I was born in Trenton, 1947. Returned in 1978 for Dad's Funeral. At that point in time the city was already on a downward slide. It saddens me so much.
I’ve never been to New Jersey. Some of the buildings in downtown are gorgeous. I enjoyed the history of Trenton. I love learning about the places you visit. I didn’t pay close attention in school so I am redeeming myself! You’re a great teacher! The Photo Session is really cool! Glad Nicole got her Capitol stamp. Enjoy your weekend.
It's great work you're doing. Documenting the effects of five decades of financial mismanagement and near all out war of the eletes on the American working class.
Being a foreigner, it is strangely curious that a city with such an American heritage seems almost neglected. Anyway, a good video. Thanks for uploading it.
the people in charge of these cities hate Americans and American culture. It's like when the Soviets took over in Russia. They hated Russian culture and Russian identity and tried to erase it. Something like that is starting to happen here and it's awful.
NJ NATIVE HERE: As Joe indicated there was a sharp decline in manufacturing which contributed to population loss of 40,000 in Trenton. Pretty common both here & abroad. A good book to check out is: The Old Neighborhood What We Lost in the Great Suburban Migration, 1966-1999 By RAY SUAREZ
Neglect? Yes; but to whom would you look to finance a revitalization? A municipality depends on the tax base of its citizenry, corporate and individual, and that base has been reduced to less than enough to pay for basic public service.
It'll be gentrified in time. First, the cost of living there needs to come down. Then, the low-level investors will come in and people will move there because of it's lower costs and proximity to NYC and Philly. In time, gentrification will begin, prices will rise and it'll become a quaint, small, historic city.
It's not that at all my guy they're plenty of jobs only the wrong people are in charge (Democrats) literally with their ideas you can buy marijuana in mushrooms across City Hall in Trenton it seems now there are more marijuana shops in Trenton than there are pizza shops no exaggeration legalizing drugs sounds like a good idea until they bring out all the Riff Raff from all corners look at Los Angeles and Portland
not only that but also taxes. companies are discouraged to invest in places like that, they rather move to Texas, Florida, etc I moved out of Trenton in 1988 after 2 years of living there, it was too depressing and too dangerous
Coming soon to your community. Just a matter of time, as 6 people hoard more wealth than over 150 million people in this country. It's NOT a red/blue thing, it's a greed thing.
I currently live in Trenton, and I can assure you it's bad 3 out of the 4 season. Winter is the most peaceful season, mainly because it's too cold to do anything. There are some jewels in Trenton (houses/areas that you wouldn't believe exist). Personally, I hate it here, but with the cost of living rising and job security is starting to get questionable, it's hard to leave.
That huge abandoned manufacturing facility was the Roebling building. John Roebling was an engineer who developed steel cables. He built the Brooklyn Bridge, among other projects.
My mom worked downtown in the 60s and said the riots in april of 68 destroyed Trenton. Rioters ransacked looted and burned over 200 businesses. Insurance companies started dropping businesses policys. Trenton a once commercial and residential hub never recovered.
@@DCDura Similar to Detroit. Both places were already losing population to suburbanization & crime, but the riots accelerated the declines exponentially. Yet somehow the same academics who teach our young adults justified them as necessary "uprisings".😕
Doesn’t it stand to reason that all of that, riots and insurance policy changes alike, are just symptoms of social conditions that had to exist to cause the riots in the first place? En masse riots of unhappy and angry people don’t just happen where they happen randomly.
@@romancatholic7726 So Looting and Burning (200+) Businesses, in their own Neighborhood (as they did in 1968), was their "solution"? Destroying Businesses they need to survive, was the answer? How did it help them? It didn't help them, at all. It only made their life worse.
I am European but once landed in Trenton by mistake. I simply booked the cheapest flight from Chicago to Philly and didn't know that airports in the surrounding area were also possible when booking. I think I was the only one who took a bus to the train station after the flight.
The present condition of Trenton is no surprise to me. It was bad in the mid eighties when I was in the Air Force, stationed about 30 miles away at McGuire AFB, which is now known as joint base McGuire/Fort Dix. I should add: be very cautious in some of these areas being explored… like Trenton. I’m looking forward to many more videos in the future!
I lived in Trenton in the mid 80's and from my perspective it was a good city. Like a lot of industrial cities in the north, as industry declined so did the cities. One of the most severe blows to Trenton was the closing of GM's parts factory. Along with other major manufacturers being off shored, it's no surprise that Trenton isn't what it used to be. However, in the 80's I had a great time in Trenton.
The city actually didn't look too bad on the drive. It's worse in person. I went to Trenton State College which is actually a couple of miles north in Ewing. It's funny that Joe didn't mention the Battle of Trenton Monument when he drove right past it.
Trenton used to have a famous race track, at the state fairgrounds. It was about a 1 mile oval, except unlike most ovals there was a right turn in it: a 20 degree dogleg in the backstretch, creating a kidney bean shape. It was used for Indy car and top-division NASCAR events. It closed in 1980.
I was born and raised in East Trenton, attended Woodrow Wilson Elementary School, Jr. High #1, and Trenton Central High School. Joined the Marines after High school in 1978. I remember going to the State Fairgrounds as a kid watching the "Firecracker 200' Indy races and the "Joey Chipwood" Car Stunt Driving. Today the neighborhood I grew up in is totally different and I don't recognize it anymore. Every thing has changed for the worse. I still love Trenton and always will, but I'll never return there to live, only to visit.
Thank you for another very informative video. New Jersey is a state where the "haves and have nots" is on full display . Most people around the country who never visited think of the very sad urban areas of Trenton, Camden and Newark . However, many very affluent communities abound everywhere in NJ. The state consistently ranks in the Top 5 for highest income and surprisingly, makes the Top 10 for the least in poverty. The high crime rap the state gets is unfair. According to that latest CDC statistics, the per capita homicide rate is 4.8/100000. Compare to Texas at 8.2/100000, Florida at 7.4/100000 , South Carolina at 13.4/100000 and even very rural South Dakota at 5.3/100000 to see what I mean.
Yes… not far down Rt 1 is Princeton University and one of the wealthiest areas in America with some of the best school systems. That’s NJ (and NYC too).
I was born in Trenton in 1975. The hospital I was born in on Bellevue Ave is the tallest building in Trenton. My dad worked there for years. It is now completely abandoned. I wish you had checked it out.
🌻🌱🌸✨I Was Born In That Same Hospital.. It’s A Shame That It’s Abandoned Now.. It Looks Like A Scene Straight Out Of The Show “The Walking Dead”.. Trenton Is A Forgotten Place, Now✨🌸🌱🌻🙄
Hi Joe and Nic it's 19C in south London right now - interesting and informative video - I don't think I will be going out of my way to visit Trenton should I ever visit New Jersey.
