By Amy Batista, Special Writer
The City of Bordentown and Downtown Bordentown Association held a dedication ceremony for the historical banners that were placed along Farnsworth Avenue this past Saturday.
”For us who live here, it’s actually a working museum,” said Mayor Joseph Malone of the city. “As you walk around the streets and look at the different historic buildings and you look at the monuments it really gives you an appreciation of just what we are trusted with and what we have to care for in this community.”
The dedication ceremony was held at Old City Hall, located at 11 Crosswicks St. at 10 a.m. on June 7. Local and state dignitaries were in attendance.
Thomas Moyer, president of the Downtown Bordentown Association (DBA), welcomed the crowd gathered outside.
”Bordentown has a tremendous amount of history,” said Mr. Moyer. “I personally think it’s great that we have some of it written down on the avenue so people can actually see it.”
Mr. Moyer thanked the City of Bordentown, DBA and Red Knob Enterprises for making “these banners possible.” He credited the inspiration of the project to an association member who brought up the idea after seeing similar banners on vacation.
”One of the DBA members was on vacation in a historic town and they had similar banners about the history and when this was brought up we were talking about the big banners which also went up with these that it would be perfect because of the history we have here,” he said. “So we reached out to the city to get additional funds and Red Knob Enterprises donated what we still needed and that made it possible.”
The project started around two years ago and cost around $3,000, he said.
Mayor Malone said “every day is like a new adventure here in Bordentown.”
Putting up the banners to show the significance of just about every block and every corner of town so people can just casually stroll down the street and learn a little bit of history about the town is fantastic, he said.
”We will be working with the DBA financially in whatever endeavors they come up with to try to improve the community and improve our way of life here,” he said.
Mayor Malone turned the ceremony over to Marguerite “Mimi” Mount, past chair of the Economic and Development Committee for Bordentown City, who he referred to as the “guru of historical facts in the community.”
”She has been very instrumental in grants,” he said, adding she’s a “mover and a shaker.”
”We’re pretty excited all of us in the Bordentown community that has lived here, raised our families here, have our businesses here and dedicated our volunteer hours and services,” said Ms. Mount.
The historical banners represent and promote the rich history in Bordentown City and are placed strategically along Farnsworth Avenue for people who visit Bordentown City for events or to dine and shop. There are 12-14 banners, she said.
The banners start on Farnsworth Avenue by Park Street stop around City Hall and start again across the street on Farnsworth Avenue.
”We are working on five more to pull it up the street,” Ms. Mount said, adding there are more banners coming. “The goal is to get more banners. We want to go from City Hall all the way up to Burlington Street at the end of the business district.”
Anyone interested in sponsoring a banner should contact Mr. Moyer at Shoppe 202 at 202 Farnsworth Ave. or 609-298-1424.
Ms. Mount said it’s a “challenge” making the banners.
”You only have a certain amount words you can use,” she said. “There’s so much to tell and you just have to hit the high points.”
Ms. Mount was responsible for gathering most of the research for the banners.
”The compilation of the information has come from the wealth of resources,” she said. “Over the years that I was volunteering and working at the Historical Society I pulled information together. So over the course of the years that I have been involved in the city we have always search the background and stories of the buildings, the people as it relates to grant applications and what not so what just kind of tapped into all of that knowledge and pulled together the banners.”
She said people are stopping and reading the banners as they walk along.
”What we have found is that people are really stopping and reading them because they are standing in front of what’s being talked about,” she said. “It’s awesome.”
After the ceremony and in honor of New Jersey’s 350th anniversary celebration, free guided tours were given throughout the city from 10:30 a.m. to noon.
”We encourage you guys to take a tour and learn something about Bordentown that may surprise you,” she said.
Ms. Mount said that “significant things have happened in this town every decade.”
”Significant things happened here in its entire existence from the time that Thomas Farnsworth put his cabin on Farnsworth landing to the movement of trains to the canal to the ship building and even through the 30s and 40s.”
Michael Skelly, director of Bordentown Heritage, said that even today Bordentown has internationally famous residents.
”Even now we have people who are internationally famous artists, chefs and restaurant owners,” said Mr. Skelly. “We are making new history here in Bordentown and doing it at the top level. It’s pretty interesting.”
Ms. Mount said the city is showing other municipalities how a “small municipality can get things done through mobilizing the volunteer spirit in the community.”
”We do a lot with a little,” she said. “We are a classic town of greater Philadelphia.”
The Old City Hall Restoration Committee is selling tickets to the Winterhur Museum and Garden and the “Costumes of Downton Abbey” event on Sept. 12. Tickets are $80, which includes bus fare, a lunch voucher and tours of the Winterhur Mansion, Campbell Museum and an original exhibition of the Downton Abbey Costumes. For tickets or additional information, call Vicki at Old City Hall at 609-203-0541.
Ms. Mount noted that all the fundraising money goes back to restoring Old City Hall.
The Bordentown Historical Society is hosting its Garden Tour June 28.
Mayor Malone also mentioned that Old City Hall hosts a train show exhibit.
”We want you to enjoy the day,” Mayor Malone said. “It’s just a great place to live and a great place to raise your family and a great place to work.”
