Church Street

This is a photo post card of Church Street at the Doctor's Creek Bridge. This photo is taken as if you were standing on Church Street, in front of the now Eagle Rock Apartments, looking towards Yardville.

The title is "Groille Avenue, Yardville N.J.". I have not been able to locate any reference to 'Groille Avenue", I have some maps from the 1800's and I have checked them and it is still referred to as Church Street. I was thinking, I do that once in a while, could Groille Avenue (Gro - ille) be a shortened version or a miss print by the publisher or printer of the Post Card for Groveville Avenue, a former name or reference to Church Street.

The first bridge or the the one in the foreground is the bridge over Doctor's Creek, the second is the bridge over the Mill Race, the Dam would be to the right.

The small road to the left, just past the bridges, would have been the entrance to the Grist and Saw Mills. It would have also taken you to the long multiple dwelling that housed the workers of the mills. I do remember the long house that was divided in to separate living quarters, like an apartment building, my uncle Jack Coffey lived there when I was young. I have been told that he was the first Hamilton Township Police officer, then refereed to as Constable. This house was removed when Route 130 was constructed.

I wonder about the car parked in the picture, was that the photographers car and helper, or just an innocent motorist that got his Model "T" to coast down the hill from Groveville and was now trying to convince it that it could make it up the hill into Yardville.

The Memorial Day Festivities

Memorial Day has always been a big deal in Groveville, even back when it was known as Decoration Day. Groveville is no different than any other small town, Yardville, Crosswicks, Allentown, and Hamilton Square, we all embrace the chance to honor our veterans that allow us the opportunity to celebrate Memorial Day.

Our Memorial Day Parade this year will be our 138th annual celebration and parade. It was a special and exciting time. As a child in Groveville, it was something to look forward to. All of the children would decorate their bikes with flags and Red, White, and Blue Crape Paper and ride them in the parade. The bikes and floats would be judged at the judging stand, in front of the Community House. Very few children watched the parade; most of them were in it, everyone belonged to a group, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Methodist Youth Fellowship, Indian Guides (a pre-Boy Scout group), Junior Fireman, or the gang just ridding their bikes.

Gary Lippincott ~ 1949

Church Street ~ Parade Ready

Wilbur Reynolds ~ Last minute flag adjustments

The Crowd Gathering ~ Lester Johnson (seated), Shirley Wright DiGenova (orange), Ruth McEmoyl Knight (stripes)



Groveville Fire Company 1965




Groveville Fire Company 1948 ~ First year with the new uniforms

Groveville Ladies Auxiliary ~ 1948

It all begins on the Sunday before Memorial Day when the men of the fire company and the ladies of the auxiliary would meet at the fire house, in uniform, and march up Main Street, to Church Street, to the Methodist Church for the annual Memorial Day Church Service to honor the veterans and those that serve the community.

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The Parade Beginning

Commander Tom H. Atkins, USN (Ret.)
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The Trucks of Groveville Through the Years








Gary Lippincott

The members of the Groveville Volunteer Fire Company would spend every night for a week before the parade, meticulously cleaning the trucks and equipment, touching up chipped paint, shinning chrome and paint. All of the equipment is removed and cleaned and polished. All of the hose is removed, cleaned and repacked, so all the folds in the hose are even. Even painting the tires with black tire paint and painting the lettering on the trucks tires with silver paint. We had fun doing it and enjoyed every minute of it. We also prayed there would be no calls till after the parade. This is the only payment a Volunteer Fireman gets; the chance to put on a fresh pressed uniform, bring out meticulously cleaned and polished apparatus, and march passed the community they serve and have that community applaud, cheer, and whistle their thanks and approval. That’s all we ever asked for.

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Some of the Bands




Steinert Band



Nottingham Band

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The Floats and Marchers






Nancy Lipton And Ashley Lipton


Kati Lippincott And Meagan Lipton



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The Annual Ceremony in The Cemetary

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It was a different time, The Mill was closed, Dad didn’t have go to work, people didn’t go away for the day, they stayed home and enjoyed the festivities at home. People walked around town, just enjoying each others company and the great feeling of “Community”, that living in Groveville provided.


In the afternoon, on the baseball field behind the Community House and Fire House there was an afternoon of games for kids and I seem to remember some type of food served. Being a Methodist Church in Groveville it was most likely a covered dish type of meal. The activities lasted most of the afternoon.

