CITY OF TRENTON
MERCER COUNTY, NEW JERSEY

prepared for: The Old Mill Hill Society
(funded by a New Jersey Historical Commission grant)

prepared by:
Nadine Sergejeff , Damon Tvaryanas, Ian Burrow, Richard Hunter


Table of Contents

List of Figures
List of Plates
List of Tables
Acknowledgements

1. INTRODUCTION

	A. Project Background and Scope-of-Work
	B. The Broader Context for the Study
	C. Current Historic Designation Status
	D. Previous Research and Principal Sources of Information

2. LAND USE HISTORY

	A. The First Settlement, the First Mill and the First Bridge
	B. William Trent and Trent's Mill
	C. The Trenton Mills from the Trents to the Revolution
	D. The First Battle of Trenton
	E. The Second Battle of Trenton (the Battle of the Assunpink)
	F. From the American Revolution to the Industrial Revolution
	G. The Greene Street Bridge from 1800 to 1870
	H. The 19th Century Mills -Flour, Cotton, Wool, Paper and More Flour
		Eagle Cotton Mill/ McCall Paper Mill
		Eagle Cotton Factory
		Trenton Cotton Factory/ Wilson Woolen Mill
		Moore Flour Mill/ Trenton Roller Mills
	I. The Assunpink Block: A Bridge of Commerce
		Upstream
		Downstream
	J. Mill Hill along the Assunpink Creek in the 19th and 20th Centuries
	K. Some Mill Hill Landmarks along the Assunpink Creek
		Jonathan Richmond's Tavern (the True American Inn)
		Washington's Retreat
		Temperance Hall
		Turner Hall/ Van Sciver's Furniture Store
		Washington Market
		Trenton Atheneum

3. PRESENT-DAY LAND USE

4. THE FUTURE PAST OF MILL HILL PARK

	A. The Historical Significance of the Assunpink Creek Corridor in Mill Hill Park
	B. Opportunity: New Direction for a Reinvigorated Urban Amenity
	C. Recommendations: A Pathway to a New Beginning
		Create A Welcoming Environment
		Emphasize History, The Strongest Asset
		Interpret The Past: Signs for the Future
	D. Summary

 

REFERENCES

APPENDICES
A. Figures
B. Plates
C. Tables
D. Resumes

List of Figures (Appendix A)

Figure A. 1. General Location of Study Area
Figure A. 2. Detailed Location of Study Area
Figure A. 3. Study Area Superimposed over Current Tax Parcel Map
Figure A. 4. Danckaerts Map of the Delaware from Burlington to Trenton in 1679
Figure A. 5. Survey of Mahlon Stacy's Lands in 1714
Figure A. 6. Plan of Colonel Thomas's Estate in Kingsbury circa 1750
Figure A. 7. Lieutenant Piel's Map of Trenton in 1776
Figure A. 8. Lieutenant Wiederhold's Map of Trenton in 1776
Figure A. 9. Lieutenant Fisher's Map of Trenton in 1776
Figure A. 10. Map of Area Between Trenton, Bordentown and Quaker Bridge circa 1780
Figure A. 11. Camp a Trenton le 1er Septembre, 12 miles & 2 de Princetown in 1781
Figure A. 12. A plan and survey of sundry pieces of land adjoining the Delaware River and Assunpink Creek belonging to Jn. Cox in 1789
Figure A. 13. A Plan of Sundry Lots of Land the Property of Daniel W. Coxe, circa 1804
Figure A. 14. Map and Profile of the Trenton Delaware Falls Company's Canal or Main Raceway in 1832
Figure A. 15. Gordon Map of Trenton and Its Vicinity in 1836
Figure A. 16. United States Coast Survey Map of the Delaware River from Bordentown to Trenton in 1844
Figure A. 17. Property of Henry McCall, Jr. in 1849
Figure A. 18. Sidney Map of Trenton in 1849
Figure A. 19. Otley and Keily Map of Trenton in 1849
Figure A. 20. Lamborn Map of Trenton in 1859
Figure A. 21. Lake and Beers Map of the Vicinity of Philadelphia in 1860
Figure A. 22. Beers Map of Trenton in 1870
Figure A. 23. Fowler Bird's Eye View of Trenton in 1872
Figure A. 24a-b. Everts & Stewart Map of Trenton in 1875
Figure A. 25a-b-c. Robinson and Pidgeon Map of Trenton in 1881
Figure A. 26. Haven A New Real Estate and Insurance Map of Trenton in 1882
Figure A. 27a-b-c-d. Sanborn Insurance Map of Trenton in 1874, corrected to 1886
Figure A. 28a-b. Scarlett and Scarlett Fire Map of Mercer County in 1890
Figure A. 29a-b-c-d. Sanborn-Perris Insurance Map of Trenton in 1890
Figure A. 30. Fowler View of Trenton Opposite Morrisville Island in 1893
Figure A. 31a-b. Lathrop Atlas of Trenton in 1905
Figure A. 32. Olmsted Plan for Parkway in 1907
Figure A. 33a-b. Sanborn Insurance Map of Trenton in 1908
Figure A. 34a-b. Sanborn Insurance Map of Trenton in 1927
Figure A. 35a-b-c. Franklin Real Estate Plat-Book of the City of Trenton in 1930
Figure A. 36. Mercer County Map of Old Flume under South Broad Street in 1936
Figure A. 37a-b. Nirenstein Map of the Downtown Retail Shopping Districts in 1947
Figure A. 38a-b-c-d. Sanborn Insurance Map of Trenton in 1927, revised to 1950

