Preservation of the Hopewell Railroad Station: A Partnership with the New Jersey Historic Trust
Jan
15
7:00 PM19:00

Preservation of the Hopewell Railroad Station: A Partnership with the New Jersey Historic Trust

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The recent rehabilitation project at the Hopewell Railroad Station is the result of an ongoing relationship between the Borough of Hopewell and the New Jersey Historic Trust. Since the early 1990’s, the station has twice been a recipient of grants in aid from the Trust to preserve its form and materials. The station is one of the oldest in New Jersey and its picturesque Second Empire detailing has made it a favorite subject for artists. The building has become the visual symbol of the community and is part of the official seal of the Borough.

The presentation will discuss: the historic background of the station, the chronology of the original project including the Preservation Plan, grants from the NJ Trust and DOT, the uses of the building, deferred exterior maintenance over time, the preservation plan update, and the recent grant work. Michael Mills, FAIA, of Mills + Schnoering Architects, LLC, the architect for both grant projects will discuss the project history and 1990’s restoration, and Senior Associate, Jennifer Arnoldi, AIA, will review the building conditions that the current project addressed, show work in progress during construction, and present the vision for the completed project.

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Annual Open House
Dec
7
1:00 PM13:00

Annual Open House

Come to the Hopewell Museum on December 7th for our annual Holiday Open House, held in conjunction with the Hopewell Public Library NJ and the Hopewell Old School Baptist Meetinghouse. Visit us and see all the work that has gone on over the last year with our museum as we progress forward with our "Reimagination".

This year we will be unveiling the plans for the museum's renovation in 2025 and showing off our conservation of the Hopewell Museum's vast textile collection.

As an added program, the museum will have Revolutionary War British reenactors in front of the museum, commemorating the raids in the Hopewell Valley in early December of 1776!

Doors open at 1:00!

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Smith to Rockwell to "Hopewell 57" - A Hopewell Story
Oct
9
7:00 PM19:00

Smith to Rockwell to "Hopewell 57" - A Hopewell Story

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Presented by Douglas Dixon

What is "Hopewell 57" - that big brick building complex at the corner of Hamilton Avenue and Somerset Street in Hopewell Borough, which was earlier known as Rockwell and then Kooltronic?

That block along Hamilton actually has an agglomeration of buildings that developed over time as part of a quintessential Hopewell story - as an individual entrepreneur worked with the town to create a business that expanded to provide 75 years of good jobs for locals, eventually employing over 200 people.

Doug Dixon will chronicle this local saga, starting in 1900 with a group of town boosters who invested in the town to attract new business, and with Hugh A. Smith, who chose Hopewell to pursue his dream of establishing a manufacturing business. He then will trace the evolution of the small Smith company into Rockwell, and the associated development of the building complex along Hamilton Avenue.

There's some angst in the story, and the eventual sad clearing of Somerset Street due to ground contamination. But there also is an ongoing theme of community in Hopewell, town and businesses, as Smith was twice elected mayor, and Rockwell provided ongoing support for town events and groups, especially the Fire Department..

About the Speaker
​Douglas Dixon is an independent technology consultant and writer, now morphed into a history enthusiast and author. He is a board member of The Hopewell Museum and the Hopewell Valley Historical Society, and developed the Hopewell Valley History Project (HopewellHistoryProject.org).
 
Since mid-2019, the History Project has collected, digitized, and freely shared local historical materials to aid research into area people and places. With the assistance of some 140 local contributors, the site now hosts some 780 documents and maps, 4300 images and videos, and an interactive Hopewell History Map. With these materials, Doug also has authored some 40 Hopewell Borough History Briefs, over 500 pages of research reports on local organizations, businesses, and properties – and the people who made them.
 
As a software technologist, Doug specializes in Web technology, databases, and digital media. He has authored four books on digital media, published hundreds of feature articles, and presented over a hundred technical seminars and talks.

Hopewell Public Library Speaker Series
Co-sponsored by the Hopewell Valley Historical Society and The Hopewell Museum


Attend in person at the Hopewell Presbyterian Church
- Or join online virtual presentation via Zoom - https://www.eventbrite.com/e/smith-to-rockwell-to-hopewell-57-a-hopewell-story-tickets-1001656851607?aff=oddtdtcreator

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Hopewell was like a Roman Circus: Hopewell, the Sourlands and the Lindbergh Kidnapping
Sep
26
8:00 PM20:00

Hopewell was like a Roman Circus: Hopewell, the Sourlands and the Lindbergh Kidnapping

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When the Lindbergh baby was kidnapped on March 1, 1932. Hopewell became the center of the universe. Reporters from all over the world, along with their photographers descended on Hopewell hoping to get a story. Gebhart's Hotel on West Broad became their center of activity, staying open 24 hours a day. Broadcasting and telegraph hookups were set up all over town. As the State Police searched the Sourlands for clues, so did the reporters, often finding clues that were never followed up. This went on for ten weeks until the body of the baby was found on Carter Road just outside of town.

Jim Davidson will share his stories of the Lindbergh kidnapping along with a presentation of many never before seen pictures of of those whirlwind weeks in Hopewell and the Sourlands.

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