If you have any photographs, images, documents or films that include scenes, buildings and people in New Hope and Lambertville communities over the past 200 years, the Historical Society ur
In September 1814, the first vehicle traveled across the New Hope-Lambertville Bridge signaling a revolution in the development of the New Hope and Lambertville communities.
New Hope entrepreneur, Benjamin Parry, led a group of local businessmen from both sides of the Delaware River to obtain a license from the government of Pennsylvania to form the bridge company. His business partner, Samuel Ingham, later treasurer of the United States, facilitated the approval and construction on the span commenced in 1812.
To help commemorate the 200th anniversary of the bridge, the New Hope Historical Society has formed a working group from the New Hope and Lambertville communities, Members have begun assembling photographs, drawings, documents and films that will become part of a documentary film to be produced by Delaware Valley Video and funded by the New Hope Historical Society.
Dee Dee Bowman, president of the New Hope Historical Society, was excited as she discussed the plans for the documentary. “We have received grants from the Bucks County Conference and Visitors Bureau and from the Wells Fargo National Bank to help cover some of the cost of producing this important documentary, and we are seeking additional funds for this project.”
Historical Society board member, and past president, Roy Ziegler, has been selected to head the working group that includes John Blady, Claire Donohue, Hugh Marshall and Jeanne Robinson from the New Hope Historical Society; Fred Eisinger, Suzanne Gitomer and Jeff McVey from the Lambertville Historical Society; John Rees from the Solebury Historical Society, Joseph F. Donnelly from the Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission; Frank Cosner Sr. from New Hope Eagle Fire Company; Jim Ludovici and Albert Troglio from the Lambertville-New Hope Winter Festival, and Robert Heath Sr., a descendant of the Robert Heath, the original settler of what is now New Hope.
Kim Henning Bjorheim and John Weber of Delaware Valley Video will be producing the documentary.
”We’ve had several meetings over the past six months that have helped us draft an outline for the documentary film,” said Mr. Ziegler. “We have begun to assemble a wide variety of images and documents to help us tell this magnificent story, and we are asking the public to contact us if they have any photos or documents to contribute. I think this will be a story that will have national interest because it foreshadowed so many, many other similar developments that took place across our young nation,” he added.
If you have any photographs, images, documents or films that include scenes, buildings and people in New Hope and Lambertville communities over the past 200 years, the Historical Society urges you to contact them at [email protected] or contact Roy Ziegler at 215-862-0883.
A member of the working group will contact you for further discussion and to review your material.
Donations for the bridge documentary may be sent to the New Hope Historical Society (Bridge Documentary) at P.O. Box 41, New Hope, Pennsylvania, 18938.