I live here. Anyone who parrots "Politicians" this "Phil Murphy" that are probably the same people to take scenic routes to avoid even driving through here and have a favorite past time blowing a lot of hot air. There's no opportunities within the area that brings in tax dollars or incentives for improvement. Factories are abandoned, and brokers use coded terms calling it a "Mircomarket" when there a plenty of people who could establish local businesses work if they had credit and reliable means. Crime would go down if there were enough jobs people without reliable transportation could participate locally and more people could qualify. Many don't have cars (A requirement in NJ), and those who do can barely/have to budget to afford gas. The city is a generation behind. You can look at a map and see even the highways go around or cut through to bypass Trenton leaving everyone to point at it as they pass by calling it the "Sad, Bleak Capital City" so nothing changes and the labels get worse. Is it intentional? Who knows.
I am a lifelong Trentonian and agree with you. If there was a political will to assist the inner cities and its residents they would be better. It's very easy for 'visitors' to come in and make these determinations without knowing the real deal. SMDH.
As a NJ taxpayer, I can assure you that as Trenton has devolved into a s-höle, the state government has spared no expense building opulent edifices to the state bureaucracy. Especially the Judiciary complex of buildings where the NJ Supreme Court meets. Those buildings would be befitting of Caesar or Cleopatra. Such a waste of money!
I'm from the Jersey Shore and no one goes to this place it's a shxx-hole.... Gov. Murphy is a Carpetbagger doesn't care one bit about this city But these people keep Voting for the Same.. So it is what it is....... Everyone have a great weekend....be well.
I have been to a few state capitals. A couple of months ago, I was in Sacramento. I have never seen so many homeless camps. You would think these state capitals could do better. Keep up the great work
To Joe & Nic : Born in Trenton and lived there until I was 13 when my family moved out of Trenton. After I left High School I moved back to Trenton. Not by choice. It was bad and getting worse in the early 80's. It was manufacturing town. Now it's mostly a ghetto. Extremely high crime. Anyone with an ability escapes it. Trenton, New Jersey is a death trap.
THE WIRE ROPE used in the Brooklyn and Golden Gate bridges was made here in Trenton. One of the 3 bridges that connects Trenton to Morrisville, PA. is called the "TRENTON MAKES THE WORLD TAKES" Bridge.
Feels like I've travelled most of America since subscribing two weeks ago, it's been awesome and a real eye opener. . I never realised the poverty in America as well. Really sad to see. Watched a TH-cam video on Canada lastnight, that was sad as well. Might I say, your voice is very calming and nice to listen to, very informative as well. I always look foward to your new posts. Take care out there. Hi from Western Australia friends ❤ 🖐🏽
Actually the city looks better than it did over 25 years ago when I last visited. The part I drive through looked worse than Camden (Perry St), but there was a decent area called Mill Hill.
"What the F are you doin'" must translate as "Welcome to our town. Please enjoy your stay", right? Lovely! Good stuff, man! Thanks for the awesome vids. Stay cool, and stay safe, brother!
As a native and inveterate Northeasterner, I must admit to no surprise that New Jersey's State House is off-limits to the public without an appointment. It's a fair bet that it's the only one in the country with that 'non-democratic' restriction. Except for its gorgeous small towns and countryside, its congested and urban areas are grim and near-chaotic. Thank you for the video.
The CCP censures everything in China. Any citizen posts critical of the country is taken down immediately upon notice. Also, what you might see in such videos might seem like glittering new mid-rises and high-rises; but you do not see the interiors where the elevators to the top floors where the elderly are put don't work and, in many cases, the buildings are not occupied and will never be completed.
I have been in there a couple of times, it’s on the smaller side, the main inner chamber the guide made a specific point about how the marble is a faux marble made during a time when labor was cheaper than materials so they dipped strings in colored paint and dragged it through the white material while still damp to create a very passable unnoticeable “marble “. Maybe it’s true but I remember this from a few school trips
I was a Trenton resident, don't wanna be again. First Trenton is a large city, and not all is bad. Your driving down the WORSE streets! I won't even drive threw there! Plus the price of a one bedroom is around $1500 is crazy! That's because most of the people living there are on some kind of housing assistants. The city is turning into mostly Spanish speaking cultures. Most of the people from the 90s all moved out. The school district in my opinion is not bad. My oldest son graduated from Trenton Central High School with a scholarship to John Hopkins. He is doing very well now living in Virginia ❤
Seeing the Photo Session statues in Trenton made me laugh - the exact same ones are also in Queen Elizabeth Park in Vancouver, BC, albeit without the realistic fashion colors that Trenton's family has 😆
That disgusting that you can’t go into the capital building when it doesn’t belong to them but the capital belongs to the people just like all of those grounds you’re walking on just like in Washington DC they don’t own it; the people who pay taxes own these capital buildings yet people don’t realize this...hummm I bet Gestapo ✋🏼 you at the door before you walked into the capital building...😂
I was lost on the way to Cambridge MA and entered Newark NJ by accident in 1982 and boy it was miserable then let alone now. No GPS at that time only McNally Road Atlas and AAA map Unless one is blind, most people can see that this country is rapidly deteriorating. Some may have watched Trump's rally a few months ago and he always said we are a nation in decline. Sad, infuriating, frustrating!
The guy in the walker appears to be disabled. He's got a cane and a stick and appears to be using those to propel the walker. He's probably in the street because it's got fewer obstacles to the small wheels than the sidewalk has. Quite possibly a homeless vet.
That is reason why I love TH-cam. Anybody can make content, and if its enough popular/good, you can earn living with that and make more same kind of contenct. I am from Europe, and its intresting to see small town in America and know prices of the houses etc.. That kind contenct could not be possible before internet time.🇪🇺🇺🇸
I will never understand why people keep voting for state run governments like that. Ignorance I suppose. And u can’t even go into your government building at will. Make an appointment how stupid.thx for taking us along. Glad I live where I live.
It’s so disappointing… I pass by Trenton every week when I go to office to NYC to take the train. What a stunning beautiful architecture and city planning that is LACKING IN US!! USA is so desperately needs beautiful urban cultural cities and Trenton has those bones…. To see it all decline to see all the drug use on the streets is sooooo upsetting and such a waste!!! I hope Trenton recovers and RESTORES its beauty. I’m sorry but the drug use needs to be number 1 thing addressed to make this happen… unfortunately seeing how big cities deal with it even in LA NY Philly I don’t know how and when it’ll be addressed.. you do not see this in Europe and Trenton has the bones of a beautiful European city.. what doesn’t have is people who care about their town. As hash as it might seem I thing drug use in public should be outlawed and REINFORCED!! Like it is in other countries
Seeing all the gorgeous architecture left to rot breaks my heart too. In a better city those townhomes would be full of happy families supporting small business on every corner. It sounds like a dream now, but that was Trenton within living memory. All gone, now.
@Curiousitydrive It's The Drugs And Gun's That's Coming Into Trenton, N.J. Just Like Camden, N.J. And Newark, N.J. Which Are The Three Most Dangerous Cities In New Jersey!! Where Are The Drugs And Gun's Coming From? And What Are The Senator And Mayor Of The City Of Trenton, New Jersey Doing To Fix And Getting The Drugs And Gun's Off The Streets.. Also With The Riots Of The Late 1960's Newark, N.J. / Asbury Park, N.J. Got Hit Hard During The Riots.. Now That I'm Watching This Video!! Trenton, New Jersey Are On The City That Got Hit Also During The Riots Of The Late 1960's.. So Sad For All The Cities That Went Through All Of This 🔥 🏙️ 🔥 🏙️.