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The Groveville Baseball Team ~ Circa 1950

In the late afternoon there was always a Baseball game between the Groveville Fire Company Team and a team from Yardville. After the organization of the Yardville First Aid Squad this became the tradition.

Some of this tradition is still carried on today, as each Sunday before Memorial Day, at the Groveville Methodist Church, we honor the Veterans that allow us to worship as we please, also the Firemen, EMT and Rescue workers, both Hamilton Twp. Police and State Police, Boy Scouts, Cub Scouts, and Girl Scouts, all that serve to make life better are honored. All of these groups are represented at our service.

As I grew older and looked back at Memorial Day in Groveville as a child, it reminded me of something Norman Rockwell would have painted.

Groveville Fire Co. ~ Hose Test ~ 1968

Left to Right Lieutenant Leon "Digger" Gennett, Mike Engi, Chief Robert " Bob" Thompson, background William "Bill" Henry, Captain Victor "Vic" Champion.
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This is a photo of our semi annual hose test. No one like this job, except the driver. All of the hose on the truck had to be laid out, each hose length and coupling was inspected and all hose was pressure tested. For some reason I believe we carried 2200 feet of 2 1/2 inch hose on each truck, I could be wrong.

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This was taken at our favorite place for hose testing, Route 156, south of Take It Easy Bar, that is the Polish American Club, in the background. There was very little traffic on this stretch of road, so you could lay out all the hose and not be in any one's way, the hydrant was convenient and the hose was laid out on a hill, so when the test was complete the hose drained well, and its so much easier to roll up 2200 feet of hose "Downhill".

The water was flowed through the hose, the nozzle closed and the water pressure in the hose was brought to a specific pressure for a specified length of time. The hose is packed in layers in a zig zag fashion and some of the bottom layers of hose would never get used.

The only hose used was enough to do the job, which usually consisted of the top layers. Some of the hose then was cotton jacketed and subject to rot when left wet, the best place to burst a length of hose was at the test. Most times, if we could the truck would be repacked with dry hose, stored on racks in the fire house.

Groveville Cotton Mills ~ 1896

This is a photo of the Groveville Cotton Mill Raceway. A race or raceway is usually a canal shaped stream or the current of a stream that is diverted to turn a wheel or in some way it's power is converted to energy. In this case the power of the Crosswicks Creek was diverted through a Raceway, by means of a Lock on the creek. This diverted enough water to power the turbine wheels that powered the mill.

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This photo was taken from the Raceway Bridge. This bridge was located parallel with the existing bridge and was located just about where the bend in Main Street is now. As I mentioned before, if you walk behind the "Welcome To Hamilton" sign, especially when the trees are bare, you can still see the depression left in the ground from the raceway.

Groveville Community News ~ 1936

Tom Glover is always telling me to feel free to borrow from his site, but I never do. From time to time I go back and read his old postings, in fact I even go back and read my own old postings. This is one I could just not pass up borrowing, it has to many old familiar names. Thanks, Tom.

Groveville Fire Company Bowling Team ~ 1961

Left to right Bill Wolinsky, Phil Kaiser, Larry Plummer, Colin Stackhouse, & Len Bolz.

This was one of Groveville Fire Company’s teams from 1961, Wow that was a long time ago, where did the time go.

Every Friday night the Mercer County Fireman’s Bowling League bowled at the White Horse Bowling Academy. Almost every fire company in Mercer County sponsored at least one or two teams of bowlers, Groveville had two.

I remember Crosswicks Fire Company only needed one team, because they had Fred Hendrickson. He threw the ball so hard the pins did not need to be hit; they just got out of the way.

We had more fun, just getting together with people with the same interest. As bowlers go I was considered poor and still am today, but who cared, we had fun.

It was not only a time for the firemen to get together, but wives and girlfriends would show up and it was a chance for everyone to go out after bowling, for most of us it was a chance for a few drinks and pizza on a Friday night.

At the end of the season there was always an awards banquet, another chance to get together.

I believe these chances to get together for fun gave us a chance to get to know other fireman from all over Mercer County and this helped us work together better in an emergency.

It was amazing how we could get together, laugh, have fun and enjoy each other’s company, yet get very serious if there were an emergency and work so hard together, I learned so much about life and people being in the fire company.

