North Trenton, New Jersey | |
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Unincorporated community | |
Race Street in North Trenton.
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Location of North Trenton in Mercer County Inset: Location of county within the state of New Jersey | |
Coordinates: 40°13′55″N 74°45′20″W / 40.23194°N 74.75556°WCoordinates: 40°13′55″N 74°45′20″W / 40.23194°N 74.75556°W | |
Country | United States |
State | New Jersey |
County | Mercer |
City | Trenton |
North Trenton is a neighborhood located within the city of Trenton in Mercer County, New Jersey, United States.
The City of Trenton dates back to the British colonial era, when it was chartered as 'a municipality within the royal realm of subjects under the Royal Throne'. Boundaries were recorded for the village of Trenton, or Trenton Township, as of June 3, 1719. After the American Revolution, Trenton became the capital of the state of New Jersey (as of November 25, 1790), and the City of Trenton was formed on November 13, 1792, within Trenton Township. What remained of Trenton Township was absorbed by the city of Trenton on April 10, 1837. Sections within the city, such as Chambersburg, Wilbur, Stacy's Mill, and Stuyvesant Heights, were autonomous villages or towns eventually absorbed by or annexed to Trenton. Between 1875 and 1900, the city's population and economic base swelled, prompting a revision and consolidation of its boundaries. In 1901, a 'Ward' system, loosely modeled after New York City, was adopted, dividing the city into four distinct units (North, South, East, and West Wards) with their own representatives serving under a single mayor within an elected city council.
Until the first decade of the 20th century, much of North Trenton was made up of working farms, orchards, and large estates. After 1910, however, industrial development and population growth led to rapid development. By 1920, the North Ward was home to approximately a quarter of the city's population. North Trenton attracted a large middle-class, professional population, which coincided with the construction of modern, 'planned' neighborhoods situated around parks and green space. Several commercial districts, such as the Five Points (or Battle Monument Square), were established, and thrived from the 1920s to the 1960s. According to a New Jersey Historical Architecture survey, approximately seventy percent of all existing homes and buildings in North Trenton were constructed between 1919 and 1940.
Despite decades of economic decline, North Trenton still boasts a diverse range of noteworthy architecture — again, constructed primarily between 1919 and 1940. This 21-year period constitutes the area's 'golden age'. During this time North Trenton attracted a large middle-class population, and a variety of immigrant groups primarily from southern and eastern Europe. Many of the homes in the area between Brunswick and Princeton Avenues were developed by the British-born builder Samuel Hilton, and are considered architecturally significant.