Birds Eye View of GrovevilleThis is a very interesting artists rendering of Groveville. This was published in the State Gazette, circa 1876. The original of this publication is framed and hanging on my living room wall.
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At this time the mill was owned by Ezra W. Keeler and known as the Clarence Cotton Mill, it later became Morris and Company, Inc. and when it was closed the buildings had been divided into two companies, Anchor Thread Co. and Mercer Textile Co.
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It is now owned by the Township of Hamilton, some of the buildings have been preserved for future use. What could not be saved has been turned in to a beautiful community park, canoe launch, and seasonal events.
Interesting points of this drawing are the two bridges on the center left. Now Main street curves around the park, then Main Street intersected with Camden Road and it was Camden Road that crossed the bridges. The first bridge is no longer there, but was the mill race that powered and supplied water to the mill; the second is the Crosswicks Creek
If you are at the park and cross the street and look behind the “Welcome to Hamilton” sign and the pump station, its easiest after Fall and no leaves on the trees, you will be able to see the depression where the mill race ran.
At one time there was a Lock or Gate Dam, a type of diverter on the Crosswicks Creek below the entrance of the millrace that served two purposes. It controlled the down stream flow of the Crosswicks Creek, diverting water through the mill race to feed the needs of the mill.
Crosswicks Creek is a tidal creek and as the tide rose in the creek the lock held back the tide allowing the creek to run deep enough to allow barges to navigate the creek to the mill. This allowed raw materials and coal to be transported to the mill and finished goods shipped out. The Crosswicks Creek intersects with the Delaware River and The Delaware – Raritan Canal at Bordentown, direct routes of commerce to Philadelphia and New York at the time.
The mills of Ezra W. Keeler, known as The Clarence Cotton Mill, were powered by water power and a coal fired steam boiler.
The Clarence Cotton Mill fell on hard times, when in February of 1869, Herman Keeler of Rome, NY began a foreclosure of a $20,000.00 mortgage on the contents of the Clarence Cotton Mill and Ezra W. Keeler, which he held.
In the upper right of this drawing is the Methodist Church, across from the church is a long building that appears to be on Church Street, but is really on Main Street and set back from the street. This building was the original Groveville School. When the new school was built and dedicated in 1902, this building became the original Groveville Fire House.
Many of the houses in this drawing are still in Groveville.
Interesting points of this drawing are the two bridges on the center left. Now Main street curves around the park, then Main Street intersected with Camden Road and it was Camden Road that crossed the bridges. The first bridge is no longer there, but was the mill race that powered and supplied water to the mill; the second is the Crosswicks Creek
If you are at the park and cross the street and look behind the “Welcome to Hamilton” sign and the pump station, its easiest after Fall and no leaves on the trees, you will be able to see the depression where the mill race ran.
At one time there was a Lock or Gate Dam, a type of diverter on the Crosswicks Creek below the entrance of the millrace that served two purposes. It controlled the down stream flow of the Crosswicks Creek, diverting water through the mill race to feed the needs of the mill.
Crosswicks Creek is a tidal creek and as the tide rose in the creek the lock held back the tide allowing the creek to run deep enough to allow barges to navigate the creek to the mill. This allowed raw materials and coal to be transported to the mill and finished goods shipped out. The Crosswicks Creek intersects with the Delaware River and The Delaware – Raritan Canal at Bordentown, direct routes of commerce to Philadelphia and New York at the time.
The mills of Ezra W. Keeler, known as The Clarence Cotton Mill, were powered by water power and a coal fired steam boiler.
The Clarence Cotton Mill fell on hard times, when in February of 1869, Herman Keeler of Rome, NY began a foreclosure of a $20,000.00 mortgage on the contents of the Clarence Cotton Mill and Ezra W. Keeler, which he held.
In the upper right of this drawing is the Methodist Church, across from the church is a long building that appears to be on Church Street, but is really on Main Street and set back from the street. This building was the original Groveville School. When the new school was built and dedicated in 1902, this building became the original Groveville Fire House.
Many of the houses in this drawing are still in Groveville.
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