One of the oldest homes in Groveville

Now ~ January, 2008

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Then ~ Circa 1883

Said to be one of the oldest houses in Groveville

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Mr. and Mrs. Reiter

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This house is on Main Street at the intersection of Church Street, it has been said that this is one of the oldest houses in Groveville. This photo was taken about 1883. The adults in the photo and the small photo are Mr. and Mrs. Reiter. Mr. Reiter was a shoemaker in Groveville. The small child he is holding is Margaret Reiter, she married Walter Dwier and they had a daughter Mary Dwier, She married Al Wright and they had two children Wayne and Marilyn.
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When Al Wright passed away, and later Mary passed away the house was sold out of the family. There were rumors around Groveville that the house was to be torn down, mainly because of the foundation and its age, it was not. I know Marilyn reads this and I hope she will correct me if I am wrong.

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I know the long time Groveville People find it hard to believe that rumors still spread in Groveville, since the Fire Company, Post Office, "Jo" Hepburn's Store, and General Store have all left town, but the network is still intact. Now they use "Cell Phones", progress, a wonderful thing.

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The house looks as good as it ever did, the new owners have added a new coat of paint, other than that the house looks the same on the exterior as it did as I grew up in Groveville. I don't know when the front porch was inclosed, but it's been that way as long as I can remember.

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One story that relates to this home. In my house there was a glass bowl, it was cut glass, kind of "Boat" shaped, about 10" long, 6" wide and maybe 3" deep. All year long this bowl remained in the China Cabinet, a place as a child I was not allowed to venture. Then came Thanksgiving Dinner, this and Christmas Dinner were the only time this bowl was allowed out of the China Cabinet, it was placed on the table and each year it held the same thing, Carrot and Celery sticks, Olives, and small Pickles, this was our relish tray. As I grew older and became the preparer of these holiday feasts I carried on the tradition, even getting more adventuress adding Artichoke Hearts. One holiday my daughter, Kati, was putting away this bowl, after diner, the bowl slipped out of her hand and broke, she was heart broken, so was I but I did not let it show. She said "But Dad, you told me that bowl had been in the family, since you were a kid". True, but no reason to be upset. I don't remember the China Cabinet without that bowl.

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Several years later, when Wayne and Marilyn were selling the contents of their parents house, it was at our annual June Street Sale, I wandered in with Wayne to look around. On the table were assorted glassware, kitchen items, and dishes. In the center of the table was "The bowl", the exact bowl Kati had broken. Wayne told me to take it, just take it, but I bought it, it was only a few dollars, took it home and placed it on the table, when Kati saw it she could not believe it "It's the bowl". The tradition lives on.

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I related this story to other long time Groveville residents one Sunday after church. What were the chances that Al and Mary Wright would have the exact same bowl as my parents. Ruth McElmoyl Knight said "It was most likely Borden Cut Glass" everybody in Groveville owned some of that. I never thought of that, Borden Cut Glass was manufactured right in Groveville, where else, in the old Borden Mincemeat Factory, on Church Street.

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It seems if you look hard enough there was always a tie of some type between families in Groveville, usually if you look back far enough they are related.

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Al and Mary Wright were some of the Groveville people that just seemed like they would be a part of Groveville forever, as were Mary's parents, Walt and Maggie Dwier. All were well liked in the community, Mary was very active in the church and is still spoken fondly of today, and Al, he was just well liked.

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As a child the house was always referred to as "Maggie Dwier's House" and in later years it was always referred to as "Mary Wright's House", guess some day that will change, but not to me.

Yardville View, 1959

Then ~ 1959

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Now ~ 2008

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This was posted before, but since I got "creative" and added the "Now ~ 2008" photo, I moved it to the top again, just showing off.

This view of Yardville was taken about 1959. Once I look at these photos, the memories seem to "Kick"in, all good ones.

The small white “L” shaped building with the black roof, in the lower right corner is “Tony Rossi’s, Take it Easy Bar”. Our big treat, as young teenagers, if we had more money than we could spend in Groveville, was get a few of us together and walk to “Take It Easy”, knock on the back door (we were not old enough to go to the front) and Jean Rossi would come to the door. We would order “Meat Ball Sandwiches”. These were no ordinary meatball sandwiches, the meatballs were hand made by Mrs. Rossi and the sauce was from scratch. They were made on thick slices of Italian Bread and wrapped with white paper that seemed like Butcher Paper. If you ordered these in the bar they were served on a plate covered with sauce and served with a knife and fork.

