons witnessed the performances that night and half of the number were turned away early in the evening.²

Charles' partner in this operation was his brother-in-law C.C. Cutler, who later sold out his share of the business to Charles and became well-known in the Trenton Times distribution business.  Charles Hildinger went on to open many more theatres in the Trenton as well as other areas, and became one of Trenton’s most prominent citizens.

¹Trenton Sunday Times Advertiser, 1 Jul 1906

²Trenton Times, 29 June 1906