Don't walk too much further down my man 😜 Your in the so-so safe spot But don't get it twisted 🥨🥨 Trenton is not like Camden You should've contacted a good tour guide to show you around the Town You rode through some of Trenton Like dude said what the f.... are you doing 🤔 lol 🤣
@@transman9453 Yep, sat here and watched like most of his videos. If the city predominantly black it's a bad place. But it doesn't have black people in its vibrant and nice to live. But all I saw was abandoned homes overtaken by nature. But that's better? I will never understand the reason why people are like that. A majority of his followers are older maga Republicans so I'm not surprised. Just sad because at 1st I thought the channel was cool. But it's really bias by his views. So not a fan anymore. I would rather see someone be unbiased and give an honest review. But it's funny how you picked up on that. You may even agree with how he thinks. Which is fine, just wish there wasn't so much racism everywhere. So tired of it 😢
The Battle Monument (16:27) would be neat if you could still go up it, but it's been closed for decades. It's still neat - Trenton has a lot of history - but not presented in a way to make it worth your while if you're not in the area unfortunately.
Camden a sewer .. Trenton a sewer...Newark the same. Plus a few more......on the other hand there are many beautiful towns and cities in New Jersey ......just like any other state
It's not only in Trenton...San Francisco, my home town, is suffering the same abandonment, graffiti, and lifeless look! I remember S.F. in the late 40s through 1965, when I came of age...so fine...beautiful and vibrant!! So glad I lived through those times! When I think of Camden, the huge Victor Talking Machine Company, later RCA Corp. comes to mind! All gone! San Francisco is noted for its Victorian Homes, many still exist. Beautifully restored! Most, if not all homes here, from the smallest to the grandest are of balloon -framed wooden construction, due to the huge redwood forest areas in California. Many men made large fortunes in the lumber industry. That relay mailbox looked like a drunken dancer...we have them out here, too, human ones also!!
Great insight video, but im a hopeless optimist when i visit cities that were historically important in past then oh the reality hits, they are rundown for real in present. Sad to see alright.
Hi Joe and Nic best wishes from the U.K. I love your posts as it gives a very real and honest view of whats happening in the USA. I actually used one of your videos whilst having a discussion with an American friend, and they where blown away by the reality of whats happening there, and there in the country. As I said, I love that you visit cities and towns others dont, and the information that you provide is really interesting, I have a question if you would kindly indulge me. many of the videos you say theres been pretty big population shifts, where is everyone going too?, secondly, why are many abandoned shops, homes etc just left for decades to crumble, it truly interests me as in the UK that doesn't happen, a year or two but not decades . Lokk forwards to the next post. take care.
In the U.S. car culture, suburban migration, manufacturing either lost or moved abroad contributed to a number of older cities, towns, etc moving people away. Although cities are coming back as people realize commuting is not much fun and stressful. I encourage you to check out the book The Old Neighborhood What We Lost in the Great Suburban Migration, 1966-1999 By RAY SUAREZ
Kevin pretty much nailed it. People are moving to cities. The buildings and homes you see crumbling are too expensive to tear down.These small cities and towns no longer have the tax base to afford it.
6:40 Wow, I saw that same exact statue in Queen Elizabeth Park in Vancouver, Canada when I visited a few years ago. I didn't know Trenton had one too. It's more fitting in New Jersey since they're wearing Great Adventure shirts.
Growin up here i witnessed my fair share in crime and nonsense. Wouldn't recommend livin here, and i would say I've grown up on one of the safer blocks in the city. Quite sad the fate the befell this place.
Left Trenton in 1975. Have not been back to Jersey since 1980. Obviously not missing much. Look up to see all the beautiful ironwork made by the blacksmith of Trenton.
that plant is Roebling Steel. They made the cables holding up the Golden Gate Bridge (and many others). You didn't comment on the war memorial with the stature on top. Colonial artillery emplacement during battle of Trenton. Swept the streets clean of the Hessians. That beautiful steepled white church tiny adjacent graveyard on State Street is the burial site of Hessian Colonel Rawl, who commanded the Hessians at the battle and lost his life. You walked right by the capital of the US on State Street, the "French Arms" tavern. Trenton was chosen as the future home of the US capital but VA and MD donated the free land, so that where it is today. Seven taverns from pre revolution (1730) to 1837 occupied this space. Their names are etched on the roof border on the top floor. The colonial congress met here for 2 months after being kicked out of philadelphia . You missed a lot of very cool stuff but seemed to know all the bad. This could have been a great video bc you had a lot to work with.
Because it literally used to be a Colonial Farm. New Jersey was a little bread basket for the Colonies. Beautiful state. People made it ugly over time.
There are a lot of good people and good things happening in Trenton and the other majority black cities that you're bashing. Crime is EVERYWHERE! What's it like where you come from?
I really enjoyed the East St. Louis video. The contrast between the fourth world condition of East St. Louis and the brand new super funded ultra first world East St. Louis police department was a real eye opener.
Crazy because it’s surrounded by wealth, Urban Jersey is a whole different vibe from Small towns, but you could go down 5 blocks be in a good neighborhood go down another 3 blocks and see crackheads and chicken spots
BTW I used to work for the man who made those statues right around the time they were made. J. Seward Johnson Jr. owned and operated The Johnson Atelier where he and a crew of very interesting characters created those statues depicting real life moments in time. There are many different installations in and around Princeton, Trenton and the surrounding area. Mr. Johnson was an heir to the Johnson and Johnson fortune and I used to work for him and his family around his home and at the Johnson Atelier many years ago. He passed away in 2020 at 89 I believe. He moved the Atelier to the Hamilton area (near Trenton) and it’s now known as The Grounds for Sculpture which is a really cool place to visit.
I was born in Trenton and I know all the places downtown you are visiting. When I was a kid in the '80s, I remember how excited I was to go downtown and how full of life it was. I also remember being upset that we moved away from there at the age of 7. I slowly but surely realized what a good move it was (even though I hated Bucks County) and now when I go there (I still have family there and I was last there about two months ago), I'm grateful that we got out. So few do it seems.
Love that you're in my home state exploring the shitholes lol.. I keep hoping you explore my boring hometown of South River, or maybe neighboring Sayreville, childhood home of Jon Bon Jovi and the Bon Jovi rest stop lmao. They're not too far from the Clark Griswold exit of the Garden State Parkway.
The 4 NJ towns I visited in the video prior to this one are quite beautiful, and I showed them as such. The next video will be of Leonardo and Red Bank, also beautiful.
I don't know what the difference between a State House and a Capitol Building is. If you went to Providence, RI and asked for the Capitol Building they'd probably tell you to get on I-95 and head south to Washington DC. We called ours the State House (when I lived there). I think you've been there, unlike NJ where the unwashed masses can't get in. PS: This is the difference between a graveyard and a cemetery: The word cemetery (from Greek κοιμητήριον 'sleeping place') implies that the land is specifically designated as a burial ground and originally applied to the Roman catacombs. The term graveyard is often used interchangeably with cemetery, but a graveyard primarily refers to a burial ground within a churchyard. PS: That was too funny about the drunk mailbox. It just took a header and stayed on the ground, passed out. I've seen people do that at the bus station in downtown Providence.
