Then ~ 1959~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Now ~ 2008~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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.
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.
.
In some ways the area has changed a lot and it some ways its the same, its called progress, I guess.