Back then you could not buy cans or bottles of beer after 10:00 pm, so they had those quart cardboard drink containers (pre-Styrofoam) and they were allowed to sell draft beer in these for “Take out” after 10:00 pm, so we would buy quarts of draught Birch Beer, great birch beer, to go with our Meatball sandwiches and walk to the Church Street over pass of Route 130 and eat our sandwiches and Birch Beer.

The row of homes across from Take It Easy is Martins Lane and the area at the end was then Best Block Company, now Clayton Block, They were manufactures of Cinder Blocks, at the time of this photo.

In the large triangle shaped wooded area in the center you can see a factory; this was the Chandler-Palruba Company, this company made Oil Cloth Floor Covering, The factory was torn down years ago and the houses have since been removed and this entire triangular area is now home to the Yardville Acme Market, Roma Bank and an office building

The large barren area in the center left is the Yardville Concrete Company. This is now know as Yardville Supply, and where the barren area meets Church Street is where Yardville Supply’s Ace Hardware is now.

In the center – left are the coal elevators of T.B. Anderson and Martin Brothers, next to the Yardville train station.

In the top left center, where the railroad tracks intersect with the Yardville – Hamilton Square Road there is another large white area and this is where the GLF Fertilizer plant was located. GLF stood for The Cooperative Grange League Federation Exchange, a farmers Cooperative. All that is now known as Agway.

Above GLF is a large house with big trees around it that was the home of Tim Bowers. Tim had a large dairy farm and was everybody’s “Milkman” for years. This house is now the office of Attorney Richard Kelly. I have a Milk Bottle from the Bower’s Dairy, some day I’ll take a photo of it and post it. The area left to the Hedge Row and south towards the railroad tracks was his pasture land.

The large clear area in the upper left, other side of the Hedge Row was the Sunnybrae Golf Course, some of the round Sand Traps are visible, but it appears this was about the time that they were starting to develop the area into “Sunnybrae Village”

The entire upper portion of this photo is now covered completely with homes.

I remember as a kid driving to Hamilton Square, once you passed Tim Bowers house it was a long dark ride, no streetlights, no Interstate 195, no traffic lights and the only houses were the Simpkins Farm, the Selmon Farm on the corner of Kuser Road, and the farm house between the small creek and Klockner road and there was a farm house that sat off the road across from where Reynolds Middle School is now, its still there, but its built up around it.

Where the Briarwood Stores are and the Briarwood Condos are now was a large wooded swamp, very, very close to the road, separated by those black and white posts with two cables running through them, lot of protection there.

Driving by on a summer night, with my parents, with the car windows open (no A/C) the sound of the “Peepers” was so loud and so scary on that dark, unlit road.

I think I am still having “issues” with that swamp.

Ann, Charlie, Emma and "Blackie"

This is a Photo of Ann Reynolds, Charlie Donnell, Emma Reynolds, and of course "Blackie" Charlie's Dog. This photo was taken in Charlie's back yard on Church Street, the house next to the cemetery drive, Ann and Emma lived two doors away, in fact theirs is the house in the background. I am not sure of the exact date, but it was in the early 1950's. As in the past someone will see this and send me the correct date.

Trenton Speedway - April 21, 1968

This is a very interesting article, I have had this brochure for some time and have always wanted to post it for others to see and appreciate, but the bottom line is it does not fit with my theme and takes up too much valuable "Groveville" information space.

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I created a "Trenton Speedway" blog expressly for this article. To view this brochure and any other articles I should find on The The Trenton Speedway, please click on the link to that blog in the right column.

Thanks, Gary

The Working Men's Club of Groveville

This article appeared in the “Daily State Gazette” April, 11, 1881. One item mentioned here is that the children were attending night school. From what I have read, I believe that is so they are able to work in the Cotton Mill during the day. Good luck getting that to work today. Mr James S. Woodward was the owner of the Groveville Cotton Mill.

One gentleman mentioned in this article is Mr. Clark Hutchinson, of Yardville. Mr. Hutchinson lived on what is now Route 156. His home is the large house owned by the Catholic Diocese, formerly St. Elisabeth’s Home.

A Mr. S. Hutchinson owned the large home next door, somewhat on the corner of Route 156 and South Broad Street, both across from the old Yardville Elementary School and The Mechanics Hall.

