5. Great Community "Finds"

      

Chase XCG-18A US Air Force glider at Mercer County Airport during WW II, 1947. courtesy of J. Turek

      Throughout the 175th anniversary year, the County will be sponsoring community "History Share" events where you're invited to bring in your own historic photographs, articles, programs, and other memorabilia about life in Mercer County. Items are scanned in, documented, and shared with the rest of the Mercer County community.

Testing a Switlik parachute during jump over Mercer County airport in 1936.  courtesy of R.L.Pidcock



      Folks at the first three events (in Trenton at the County's McDade Building, at the Lawrence Library and at the county's One-Stop office in Hamilton Twp.) brought in some great photographs and articles. You can see them by clicking on the "Photo Gallery" link on the Mercer 175 main page. In honor of Memorial Day, we're sharing some terrific photos and articles brought in by John Turek and Robert Lee Pidcock that show Mercer people and scenes during WW II and the Korean Conflict.

 

Trenton resident, Sgt. Michael Karaffa, a six-time decorated veteran flyer with the 394th Bomb Group during WW II
recalled to active duty during the Korean Conflict.  courtesy of J. Turek



4. Celebrating Petty's Run

Petty's Run by Martin Griff, The Times of Trenton

     It's not often past meets present so perfectly, but the grand opening of the Petty's Run archeological site between the NJ State House and the Old Barracks in Trenton last week was just such an exciting juncture for the city, county, and state - and history lovers worldwide. A couple of years ago the site, named for the Petty's Run Creek that rushed through the area to the Delaware River, was listed by Preservation NJ as one of the state's most endangered sites. Today it is preserved as an interpretive outdoor classroom for students of all ages interested in early colonial America, thanks to collaboration between the State and Mercer County - and to the passionate citizens who tirelessly advocated on behalf of the project. 

     The history of the site first as a source of fresh water and fish for native Americans and then as host to early paper, cotton and steel mills is explained on six interpretive signs ringing the 18 foot deep display. Hunter Research, Inc., was instrumental in advocating for and researching the site, and they maintained an excellent web journal that provides rich details about the site and the process of excavating, researching and preserving it. 

     For some fine coverage on the Petty's Run opening, check out this feature by Jenna Pizzi and Martin Griff of The Times.

3. Fannie Benjamin Johnston and Drumthwacket

       The lush gardens of the “Moses Taylor Pyne house”, as Drumthwacket (NJ’s Governor’s mansion in Princeton, NJ) was then called, were a featured subject for Frances (Fannie) Benjamin Johnston in the early 1900s. Johnston, one of the first professional woman photographer and photojournalist in the US, established a reputation for portraiture among the affluent and influential of Washington, DC high society in the late 19^th and early 20^th century. At the turn of the 19^th century, Johnston became engaged with the “City Beautiful”/“Garden Beautiful” movements. These movements were, in large part, a reaction to the rapid industrialization and crowded urbanization of the American landscape that came with the affluence of the Gilded Age.

 

       Originally hired to document the new “row house” lots and growing number of formal gardens on estates as new design models, Johnston became a passionate advocate in the movement to beautify America. These images of Drumthwacket (taken around 1906) were among the hand-colored slides she featured in her talk “Our American Gardens,” which was given to groups throughout the nation.



       Moses Taylor Pyne, an industrialist and banker, purchased Drumthwacket from the widow of Charles Smith Olden, the estate’s original owner, in 1893. Money was no object for this successful industrialist. He and his wife Margaretta Stockton Pyne (of the Morven Stocktons) added hundreds of acres to the existing estate, bringing in noted landscape architect Daniel Webster Langton (NJ native and a founding member of the American Society of Landscape Architects) to create the formal Italian gardens that visitors to Drumthwacket may enjoy to this day.

For insight on how hand colored glass slides like Johnston’s were made, see this article by John Tennant in an 1899 issue of The Photo Miniature  

2. Sabotage at the Roebling Steel Works? 1915

 

Between now and February 22, 2014 (the conclusion of Mercer County's 175th Anniversary year) this blog will feature 175+ posts featuring just a small sampling of the fascinating faces, places, events, mysteries, photographs, things that make this area's history so rich.

 

The photos above show Trenton's famous Roebling Steel Works engulfed in flames and some of the devastating aftermath of a series of fires set during a January night in 1915. The fires, suspected to be sabotage by German agents, caused millions of dollars worth of damage, but the Roeblings quickly rebuilt - and the rest is history.

 

Check out this story by Jon Blackwell that appeared as part of the Trentonian's Capital Century series.

 

 

1. Getting Mercer's 175th "On the Map"

1846 map of Mercer County, NJ - first official map made of the 'new' County after its formation in 1838

 

          Mercer 175's inaugural event, the Mapping Mercer exhibit at The Gallery at Mercer County Community College was a great success. Thank you so much to all the researchers, graphics artists, and historians who helped out with the exhibition, and to the generous folks who loaned historic maps for the exhibit, including Sally Lane and Sam Graf, the Hightstown Memorial Library, and Paul Smith of Framesmith Gallery in Princeton. We hope to post an online version of the exhibit later in the year, and will be showing copies of the 1875 Mercer County Atlas pages that were featured in the show at the upcoming (May 11) NJ History Fair at Washington Crossing State Park. A special thank you to the featured speakers at the exhibit: Donna Lewis and Kathleen Sar, Director and GIS specialist, respectively, of the County's Planning Division; Paul Pogorzelski, Hopewell Township's administrator and engineer; and Maxine Lurie, Ph.D., and Michael Siegel, editor and cartographer, respectively, of Mapping New Jersey: An Evolving Landscape.

Welcome!

We're so excited about the upcoming celebration of Mercer County, NJ's 175th Anniversary. This small area of the nation's 3rd state, New Jersey, tells a BIG story, having played host and home to some of the most important moments - and people - in the nation's history.

Starting in January and continuing through to December, 2013, we will be celebrating some of that history in special events and programs. Guest bloggers will also be sharing fun anecdotes, meaningful timelines, hidden stories and more that make up some of the history of this County we call home.

 

For starters, here's a link to a "Mercer County History" account written by local historian and past Mercer County Culture & Heritage Commissioner, the late Mary Alice Quigley. Enjoy!