Trenton has been on a steady death spiral since the riots in the 1960s. What also killed retail was the malls in suburbia. The downtown could be like Somerville that did recover, but not a chance. Bad or corrupt leadership over the years. I'm local so have seen it all myself.
It’s not too late.I refuse to believe that. In Mill Hill they are working hard to bring Trenton back. We need to get behind them and help support their efforts. Either you part of the solution or you’re part of the problem. Which side do you want to be on?
Mill Hill has always been a residential island surrounded by decay. Brave people. Also a few streets near Cadwalader Park. Only South Warren Street has been trying for business and that's a mixed bag. Trenton can't even keep a hotel going-what was a Marriott was nice-now abandoned for years. The original try with a new hotel that was a Holiday Inn at the corner of State and Calhoun failed decades ago...turned into offices and that's now failed for any permanent entities. The Route 1 corridor -Lawrence and West Windsor Twps have the majority of lodging as they call themselves Princeton. You have to wonder where all the State legislative members stay when in session. It's not in Trenton... hadn't been since the days of the Stacey Trent and others more than 50 years ago. The sidewalks roll up when the State workers go home during the week. So many have tried. Let's not even delve into public safety. Ever encounter the renegade packs on ATVs and dirt bikes-all unlicensed?
That's the former Trenton Savings Loan Society. You should have seen the insides when it was open. Also the Bank at the corner of Warren and State streets. The murals are incredible.
The Photo Session alone almost makes Trenton worth a (very) brief visit. It's amazing how vibrant the colors of their clothes are...someone must have enough of a sense of civic pride to keep them cleaned up. By the way, have you considered doing a live session for a little Q&A?
You can see them and more at The Grounds For Sculpture in neighboring Hamilton Twp nj. The sculptures were created by Seward Johnson of the Johnson and Johnson family, he purchased the land to house his sculptures. Many of his works are located throughout the county, Mercer.
Amazing how if you go 10 minutes outside Trenton you have loads of rich suburbs on the NJ and PA side but this dumpster fire wedged between all those nice towns
I was born in Trenton, 1947. Returned in 1978 for Dad's Funeral. At that point in time the city was already on a downward slide. It saddens me so much.
Hope All Is Well
@@BrianRenardDavis I am OK, retired in Henderson NV
@@ronmichael2988 Cool. Jackson Mississippi.
So what changed from time it was ok to going downwards ?
I’ve never been to New Jersey. Some of the buildings in downtown are gorgeous. I enjoyed the history of Trenton. I love learning about the places you visit. I didn’t pay close attention in school so I am redeeming myself! You’re a great teacher! The Photo Session is really cool! Glad Nicole got her Capitol stamp. Enjoy your weekend.
Old world European architectural jewels. Glad they’re preserving them. Worked an 8 month job in Trenton. No go zones exist. No desire to return.
NewvJersey has a lot of history about it. It's sad that some of these places are unliveable.. Some of the people who I know, live in the better areas.
You gotta see Paterson falls and museums city is making a comeback! Hinchcliff stadium
It's great work you're doing. Documenting the effects of five decades of financial mismanagement and near all out war of the eletes on the American working class.
If we learn from our mistakes, we can use these lesson to do better.
@@reneastle8447the elite will do whatever they feel like, you have no say in this
@reneastle8447 "If" would be the keyword, but unfortunately it's too late to take America back from the plutocracy.
i am sooo glad ron reagan NEVER started sending business overseas🤣
@@tominexile There's still hope for the damage to be reversed.
Being a foreigner, it is strangely curious that a city with such an American heritage seems almost neglected. Anyway, a good video. Thanks for uploading it.
the people in charge of these cities hate Americans and American culture. It's like when the Soviets took over in Russia. They hated Russian culture and Russian identity and tried to erase it. Something like that is starting to happen here and it's awful.
NJ NATIVE HERE: As Joe indicated there was a sharp decline in manufacturing which contributed to population loss of 40,000 in Trenton. Pretty common both here & abroad. A good book to check out is:
The Old Neighborhood
What We Lost in the Great Suburban Migration, 1966-1999
By RAY SUAREZ
Neglect? Yes; but to whom would you look to finance a revitalization? A municipality depends on the tax base of its citizenry, corporate and individual, and that base has been reduced to less than enough to pay for basic public service.
It'll be gentrified in time. First, the cost of living there needs to come down. Then, the low-level investors will come in and people will move there because of it's lower costs and proximity to NYC and Philly. In time, gentrification will begin, prices will rise and it'll become a quaint, small, historic city.
That assumes that economic disintegration does not expand to much larger places like NYC and Philly; actually, it's already begun.
Trenton NJ is a very old city. Cities go down hill when decent paying jobs aren't there. Very common.
It's not that at all my guy they're plenty of jobs only the wrong people are in charge (Democrats) literally with their ideas you can buy marijuana in mushrooms across City Hall in Trenton it seems now there are more marijuana shops in Trenton than there are pizza shops no exaggeration legalizing drugs sounds like a good idea until they bring out all the Riff Raff from all corners look at Los Angeles and Portland
not only that but also taxes. companies are discouraged to invest in places like that, they rather move to Texas, Florida, etc I moved out of Trenton in 1988 after 2 years of living there, it was too depressing and too dangerous
More like places ran by liberals for the past 60 years tend to look like this
I think drug use and crime is at core.
@tanyapatra5342 that came in response to the economic downturn and job loss. And the influx of some demographics as others left.
Coming soon to your community. Just a matter of time, as 6 people hoard more wealth than over 150 million people in this country. It's NOT a red/blue thing, it's a greed thing.
Blame the freeloading demographic that makes the tax base give up and move away.
@@bscottb8the big problem is all the welfare queens. These folks are already billionaires…
WILLIE BEAMISH Which country u talking about there friend?
@@chairlesnicol672 USA 🇺🇸
@@bscottb8 Go ahead, but wealth inequality and poverty the real culprit.
Trenton is a sad place run down and abandoned its a shame because it has a lot of really cool buildings
I currently live in Trenton, and I can assure you it's bad 3 out of the 4 season. Winter is the most peaceful season, mainly because it's too cold to do anything. There are some jewels in Trenton (houses/areas that you wouldn't believe exist). Personally, I hate it here, but with the cost of living rising and job security is starting to get questionable, it's hard to leave.
Gotta get out. The odds are against you.
That huge abandoned manufacturing facility was the Roebling building. John Roebling was an engineer who developed steel cables. He built the Brooklyn Bridge, among other projects.
shaky Bridge next to the filtration plant on rt29 is a small model of the Brooklyn Bridge
@@chilltnj I believe it was built before the Brooklyn Bridge.
Trenton still has some beautiful buildings.
My mom worked downtown in the 60s and said the riots in april of 68 destroyed Trenton. Rioters ransacked looted and burned over 200 businesses. Insurance companies started dropping businesses policys. Trenton a once commercial and residential hub never recovered.
