HPL Current Events
- - Sat., Sept. 22 - HPL Quiet Reading Booth at the Hopewell Harvest Fair
- - Wed., Sept. 26 - The Delaware Bridges of Mercer Country: A History
- - Wed., Oct. 3 - The History of Trenton's Famous Cadwalader Park
- - Wed., Oct. 24 - Preparing Trees and Plants for Winter
- - Previous - HPL Past Events - 2018
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HPL Quiet Reading Booth at the Hopewell Harvest Fair
Saturday, September 22, 10 am - 4 pm Hopewell Elementary School Grounds, 35 Princeton Ave., Hopewell NJ When exploring the Harvest Fair, drop by and visit this restful spot to take a break and read in the shade, or to chat about Hopewell and our public library. (Near the Family + Kids Quiet Spot.) |
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The Delaware Bridges of Mercer Country: A History
Wednesday, September 26, 7 pm - at the Hopewell Train Station 2 Railroad Place, Hopewell NJ Free and open to the public Joe Donnelly of the Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission will discuss the history of the county’s Delaware River bridges, illustrated with historic photographs, news items, documents, and maps. Bridges have spanned the Delaware River between New Jersey and Pennsylvania for more than 200 years, and Mercer County has played a prominent role in that transportation legacy. Mercer was the location of the first bridge to span the river (1806), the first to carry a railroad between two states (1830s) and the first bridge to become publicly owned without a toll (1918). Today, Mercer County is host to the narrowest vehicular bridge, the oldest bridge, and only wrought-iron bridge between the two states. Next year, the county will host the river’s newest bridge when the first completed span of the Scudder Falls Replacement Bridge opens to traffic. The history of Mercer County’s river bridges includes early wooden structures, floods, fires, private stock-issuing companies, railroad barons, a trolley line, a free-bridges movement, a mystery bridge, and a river crossing that ceased existence 60 years ago this year. Joe Donnelly became the Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission's deputy executive director of communications in February 2008. He previously handled communications in the New Jersey General Assembly and worked as a reporter for The Record of Bergen County, NJ. A Lambertville resident, he has researched the history of his agency’s 20 bridges, some of which rank among oldest and most unique interstate river crossings in the nation. |
First Bridge 1806 woodcut
Washington Crossing Bridge Postcard
"Trenton Makes" Bridge
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HPL "Wednesday Night Out" Lecture Series -- October
The History of Trenton's Famous Cadwalader Park Wednesday, October 3, 7 pm - at the Hopewell Theater 5 S. Greenwood Ave., Hopewell NJ Free and open to the public Historian Jack Koeppel will tell the story of the rich history of Cadwalader Park with all its transformations that will include photographs through the years. Cadwalader Park may be the most famous park in New Jersey. Often referred to as New Jersey’s ‘Central Park’, the 100-acre park was designed by Frederick Law Olmsted in 1890, with rolling hills, tree-lined roads and a beautiful pond. The park was officially opened with a festive May Day celebration on May 1, 1902, fourteen years after its establishment. This crown jewel of Trenton's recreational system has provided generations of city dwellers with a taste of the country. Carved out of Cadwalader Estate, the original Ellarslie Mansion has been a center of activity, eventually becoming the home of today’s Trenton City Museum. Over the years the park has had a bandshell with weekly concerts, a playground with a carousel, a deer park and a monkey house. Koeppel is a lifelong resident of Hopewell Valley where he has served as president of the Hopewell Valley Historical Society, and trustee of the Friends of Hopewell Valley Open Space and Howell Living History Farm. Currently, he is the Collection Manager for the Trenton City Museum. See videos of Jack's earlier presentations for the library on Images of Old Hopewell and The Story of St. Michael's Orphan Asylum on the Hopewell History page. |
Cadwalader Terrace
Skaters 1888
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HPL / Hopewell Advisory Shade Tree Commission Presentation
Preparing Trees and Plants for Winter Wednesday, October 24, 7 pm - at the Hopewell Train Station 2 Railroad Place, Hopewell NJ Free and open to the public Presented by certified tree expert Hans Hanbicki, president of the NJ chapter of the International Society of Arboriculture. This presentation is cosponsored by the Hopewell Public Library and the Hopewell Advisory Shade Tree Commission (ASTC). |
Photo by Nancy B. Kennedy
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