The Hutchinson family owned and operated the Store and Post Office in the store like building on the corner of Route 156 and Church Street.

They also operated the Grist and Saw Mills at Groveville Mill Pond on Church Street and along with Amos Hutchinson Cole, who was engaged in the Coal, wood, lime, cement and farming tool business, operated a shipping dock at the junction of The Crosswicks Creek and The Doctors Creek where they shipped Lime and Lumber to Philadelphia, via the Crosswicks Creek.

Marvin's "55"

Marvin Matlack

This is a photo of Marvin Matlack and his 1955 Oldsmobile “Fabulous 55” as it says, taken most likely around 1958. Marvin grew up on Main Street, going from the old Firehouse at 200 Main; his was the fifth house toward the Mill. Marv was always a good mechanic and knowledgeable, there were some of us that knew just enough to get in trouble, then we would turn to the guys that really knew, Marv, Rich Sellers, or Charlie Donnell

When we were growing up in Groveville, it was like our cars were “everything”. We were always “Tinkering* with our cars, mainly trying to get just a little more speed out of them, not a lot, just enough to be faster in the quarter mile than the other guy. We were not concerned about gas mileage, gas costs 31 cents a gallon, and you could go all weekend on $2.00.

I hear the elaborate sound systems the kids have in their cars today and think how our version of an elaborate sound system was a speaker in the backseat, with a three-way switch from Pep Boys (Front, Rear, or Both) connected to our AM radio.

If someone was doing some serious motor work, that’s where we gathered, to help or just watch and learn. We had some nice cars, Marvin’s 1955 Oldsmobile, Al “Buddy” Weiss’s 1960 Pontiac Bonneville, Gary Lippincott’s 1957 2 door, Chevy Bel Air , Tom Dwier’s 1955 Chevy, Tom Snyder’s 1955 Chevy and Ron Taylor’s "Big" Oldsmobile, now that was a “Boat”.

I think if you melted Ron’s Olds down you could make a dozen of today’s cars, just from the metal, there was not much plastic in cars then.

Back then if you had air, fuel, spark and compression, you were good to go, if you didn’t you could fix it yourself, today you need an Associate’s Degree in Automotive Maintenance Technology, and that’s just to add to the windshield washer bottle.

Groveville United Methodist Church Deed

Groveville United Methodist Church Original Deed ~ 1836

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Groveville United Methodist Church Original Mortgage

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I happen to be researching deeds of the Groveville United Methodist Church. Above is a portion of the Original Deed and the subsequent Mortgage 1836. This Deed and Mortgage are mostly hand wrote and quite difficult to read.

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Due to the fact that the Stapler and the Paper Clip had not been invented yet the line at the top of each full page is the thread used to sew the pages together.

I guess its a land surveyor's term, but most of the measures are in "Chains and Links", for example something may be 10 chains and 4 links from the neighboring property. 1 Chain equals 66 feet and one link 7.92 inches usually rounded to 8 inches. Then for all I know these terms may still be used today.

The amazing thought is that when this paper work were completed things we have every day were not invented yet; Gasoline Engine, Dynamite, Barbed Wire, Chewing Gum, Safety Razor, Anesthesia, Steel Plow, Telegraph, or Sliced Bread.

Not only the Scanner this was scanned on or the Personal Computer used, not invented yet, the Grandparents of the inventors were not born at this time.

I look at this and think how many people looked and handled it long before me and thought the same things I did and handled this as carefully as I did.

My Favorite Vacation Spot - Cherrystone Campground

Cherrystone Campground, Cheriton, Virginia

This is looking west, in the foreground is one of the ponds in the campground, there is a small strip of land, about 40 feet wide, where the tree is located and beyond is the Chesapeake Bay. Every sunset is spectacular. I have taken so many photos of this sight, I have finally stopped taking them. I have them with disposable cameras, 35mm, cameras, different lenses, and digital cameras, they are all so nice. This is the the one that is my desk top on both of my computers, just a reminder of my next vacation there.

Groveville Newspaper Articles - 1800's

These articles came to me from Cheryl, the Florida Branch of the Research Department, thanks Cheryl.

This article appeared in "The Trenton Federalist", April 26, 1823

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This News article appeared in the newspaper "The Trenton True American" August 31, 1826. It was picked up and reprinted in "The Pittsfield Sun", Pittsfield, Massachusetts.