This is exactly what caused the death spiral
@@DCDura Similar to Detroit. Both places were already losing population to suburbanization & crime, but the riots accelerated the declines exponentially. Yet somehow the same academics who teach our young adults justified them as necessary "uprisings".😕
Doesn’t it stand to reason that all of that, riots and insurance policy changes alike, are just symptoms of social conditions that had to exist to cause the riots in the first place? En masse riots of unhappy and angry people don’t just happen where they happen randomly.
@@DCDura Ebony destruction
~ there and dozens of other states and cities !
@@romancatholic7726
So Looting and Burning (200+) Businesses, in their own Neighborhood (as they did in 1968), was their "solution"?
Destroying Businesses they need to survive, was the answer? How did it help them? It didn't help them,
at all. It only made their life worse.
Decades ago, American Standard was a major corporation in Trenton, where its huge kilns manufactured toilets, bidets, lavys and basins.
Airplanes during WW2 also.......
Just like Campbell Soup was in Camden, NJ.
I am European but once landed in Trenton by mistake. I simply booked the cheapest flight from Chicago to Philly and didn't know that airports in the surrounding area were also possible when booking. I think I was the only one who took a bus to the train station after the flight.
The present condition of Trenton is no surprise to me. It was bad in the mid eighties when I was in the Air Force, stationed about 30 miles away at McGuire AFB, which is now known as joint base McGuire/Fort Dix.
I should add: be very cautious in some of these areas being explored… like Trenton. I’m looking forward to many more videos in the future!
I lived in Trenton in the mid 80's and from my perspective it was a good city. Like a lot of industrial cities in the north, as industry declined so did the cities. One of the most severe blows to Trenton was the closing of GM's parts factory. Along with other major manufacturers being off shored, it's no surprise that Trenton isn't what it used to be. However, in the 80's I had a great time in Trenton.
The city actually didn't look too bad on the drive. It's worse in person. I went to Trenton State College which is actually a couple of miles north in Ewing. It's funny that Joe didn't mention the Battle of Trenton Monument when he drove right past it.
He also ignored the Friends Meeting House that he walked right by when he was talking about how the Quakers founded the city.
I'm from Ewing!...the college is now called The College of New Jersey
@@fbmimpy I know, of course, but I stick with the name on the diploma when referring to my time there.
@tommurin completely valid, my father graduated from there during the same era and he still calls it that as well.
Every day there's a "Battle of Trenton".
Trenton used to have a famous race track, at the state fairgrounds. It was about a 1 mile oval, except unlike most ovals there was a right turn in it: a 20 degree dogleg in the backstretch, creating a kidney bean shape. It was used for Indy car and top-division NASCAR events. It closed in 1980.
It is now the Hamilton Grounds for Sculpture
I was born and raised in East Trenton, attended Woodrow Wilson Elementary School, Jr. High #1, and Trenton Central High School. Joined the Marines after High school in 1978. I remember going to the State Fairgrounds as a kid watching the "Firecracker 200' Indy races and the "Joey Chipwood" Car Stunt Driving. Today the neighborhood I grew up in is totally different and I don't recognize it anymore. Every thing has changed for the worse. I still love Trenton and always will, but I'll never return there to live, only to visit.
They used to have Rock Concerts there.
Thank you for another very informative video. New Jersey is a state where the "haves and have nots" is on full display . Most people around the country who never visited think of the very sad urban areas of Trenton, Camden and Newark . However, many very affluent communities abound everywhere in NJ. The state consistently ranks in the Top 5 for highest income and surprisingly, makes the Top 10 for the least in poverty. The high crime rap the state gets is unfair. According to that latest CDC statistics, the per capita homicide rate is 4.8/100000. Compare to Texas at 8.2/100000, Florida at 7.4/100000 , South Carolina at 13.4/100000 and even very rural South Dakota at 5.3/100000 to see what I mean.
It's true. In the previous video to this one, I visited 4 NJ towns a mere 25 miles away from Trenton. All 4 were beautiful and vibrant.
We're also in the top 10 safest states. I was surprised by that stat, honestly
Yes… not far down Rt 1 is Princeton University and one of the wealthiest areas in America with some of the best school systems. That’s NJ (and NYC too).
Trenton was immortalized in a wonderful series of books by Janet Evanovich.
Wow.
I was born in Trenton in 1975. The hospital I was born in on Bellevue Ave is the tallest building in Trenton. My dad worked there for years. It is now completely abandoned. I wish you had checked it out.
Mercer hospital
Sculptures made right there in the burbs of Trenton... Other side of E.State Street...
🌻🌱🌸✨I Was Born In That Same Hospital.. It’s A Shame That It’s Abandoned Now.. It Looks Like A Scene Straight Out Of The Show “The Walking Dead”.. Trenton Is A Forgotten Place, Now✨🌸🌱🌻🙄
I was born at St. Francis in 1974.
I was born at Mercer Hospital in 2000.
Hi Joe and Nic it's 19C in south London right now - interesting and informative video - I don't think I will be going out of my way to visit Trenton should I ever visit New Jersey.
A very wise decision.
I live here. Anyone who parrots "Politicians" this "Phil Murphy" that are probably the same people to take scenic routes to avoid even driving through here and have a favorite past time blowing a lot of hot air.
There's no opportunities within the area that brings in tax dollars or incentives for improvement. Factories are abandoned, and brokers use coded terms calling it a "Mircomarket" when there a plenty of people who could establish local businesses work if they had credit and reliable means. Crime would go down if there were enough jobs people without reliable transportation could participate locally and more people could qualify. Many don't have cars (A requirement in NJ), and those who do can barely/have to budget to afford gas. The city is a generation behind.
You can look at a map and see even the highways go around or cut through to bypass Trenton leaving everyone to point at it as they pass by calling it the "Sad, Bleak Capital City" so nothing changes and the labels get worse. Is it intentional? Who knows.
I am a lifelong Trentonian and agree with you. If there was a political will to assist the inner cities and its residents they would be better. It's very easy for 'visitors' to come in and make these determinations without knowing the real deal. SMDH.
It’s an embarrassment as well as the governor here. People keep voting for this.
Read my Post.
@@chee6060 no
NO ONE VOTES ! IT IS ALL RIGGED !!! Peoples votes don’t count….these POS’s in office are installed by the elites !
Sad !the. Whole place is a mess.
SHUT UP HATER
As a NJ taxpayer, I can assure you that as Trenton has devolved into a s-höle, the state government has spared no expense building opulent edifices to the state bureaucracy. Especially the Judiciary complex of buildings where the NJ Supreme Court meets. Those buildings would be befitting of Caesar or Cleopatra. Such a waste of money!
Заебись ! 👍
There is no luxury inside there.
Justice complex is decades old too. Not new construction.
Trenton is to New Jersey what an arsehole is to a butt. 😊
I'm from the Jersey Shore and no one goes to this place it's a shxx-hole.... Gov. Murphy is a Carpetbagger doesn't care one bit about this city But these people keep Voting for the Same.. So it is what it is....... Everyone have a great weekend....be well.