List of Plates (Appendix B)

Plate B. 1. Aerial Photograph Showing the Study Area Limits
Plate B. 2. Battle of Assunpink
Plate B. 3. Bradshaw Etching of the Second Battle of Trenton
Plate B. 4. Trumbull Painting of General Washington at the Bridge Over the Assunpink Creek
Plate B. 5. Assunpink Bridge and Triumphal Arch
Plate B. 6. Lossing View of Trenton Bridge and Vicinity in 1848
Plate B. 7. Barber and Howe View of Bridge over Assunpink Creek at Trenton in 1868
Plate B. 8. The South Broad Street Bridge over the Assunpink Creek and the McCall Paper Mill circa 1870
Plate B. 9. McCall Paper Mill and the Assunpink Bridge circa 1870
Plate B. 10. McCall Paper Mill circa 1870
Plate B. 11. Furman and Kite Carpenter Shop circa 1870
Plate B. 12. Factory Street and the Wilson Woolen Mill after flood in 1882
Plate B. 13. Assunpink Block on the South Broad Street Bridge circa 1890
Plate B. 14. Assunpink Block on the South Broad Street Bridge circa 1910
Plate B. 15. South Broad Street at East Front Street in 1936
Plate B. 16. South Broad Street at East Lafayette Street in 1936
Plate B. 17. Assunpink Block from Factory Street in 1937
Plate B. 18. 122 South Broad Street in 1957
Plate B. 19. 130 South Broad Street in 1957
Plate B. 20. 132 South Broad Street in 1957
Plate B. 21. 134 South Broad Street in 1957
Plate B. 22. Ice Skaters on the Assunpink Creek Mill Pond
Plate B. 23. South Montgomery Street Bridge in 1892
Plate B. 24. Jackson Street Bridge circa 1882
Plate B. 25. Aerial photograph of South Warren and South Broad Street in 1924
Plate B. 26. Aerial photograph showing the razing of Goldberg's/ Swern's Department Store in 1972
Plate B. 27. Jonathan Richmond's Tavern [the True American Inn]
Plate B. 28. Washington's Retreat circa 1850
Plate B. 29. Whitefield Detail View of Washington's Retreat in 1856
Plate B. 30. Washington's Retreat and Mill Dam circa 1860
Plate B. 31. Advertisement for Washington's Retreat circa 1870
Plate B. 32. Temperance Hall circa 1870
Plate B. 33. Van Sciver's Furniture Store circa 1950
Plate B. 34. Downstream from South Broad Street along the Assunpink Creek
Plate B. 35. Downstream from Factory Street along the Assunpink Creek
Plate B. 36. Upstream from South Warren Street along the Assunpink Creek
Plate B. 37. South Broad Street Bridge over the Assunpink Creek
Plate B. 38. Commemorative Plaque at the South Broad Street Bridge
Plate B. 39. Downtown Trenton from the South Broad Street Bridge
Plate B. 40. Downtown Trenton from the South Broad Street Bridge
Plate B. 41. Van Sciver Building at 160 South Broad Street
Plate B. 42. 100 South Broad Street
Plate B. 43. Commemorative Plaques Honoring Mahlon Stacy's Gristmill and the Second Battle of Trenton
Plate B. 44. Upstream from the South Broad Street Bridge along the Assunpink Creek
Plate B. 45. Upstream along the South Bank of the Assunpink Creek between South Broad and Jackson Streets
Plate B. 46. Across the Assunpink Creek toward the Amphitheater
Plate B. 47. Downstream from the Jackson Street Bridge along the Assunpink Creek
Plate B. 48. Upstream from the Jackson Street Bridge along the Assunpink Creek
Plate B. 49. Mill Hill Park from the Intersection of Livingston, Mercer and South Montgomery Streets
Plate B. 50. Along South Montgomery Street at the Assunpink Creek
Plate B. 51. Statue of George Washington in Douglas Place
Plate B. 52. Douglass House
Plate B. 53. Commemorative Plaque in front of the Douglass House
Plate B. 54. Mill Hill Park from East Front Street
Plate B. 55. Mill Hill Park from the Intersection of East Front and South Broad Streets

List of Tables (Appendix C)

Table C. 1. Eagle Mill/ McCall's Mill – Sequence of Ownership
Table C. 2. Eagle Factory – Sequence of Ownership
Table C. 3. Moore Flouring Mill – Sequence of Ownership
Table C. 4. Wilson's Woolen Mill – Sequence of Ownership
Table C. 5. 120 South Broad Street – Sequence of Ownership
Table C. 6. 122 South Broad Street – Sequence of Ownership
Table C. 7. 124 South Broad Street – Sequence of Ownership
Table C. 8. 126 South Broad Street – Sequence of Ownership
Table C. 9. 128 South Broad Street – Sequence of Ownership
Table C. 10. 130 South Broad Street – Sequence of Ownership
Table C. 11. 132 South Broad Street – Sequence of Ownership
Table C. 12. 134 South Broad Street – Sequence of Ownership
Table C. 13. 127-131 South Broad Street – Sequence of Ownership
Table C. 14. 133 South Broad Street – Sequence of Ownership
Table C. 15. 135 South Broad Street – Sequence of Ownership
Table C. 16. 137 South Broad Street – Sequence of Ownership
Table C. 17. 139 South Broad Street – Sequence of Ownership
Table C. 18. 141 South Broad Street – Sequence of Ownership

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