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This article appeared it the paper " The Trenton Federalist" April 26, 1823

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Groveville Fire Co. Officers ~ 1950's

Left to right Standing; Clarence Plummer, Nimrod Dwier, Vince Symczyk, Joe DeMent, Ed Mushinski, Don Snyder, William Rousseau.

Left to right seated; Albert Simpson, Charles Thompson, Howard Jones.

I don’t know the date of this photo, but I will bet it was taken on a Thursday night. Groveville Fire Company Meetings were always held on a Thursday night at 8:00 PM and judging by the clock it’s just past eight now and I can just hear someone like Jo-Jo DeMent saying, “Okay let’s take this picture so we can get this meeting started”

A little piece of history, the calendar on the wall is from the Yardville National Bank another local institution, now gone. When this photo was taken the Yardville Bank was just one location, five points in Yardville, then they grew to be a large, multi branch bank and now they are gone, progress they say.

Groveville School, So. Main Street Gang ~ 1951

Tom Dwier Gave me this photo today, I am not sure of the date of this picture, but you can bet as soon as Claire sees it she will Email me and give the whole deal on this and I can update it. See I told you she would know, this was taken Tuesday, September 4, 1951, her first day of Kindergarten (Reception Grade).

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This is left to right, Claire Dwier Zarr, Tom Dwier, Peter Mickschutz , and Tommy Snyder. The shoes are clean, the pants are clean with a crease, the shirts are clean, the hair is cut and combed and no one forgot their lunch, Must be the first day of school.

"Groveville's" Mechanic

Jimmy Gould with Race Car Driver Wally Campbell

During my "Growing Up" time in Groveville, I don't know anyone that owned a car that didn't take it to Jimmy Gould, for repairs. I remember my dad saying "well I have to take the car to Jimmy's," that was magic to my ears. To go to his garage was an experience as a kid. I could not believe the car parts, buckets of nuts and bolts and clips. There would always be a rag spread out on the work bench (where there was room) with a carburetor apart in a million different pieces, as a kid I was amazed that it would ever go back together and be a carburetor again. There were Chilton repair manuals dating back to the beginning of the Chilton Manual, pages with greasy fingerprints and marked pages.

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On the wall was a nail and on it were receipts from places like Andy's Auto Parts, Economy Auto parts, and Gould's auto parts (no relation, I think). There would be an open bucket of Kerosene in the corner, used for cleaning parts, who thought that would be dangerous. I could not believe that Jimmy could find anything in there, but he could " I have one of those" and pick it out.

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Jimmy always had a smile, a joke or a funny story, I think my dad like going there as much as I did. Another thing about going to Jimmy's garage as a kid, there was always that calendar the oil company or the auto parts supplier gave him, you know the one, the one with the "Girl" on it, fully clothed, maybe in a bathing suit, but as a kid in the 1950's that calendar was "it". As a kid there with your dad you could only "peek", it was not till later when you took your own car to Jimmy that you could "stare".

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One thing about getting your car repaired at Jimmy's, it came with an unwritten warranty, if it wasn't right he always had the time to "Take a Look".

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Jimmy had a great love for Ford cars, he would work on a Chevy, but I think he charged extra, I don't know what he did for the years dad had a Hudson. I have to mention that there were a lot of times Jimmy didn't charge, he'd fix something and then say "let me know how it works out" or something along those lines.

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Sometimes, as a teen with a car, you would just stop in to say "Hi" and Jimmy would ask you to run and pick up a part for him, how could you say "No", after he just fixed your car last week and didn't charge you, it all worked out in the end, that's the way it should be.

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Jimmy was an avid race fan, Stock Car or Indy Cars, it didn't matter. Jimmy knew all the drivers, some personally. For years Jimmy could be seen running the "Score Board" at the Trenton Speedway, it was not the push of a button back then, as the places changed you actually had to remove the number sign and place it in the new slot.

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Jimmy would start packing his Ford in the beginning of May for his trip to Indianapolis for the "Indy 500", not packing clothes, but car parts and tools. Jimmy would take an extra starter, carburetor, water pump, distributor, generator, fan belt and spark plugs and the tools needed to replace them, that always amazed me. Yes, he took a tire repair kit. I guess you could say he was always ready for a "Pit Stop".