I have been to a few state capitals. A couple of months ago, I was in Sacramento. I have never seen so many homeless camps. You would think these state capitals could do better. Keep up the great work
Interesting. The plan is to visit Sacramento later this summer. Looking forward to seeing it.
I visited Sacramento about 15 years ago. I don't recall seeing any homeless camps there.
No. 1 for Homeless......
@@DellDreamer Cali 15 years ago is unrecognizable from Cali today
Thanks again for your continued excellent in depth presentations of the various cities, towns and townships of this nation. My hat is off to you.
Thank you, JIM. :)
To Joe & Nic : Born in Trenton and lived there until I was 13 when my family moved out of Trenton. After I left High School I moved back to Trenton. Not by choice. It was bad and getting worse in the early 80's. It was manufacturing town. Now it's mostly a ghetto. Extremely high crime. Anyone with an ability escapes it. Trenton, New Jersey is a death trap.
⚫️⚫️⚫️⚫️
THE WIRE ROPE used in the Brooklyn and Golden Gate bridges was made here in Trenton. One of the 3 bridges that connects Trenton to Morrisville, PA. is called the "TRENTON MAKES THE WORLD TAKES" Bridge.
Some of the beautiful hidden buildings are old banks that were bought out decades ago.
Another great video. Trenton has some awesome history. Thanks for showing us around.
Feels like I've travelled most of America since subscribing two weeks ago, it's been awesome and a real eye opener. . I never realised the poverty in America as well. Really sad to see. Watched a TH-cam video on Canada lastnight, that was sad as well.
Might I say, your voice is very calming and nice to listen to, very informative as well. I always look foward to your new posts. Take care out there. Hi from Western Australia friends ❤ 🖐🏽
Thank you, Bridget!
A capitol building with a fence around it, I guess that says it all.
That’s only there because construction is being done to that building
Actually the city looks better than it did over 25 years ago when I last visited. The part I drive through looked worse than Camden (Perry St), but there was a decent area called Mill Hill.
You should have visited S Warren St and Joe Festa at the State Barber Shop. He's a hoot and a fixture in Trenton for decades.
"What the F are you doin'" must translate as "Welcome to our town. Please enjoy your stay", right? Lovely! Good stuff, man! Thanks for the awesome vids. Stay cool, and stay safe, brother!
Right!! :)
As a native and inveterate Northeasterner, I must admit to no surprise that New Jersey's State House is off-limits to the public without an appointment. It's a fair bet that it's the only one in the country with that 'non-democratic' restriction. Except for its gorgeous small towns and countryside, its congested and urban areas are grim and near-chaotic.
Thank you for the video.
It's the only one we haven't been able to tour so far. I was surprised. Capitol buildings belong to the people.
The CCP censures everything in China. Any citizen posts critical of the country is taken down immediately upon notice. Also, what you might see in such videos might seem like glittering new mid-rises and high-rises; but you do not see the interiors where the elevators to the top floors where the elderly are put don't work and, in many cases, the buildings are not occupied and will never be completed.
The statues would look more realistic. If the caption was labeled, the mugging.
I have been in there a couple of times, it’s on the smaller side, the main inner chamber the guide made a specific point about how the marble is a faux marble made during a time when labor was cheaper than materials so they dipped strings in colored paint and dragged it through the white material while still damp to create a very passable unnoticeable “marble “. Maybe it’s true but I remember this from a few school trips
I was a Trenton resident, don't wanna be again. First Trenton is a large city, and not all is bad. Your driving down the WORSE streets! I won't even drive threw there! Plus the price of a one bedroom is around $1500 is crazy! That's because most of the people living there are on some kind of housing assistants. The city is turning into mostly Spanish speaking cultures. Most of the people from the 90s all moved out. The school district in my opinion is not bad. My oldest son graduated from Trenton Central High School with a scholarship to John Hopkins. He is doing very well now living in Virginia ❤
Mostly Spanish now. Illegals took over.
Seeing the Photo Session statues in Trenton made me laugh - the exact same ones are also in Queen Elizabeth Park in Vancouver, BC, albeit without the realistic fashion colors that Trenton's family has 😆
13:26 It's always a little disheartening to see an abandoned house being reclaimed by nature...😢
It’s even worse when it’s a drug den.
I seen pictures of Trenton from 1923 and it was busy and hustling. Demographics changed and it went to hell!
That disgusting that you can’t go into the capital building when it doesn’t belong to them but the capital belongs to the people just like all of those grounds you’re walking on just like in Washington DC they don’t own it; the people who pay taxes own these capital buildings yet people don’t realize this...hummm
I bet Gestapo ✋🏼 you at the door before you walked into the capital building...😂
I agree.
I was lost on the way to Cambridge MA and entered Newark NJ by accident in 1982 and boy it was miserable then let alone now. No GPS at that time only McNally Road Atlas and AAA map Unless one is blind, most people can see that this country is rapidly deteriorating. Some may have watched Trump's rally a few months ago and he always said we are a nation in decline. Sad, infuriating, frustrating!
I really love watching your videos.
From the Philippines.🇵🇭 👏👍
The guy in the walker appears to be disabled. He's got a cane and a stick and appears to be using those to propel the walker. He's probably in the street because it's got fewer obstacles to the small wheels than the sidewalk has. Quite possibly a homeless vet.
The decline of USA is deliberate why invest in China especially for manufacturing?
That is reason why I love TH-cam. Anybody can make content, and if its enough popular/good, you can earn living with that and make more same kind of contenct.
I am from Europe, and its intresting to see small town in America and know prices of the houses etc.. That kind contenct could not be possible before internet time.🇪🇺🇺🇸
I will never understand why people keep voting for state run governments like that. Ignorance I suppose. And u can’t even go into your government building at will. Make an appointment how stupid.thx for taking us along. Glad I live where I live.
It’s so disappointing… I pass by Trenton every week when I go to office to NYC to take the train. What a stunning beautiful architecture and city planning that is LACKING IN US!! USA is so desperately needs beautiful urban cultural cities and Trenton has those bones…. To see it all decline to see all the drug use on the streets is sooooo upsetting and such a waste!!! I hope Trenton recovers and RESTORES its beauty. I’m sorry but the drug use needs to be number 1 thing addressed to make this happen… unfortunately seeing how big cities deal with it even in LA NY Philly I don’t know how and when it’ll be addressed.. you do not see this in Europe and Trenton has the bones of a beautiful European city.. what doesn’t have is people who care about their town. As hash as it might seem I thing drug use in public should be outlawed and REINFORCED!! Like it is in other countries
Seeing all the gorgeous architecture left to rot breaks my heart too. In a better city those townhomes would be full of happy families supporting small business on every corner. It sounds like a dream now, but that was Trenton within living memory. All gone, now.
@Curiousitydrive It's The Drugs And Gun's That's Coming Into Trenton, N.J. Just Like Camden, N.J. And Newark, N.J. Which Are The Three Most Dangerous Cities In New Jersey!! Where Are The Drugs And Gun's Coming From? And What Are The Senator And Mayor Of The City Of Trenton, New Jersey Doing To Fix And Getting The Drugs And Gun's Off The Streets.. Also With The Riots Of The Late 1960's Newark, N.J. / Asbury Park, N.J. Got Hit Hard During The Riots.. Now That I'm Watching This Video!! Trenton, New Jersey Are On The City That Got Hit Also During The Riots Of The Late 1960's.. So Sad For All The Cities That Went Through All Of This 🔥 🏙️ 🔥 🏙️.
