Editorial-Nov. 24, 2005

Give thanks for purchase of Lambertville

By: Mae Rhine
   Lambertville residents have a unique opportunity to give thanks for much the same things our ancestors were glad to have at the first Thanksgiving.
   The area now known as Lambertville was purchased from the Delaware Indians as a portion of a 150,000-acre tract.
   The Pilgrims who sailed to this country aboard the Mayflower originally were members of the English Separatist Church, a Puritan sect. They had fled their home in England and sailed to Holland to escape religious persecution.
   The founder of Lambertville, John Holcombe, was a Quaker, another group that fled to escape religious persecution in England.
   Times were tough for both groups during the first few years, but eventually, things got better.
   The Pilgrims celebrated their good fortune with the first Thanksgiving, including 91 Indians who helped them survive their first year.
   Lambertville has yet another reason to celebrate its good fortune over the past three centuries — the discovery of the original deed that belonged to Mr. Holcombe.
   Representatives of the Council of West Jersey bought the land now known as Lambertville in 1703 for seven hundred pounds — about $2,800.
   The land was subdivided, and two years later, Mr. Holcombe purchased 150 acres north of the "Bull Line," which runs east of the Delaware River, cuts diagonally between Delevan and Jefferson streets and continues across Main Street to Route 179.
   To mark the discovery of the deed and to celebrate its past 300 years, the city will have a three-day celebration, Deed Days, Nov. 25-28.
   The deed was found last year in an old desk by a descendent of Mr. Holcombe, Ed Closson, owner of the Homestead Farmers Market on North Main Street. His mother, Polly Closson, still lives in the house constructed by Mr. Holcombe in 1724 that later came to be known as Washington’s headquarters.
   Deed Days includes numerous events, including a cupcake contest, several different tours, displays of memorabilia and viewings of movie clips from Lambertville’s past.
   It’s a great way to spend the holidays, particularly with relatives and friends who have come to visit, and celebrate three centuries of rich traditions and architecture.
   There will be free walking tours offered Saturday and Sunday — at noon for the Revolutionary March, 1 p.m. for Mount Hope Cemetery and 2 p.m. for the architectural tour.
   Another tour will feature interesting historical and architectural locations and will be conducted by the city’s historian, Lou Toboz. The Marshall House, home of the Lambertville Historical Society, also will be open to visitors.
   Everyone is invited to participate in the cupcake contest. You need to make a dozen cupcakes to compete for cash prizes. Eleven of the cupcakes will beplaced on the "Grand Cupcake" display at the Justice Center on South Union Street.
   The 12th cupcake will be judged by experts for the best in several categories, including best chocolate cupcake, best non-chocolate cupcake, best decorated cupcake, most unusual cupcake, best group entry and best merchant entry.
   Cupcakes and recipes must be dropped off at the Justice Center Nov. 26 between 9 and 10 a.m. Prizes will be awarded at 3 p.m. Nov. 27 at the Justice Center.
   And your recipes will be included in a commemorative "Grand Cupcake Cookbook."
   Entry forms for the cupcake contest should be available online at www.deeddays.com. Or pick up a form at City Hall, the Lambertville Area Chamber of Commerce at the Justice Center, Lambertville Trading Company, Rick’s Restaurant, Sojourner, Lily’s on the Canal, Baker’s Treat, the Lambertville Free Public Library and Monkey Hill.
   Two more things were added just this week. Saturday from 3 to 5 p.m., experts will be around to identify unusual Lambertville items and their significance to the past. There also will be a limited number of Lambertville Christmas lantern street decorations, circa 1940 to 1950, for sale for $50 a set, including the pole hanger and lantern.
   So join in the celebration, which takes place each day from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.