1908: 101 YEARS AGO: WE HAVE LIGHTS AND POLICE!

As the city of Trenton grew ever eastward, the borough of Wilbur was annexed and an unsuccessful effort to annex Bromley brought a number of citizens to the Bromley area of Hamilton. Bromley Manor and Bromley Place were established and we had our own little community. With the growth in population, law and order was demanded, and street lighting was provided. Note that Ben Kuser was one of the movers and shakers in the early development of the borough. Kuser was a major player in the breaking up of Henry N. Smith's Fashion Stud Farm, located in the area of the N.J. State Fairgrounds. Kuser's real estate developments included the area around the Enterprise Fire Company. Victor, Rosalie, and Adella Kuser had streets named after them. Ben Kuser was also responsible for the Pennsylvania Railroad Yards which were located behind the De Laval plant in an area off Whitehead Road.

1934: Greenwood School Class of 1944

Hey, that's my lifelong friend Web Grimm in that class! Web's relationship with the Glover family goes way way back to the 1k930's when he and my older brother Len conducted a boys' club known as the "Lynx" club. I can still see those guys pouring the jelly stuff into a flat pan and duplicating documents that came out printed in blue. It was called a "Hektograph" process. Now I know I'm getting on in years! I haven't heard that word in years.

2009: VOTE TODAY

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2009

Polls are open at the Hamilton Volunteer Fire House for Bromley Fire District 4 on Klockner Road. Polls open at 2 and close at 9. Paper ballots are being utilized, and the time taken is minimal.

If you are a Bromley resident, you owe it to your community to cast your vote. While you're at the firehouse, wish the fire guys a happy 100th birthday for their fire company!

HAMILTON VFD: 1909 - 2009

A century of service to Bromley

1959: HAMILTON VFD: FROM THE 85TH ANNIVERSARY PROGRAM

A week or so ago, Joe Whartenby, Jimmy Cope, and Bob Wiles of the Hamilton Volunteer Fire Company visited my archives workshop at the Hamilton Library. It was at this meeting that I decided to form this website. The fact that I have numerous files in both the "BROMLEY" and "HAMILTON FIRE CO." folders

seems to be a good time start the website to coincide with Hamilton VFD's centennial. One hundred years! They must be doing something right. As a resident of Bromley for nearly half the time Hamilton has been in existance, I find the history of this veteran fire company to be very interesting.

2009: A HEADS UP FROM TOM

This Sunday afternoon, February 22, from 1 to 3 PM, I will be presenting my music program " When Music Was Music" at Kuser Farm Mansion, Cedar Lane and Newkirk Avenues in Hamilton. We will be singing the songs of Patti Page, Dean Martin, Barry Mannilow, Joni James, Andy Williams, and all of the "easy listening" songs from the 40's, World War II, and choice ballads and novelty songs through the 60's and 70's. This year, in recognition of the centennial of Kuser School, I will also be recalling grammar school in the years of my (and our) youth. Once again we'll be singing "Do You Know the Muffin Man," "Go In and Out the Windows," and other school playground songs, and recalling ink wells, blackboards, milk boards, girlfriends, lavatories, cloak rooms and all those fascinating vestiges of a now vintage era. I can pretty much guarantee a fun filled two hours. I hope to see you there. Call 890-3630 and leave a message to reserve a seat (or seats). I hope to see y'all there!

1918: SLACKWOOD VOLUNTEER FIRE CARNIVAL

These fire fighters protected the Slackwood area of Lawrence Township. They were also very supportive of the Bromley section when assistance was needed....over the RR tracks on Whitehead road, and they were on the scene; a short trip from Slackwood to Bromley.

1939: FARMINGDALE SCHOOL

It's so very sad that many of Hamilton's schools became victims of the wreckers' ball. Farmingdale School had an incredibly interesting history, but unfortunately there is very little in the way of original photographs and other documentation.