Don't walk too much further down my man 😜
Your in the so-so safe spot
But don't get it twisted 🥨🥨 Trenton is not like Camden
You should've contacted a good tour guide to show you around the Town
You rode through some of Trenton
Like dude said what the f.... are you doing 🤔 lol 🤣
That is a city to not visit. The founder's house was cute though. The city gives a person a very unwelcome feeling.
Seems like this is happening in cities all over your travels. 😢
What's the common denominator here that nobody wants to talk about
@@transman9453 Yep, sat here and watched like most of his videos. If the city predominantly black it's a bad place.
But it doesn't have black people in its vibrant and nice to live. But all I saw was abandoned homes overtaken by nature.
But that's better? I will never understand the reason why people are like that. A majority of his followers are older maga Republicans so I'm not surprised. Just sad because at 1st I thought the channel was cool.
But it's really bias by his views. So not a fan anymore. I would rather see someone be unbiased and give an honest review.
But it's funny how you picked up on that. You may even agree with how he thinks. Which is fine, just wish there wasn't so much racism everywhere.
So tired of it 😢
@@transman9453 whats the notion there? Dems and minorities love living in squalor?
Joe making his way downtown. Walking fast.
That is sad that you couldn't get inside the New Jersey Statehouse. That says a lot about New Jersey, doesn't it?
It's all under rehab construction
@@amandachevalier6550 My goodness. Thank you, Amanda.
From what I have seen there is absolutely nothing in Trenton that would make me want to go visit.
No u don't want to visit
The Battle Monument (16:27) would be neat if you could still go up it, but it's been closed for decades. It's still neat - Trenton has a lot of history - but not presented in a way to make it worth your while if you're not in the area unfortunately.
Wow, so sad. Thanks for sharing another great, informative video.
Trenton doesn’t look nearly as bad as Camden( where I was born), and I don’t see homeless people camped out all over town.
Trenton doesn't look good at all.
Parents here in New Jersey are fed up.
Then they need to diet.
Having family in Jersey I have noticed such a weird balance of beautiful and ugly towns.
That's what I saw as well.
Yup that's NJ for you
Very informative as usual. Nice job
Bro, that part with the guy sitting on the walker in the street and you filming him and his comment and yours had me LOL 😂🤣
Not funny at all if he should take out a gun, and shoot. People have died for a lot less. Dude probably selling hard drugs.
Camden a sewer .. Trenton a sewer...Newark the same. Plus a few more......on the other hand there are many beautiful towns and cities in New Jersey ......just like any other state
The only decent city in jersey is Hoboken
It's not only in Trenton...San Francisco, my home town, is suffering the same abandonment, graffiti, and lifeless look! I remember S.F. in the late 40s through 1965, when I came of age...so fine...beautiful and vibrant!! So glad I lived through those times! When I think of Camden, the huge Victor Talking Machine Company, later RCA Corp. comes to mind! All gone! San Francisco is noted for its Victorian Homes, many still exist. Beautifully restored! Most, if not all homes here, from the smallest to the grandest are of balloon -framed wooden construction, due to the huge redwood forest areas in California. Many men made large fortunes in the lumber industry. That relay mailbox looked like a drunken dancer...we have them out here, too, human ones also!!
Thank you people should stop trying to bring places down and lift them yp
Vote left-wing out first,otherwise no hope!
Trenton has never been a nice city. But in all reality There are major cities in america that are in much worse shape.
Great insight video, but im a hopeless optimist when i visit cities that were historically important in past then oh the reality hits, they are rundown for real in present. Sad to see alright.
Hi Joe and Nic best wishes from the U.K. I love your posts as it gives a very real and honest view of whats happening in the USA. I actually used one of your videos whilst having a discussion with an American friend, and they where blown away by the reality of whats happening there, and there in the country. As I said, I love that you visit cities and towns others dont, and the information that you provide is really interesting, I have a question if you would kindly indulge me. many of the videos you say theres been pretty big population shifts, where is everyone going too?, secondly, why are many abandoned shops, homes etc just left for decades to crumble, it truly interests me as in the UK that doesn't happen, a year or two but not decades . Lokk forwards to the next post. take care.
In the U.S. car culture, suburban migration, manufacturing either lost or moved abroad contributed to a number of older cities, towns, etc moving people away. Although cities are coming back as people realize commuting is not much fun and stressful.
I encourage you to check out the book The Old Neighborhood
What We Lost in the Great Suburban Migration, 1966-1999
By RAY SUAREZ
Kevin pretty much nailed it. People are moving to cities. The buildings and homes you see crumbling are too expensive to tear down.These small cities and towns no longer have the tax base to afford it.
@@JoeandNicsRoadTrip thanks for the reply. Love the videos.
Simply just because leftwing dominated the city
6:40 Wow, I saw that same exact statue in Queen Elizabeth Park in Vancouver, Canada when I visited a few years ago. I didn't know Trenton had one too. It's more fitting in New Jersey since they're wearing Great Adventure shirts.
Growin up here i witnessed my fair share in crime and nonsense. Wouldn't recommend livin here, and i would say I've grown up on one of the safer blocks in the city. Quite sad the fate the befell this place.
Once the place of George Washington ,Von Steuben & the revolutionary army& now?
The dollar stores will survive
Got good speed control in Trenton HUGE potholes all over the streets( go more than 25mph tear the wheels off your car!!!😣😣
Left Trenton in 1975. Have not been back to Jersey since 1980. Obviously not missing much. Look up to see all the beautiful ironwork made by the blacksmith of Trenton.
I left around that same time when my mother died used to work across the park across a bridge to the swimming pool and baseball field good days
Locked Statehouse? Really? Sounds like New Jersey citizens need to clean-out the vermin from the top to the bottom!
Love your videos. A real eye opener for a West coast girl.
Thanks, Jane!
Unfortunately this is our state capital here in NJ
that plant is Roebling Steel. They made the cables holding up the Golden Gate Bridge (and many others). You didn't comment on the war memorial with the stature on top. Colonial artillery emplacement during battle of Trenton. Swept the streets clean of the Hessians. That beautiful steepled white church tiny adjacent graveyard on State Street is the burial site of Hessian Colonel Rawl, who commanded the Hessians at the battle and lost his life. You walked right by the capital of the US on State Street, the "French Arms" tavern. Trenton was chosen as the future home of the US capital but VA and MD donated the free land, so that where it is today. Seven taverns from pre revolution (1730) to 1837 occupied this space. Their names are etched on the roof border on the top floor. The colonial congress met here for 2 months after being kicked out of philadelphia . You missed a lot of very cool stuff but seemed to know all the bad. This could have been a great video bc you had a lot to work with.