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Charlie tells the story that he gave Jimmy the nickname "Greasy Graham", which fit him well and he loved the nickname. It comes from a guy that used to run a milk route in a model "T", in Groveville, years ago named "Greasy Graham". At one time the radiator leaked real bad & he had Jimmie break up a horse turd & put it into the radiator to stop the leak !! I guess it worked.

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After Jimmy retired, I guess he retired, it was hard to tell, he could be found just hanging around Groveville with his friend and long time Groveville resident Al Wright, who was a retired mechanic for the Trenton Transit Company. Al was another person that always had a smile and a funny story.

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Wally Campbell, the driver pictured with Jimmy, was killed in a sprint car practice accident in Salem, Indiana. He was one day past his 28th birthday, July 17, 1954. Amazing this photo and some of this posting was picked up and used, with my permission, in the Wally Campbell Website, that is so interesting. http://www.wallycampbell.com/1947-2a.html

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Jimmy was also a member of the Groveville Fire Company, he fit right in with all the other great story tellers of the fire company.

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Jimmy's father, Caldwel "Cal" Gould lived on Allen Street and as a member he is pictured in some of the photo's of the beginning of the Groveville Fire Company.

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His son, Jimmy, has carried on his father's love of cars.

Sunday School Jublee ~ 1875

This article appeared in the Daily State Gazette, August 9, 1875. There is also a good possibility that the tickets I previously posted could have been for community events like this.

Don't forget to "click" on this article, to enlarge it. Its the only way you'll way you will be able to see it to read, just a reminder.

Yardville Aerial View - Circa 1959

Then ~ 1959

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Now ~ 2008

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This photo, I believe, was taken around 1959. The two highways that split the photo are Rt. 130 and Route 156. Before the construction of Rt. 130, Route 156 was the main highway through the area and was then Route 25, originally Route 25 was known as The Bordentown – South Amboy Turnpike.

To the right or the highway you can see Doctors Creek, the Mill Pond Dam, and the foot print of the Mill Pond, its hard to believe the pond was that big, it extended all the way to Springdale Park, now the CYO Camp across from Yardville School, I am sorry I missed it, the dam broke about the year I was born.

To the right of Doctor’s Creek You will see a nicely mowed area. This entire area was the Crosswicks Sand and Gravel Company owned by Mr. George Mozer. There they open mined the sand, washed and sorted it into grades of sand and Pea Gravel. The buildings and equipment in the lower corner were used to wash and sort the material.

The mowed area had been depleted of sand and was graded smooth and grass planted. You will notice a small rectangular pond. This was unique; the pond was dug and lined with pea gravel. At the wide square end there was a block wall with an over flow, this ran into a pipe that allowed the excess water to run to the creek. The pond was not filtered, but spring fed and constantly overflowing, the water was always crystal clear. If your were a friend of George Mozer’s son Dan you could swim at the pool almost any time, just like anyone with a pool, Dan had a lot of friends.

When all of the material being mined was depleted, Mr. Mozer graded the entire area smooth. At some time the pool was completed into a finished pool. The area was leased to a family that converted the area in to the Groveville Swim Club, Later known as the Sun and Fun Club; the area had picnic tables, grills, fireplaces, and pavilions. There were also baseball fields and was used for family, company, church and other groups as a picnic area. Families could also buy individual memberships.

This entire area is now Eagle Rock Apartments, originally Sherwood II Apartments. They built the apartments around the pool and maintained it for many years, the pool has since been removed and the pool locker room converted to their laundry room. The home in the lower right is the house that today sits above Church Street between Zachary Lane and the Groveville School, at the time of this photo it was occupied by the Colgan family.

The large structure in the lower left of the photon near Route 130 is the Carriage House of the VanKannel Estate. Just to the right there is a stand of dark pine trees and a clearing, this was the location of the main house of the estate.

The large barren area in the center left is the Yardville Concrete Company, also owned by George Mozer. This is now know as Yardville Supply, and where the barren area meets Church Street is where Yardville Supply’s Ace Hardware is now.

In the large triangle shaped wooded area in the upper left you can see a factory; this was the Chandler-Palruba Company, this company made Oil Cloth Floor Covering, The factory was torn down years ago and the houses have since been removed and this entire triangular area is now home to the Yardville Acme Market, Roma Bank and an office building.

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In some ways the area has changed a lot and it some ways its the same, its called progress, I guess.