Why that grocery named as 'colonial farm'😮
Because it literally used to be a Colonial Farm. New Jersey was a little bread basket for the Colonies. Beautiful state. People made it ugly over time.
everything in the town is Colonial this Colonial that.
In my half century of living I've never seen a (graveyard or cemetery) in the middle of a downtown US city.........
That's because Trenton has existed since 1719.
You're not so very well traveled, I'm afraid. Boston has several right in its center.
belongs to the church.
There are a lot of good people and good things happening in Trenton and the other majority black cities that you're bashing. Crime is EVERYWHERE! What's it like where you come from?
You tried to pick a fight with a guy in a wheelchair. 😡
There is no eastern nj. North and South.
I did not try to pick a fight with him.
Enjoy the lengthy drive-thru’s in the residential areas. So interesting the various housing styles!
Many thanks. Love your videos… Cheers from NM
Thank you, Edward!
I really enjoyed the East St. Louis video. The contrast between the fourth world condition of East St. Louis and the brand new super funded ultra first world East St. Louis police department was a real eye opener.
Crazy because it’s surrounded by wealth, Urban Jersey is a whole different vibe from Small towns, but you could go down 5 blocks be in a good neighborhood go down another 3 blocks and see crackheads and chicken spots
BTW I used to work for the man who made those statues right around the time they were made. J. Seward Johnson Jr. owned and operated The Johnson Atelier where he and a crew of very interesting characters created those statues depicting real life moments in time. There are many different installations in and around Princeton, Trenton and the surrounding area. Mr. Johnson was an heir to the Johnson and Johnson fortune and I used to work for him and his family around his home and at the Johnson Atelier many years ago. He passed away in 2020 at 89 I believe. He moved the Atelier to the Hamilton area (near Trenton) and it’s now known as The Grounds for Sculpture which is a really cool place to visit.
I was born in Trenton and I know all the places downtown you are visiting.
When I was a kid in the '80s, I remember how excited I was to go downtown and how full of life it was.
I also remember being upset that we moved away from there at the age of 7.
I slowly but surely realized what a good move it was (even though I hated Bucks County) and now when I go there (I still have family there and I was last there about two months ago), I'm grateful that we got out.
So few do it seems.
Bucks County is God's Country.
Me too I tell my great grands how excited I was to walk down town 😅 my dear mother would dress us up and walk down town....the memories
I’ve lived in NJ 54 years and never been to Trenton. Always heard it was a dump. Thanks for confirming the rumors.
Used to be vibrant like NYC in the early 60's.
Where are all of us native American Indians? not one represented there.
dying race sadly
"Trenton makes, the world takes." Read some Janet Evanovich's novels set in Trenton.
I think I remember seeing that slogan on the side of a bridge from NJ to PA, as a kid traveling back n forth between states.
What the world refuses Trenton uses..................
Well I can tell you,The Germans,Irish, Italians are gone.😊
The Italians live in south trenton/Chamberburg
@@Tai1886- wrong. it’s all central american latinos and mexicans now
Just totally remodeled after 5 YEARS AND MILLI😮ON6 OF $
AKA Armpit of America . I lived there 29 years. It was ok then, 50-60s. Blacks and Puerto Ricans took over. The end of the Trenton I knew.
Love that you're in my home state exploring the shitholes lol.. I keep hoping you explore my boring hometown of South River, or maybe neighboring Sayreville, childhood home of Jon Bon Jovi and the Bon Jovi rest stop lmao. They're not too far from the Clark Griswold exit of the Garden State Parkway.
The 4 NJ towns I visited in the video prior to this one are quite beautiful, and I showed them as such. The next video will be of Leonardo and Red Bank, also beautiful.
@@JoeandNicsRoadTrip Ahhh Leonardo & Red Bank... AKA the birthplace of Jay & Silent Bob, Clerks, Kevin Smith and the JBJ Soul Kitchen! Can't wait!
I toured the Capitol Building about twenty years ago. The interior is beautiful. Too bad you couldn't get inside.
We need to start making changes in Trenton, otherwise it's nothing but a wasteland.
They are currently in the process and they are headed your way on trains.
Trenton local here. Yeah this city's kinda a mess right now. Super rich history, sad how it fell down.
You can definitely see how beautiful it once was. Sucks about the capital building
I don't know what the difference between a State House and a Capitol Building is. If you went to Providence, RI and asked for the Capitol Building they'd probably tell you to get on I-95 and head south to Washington DC. We called ours the State House (when I lived there). I think you've been there, unlike NJ where the unwashed masses can't get in. PS: This is the difference between a graveyard and a cemetery:
The word cemetery (from Greek κοιμητήριον 'sleeping place') implies that the land is specifically designated as a burial ground and originally applied to the Roman catacombs. The term graveyard is often used interchangeably with cemetery, but a graveyard primarily refers to a burial ground within a churchyard.
PS: That was too funny about the drunk mailbox. It just took a header and stayed on the ground, passed out. I've seen people do that at the bus station in downtown Providence.
Trenton has been on a steady death spiral since the riots in the 1960s. What also killed retail was the malls in suburbia. The downtown could be like Somerville that did recover, but not a chance. Bad or corrupt leadership over the years. I'm local so have seen it all myself.
It’s not too late.I refuse to believe that. In Mill Hill they are working hard to bring Trenton back. We need to get behind them and help support their efforts. Either you part of the solution or you’re part of the problem. Which side do you want to be on?
Mill Hill has always been a residential island surrounded by decay. Brave people. Also a few streets near Cadwalader Park. Only South Warren Street has been trying for business and that's a mixed bag. Trenton can't even keep a hotel going-what was a Marriott was nice-now abandoned for years. The original try with a new hotel that was a Holiday Inn at the corner of State and Calhoun failed decades ago...turned into offices and that's now failed for any permanent entities. The Route 1 corridor -Lawrence and West Windsor Twps have the majority of lodging as they call themselves Princeton. You have to wonder where all the State legislative members stay when in session. It's not in Trenton... hadn't been since the days of the Stacey Trent and others more than 50 years ago.
The sidewalks roll up when the State workers go home during the week.
So many have tried. Let's not even delve into public safety. Ever encounter the renegade packs on ATVs and dirt bikes-all unlicensed?
Wow, that building @4:20 is epic, it would be worth a fortune in my city.
That's the former Trenton Savings Loan Society. You should have seen the insides when it was open. Also the Bank at the corner of Warren and State streets. The murals are incredible.
We should have stayed manufacturing our own products and stayed away from buying outside the country smh
The Photo Session alone almost makes Trenton worth a (very) brief visit. It's amazing how vibrant the colors of their clothes are...someone must have enough of a sense of civic pride to keep them cleaned up. By the way, have you considered doing a live session for a little Q&A?
We're working on a Q&A. :)
You can see them and more at The Grounds For Sculpture in neighboring Hamilton Twp nj. The sculptures were created by Seward Johnson of the Johnson and Johnson family, he purchased the land to house his sculptures. Many of his works are located throughout the county, Mercer.
the photo session is new they placed other kinds all over down town, they placed them early 2023
Amazing how if you go 10 minutes outside Trenton you have loads of rich suburbs on the NJ and PA side but this dumpster fire wedged between all those nice towns