National Register of Historic Places

Roebling's, John A., Sons Company, Trenton N.J., Block 3

Trenton, Mercer County, New Jersey
Listed
August 21, 2012
Type
District
Period
Listed
Ref No.
12000528

About this property

John A. Roebling's Sons Company, Trenton N.J., Block 3 is the northern portion of the former Roebling manufacturing complex in Trenton, New Jersey. The buildings date from 1908–1929 and the site was added to the National Register of Historic Places on August 22, 2012. John A. Roebling, the designer of the Brooklyn Bridge, founded his steel wire manufacturing company on the site in 1849. The location, on the western side of the Chambersburg, now a neighborhood of Trenton, was chosen for its location alongside the Delaware and Raritan Canal, since buried underneath Route 129. The location also had easy access to the rail and port connections of the growing city. Under Roebling's sons the business grew, with the Trenton complex ultimately becoming Trenton's largest and most famous employer. The steel wire manufactured in block 3 was used for many famous bridges and projects, from the North Sea Mine Barrage in World War I to the Golden Gate Bridge during the Great Depression. The Roebling works made the greatest contribution to Trenton's reputation as an industrial center, memorialized in the motto "Trenton Makes, the World Takes" on the Lower Trenton Bridge. The business was sold by the Roeblings in 1953 and operations in Trenton stopped in 1974. Building 101 was used for some time to store paper goods. The portion of the Roebling complex immediately to the south of block 3 has been rehabilitated as offices, a market, and a museum in the NRHP listed Roebling Machine Shop. Block 3 is adjacent to the Hamilton Avenue station of the River Line light rail line. It is also quite close to the Trenton Transit Center on the Northeast Corridor, the terminus of the River Line, providing easy rail access to New York City and Philadelphia. The CURE Insurance Arena, a 10,500-seat arena home to concerts and sporting events, is across the street. The Trenton Ferry Historic District lies to the west. Nearby landmarks include the Italian Peoples Bakery and the New Jersey State Prison. The buildings in block 3 have experienced significant decay. The block has been the subject of many redevelopment efforts and has been redeveloped as lofts, offices, commercial space, and a piazza for events. Building 101 was converted to a loft-style apartment building. Redevelopment of the rest of the complex, including the construction of new buildings and a parking garage, will follow. National Register of Historic Places listings in Mercer County, New Jersey

Location

Trenton, Mercer County, New Jersey
40.21467, -74.75423

Categories

ARCHITECTUREENGINEERINGINDUSTRYTRANSPORTATION
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Nearby Historic Sites

Old Eagle Tavern
Early Republic
0.3 mi
Roebling Machine Shop
Industrial
0.4 mi
Sacred Heart Church
Civil War
0.4 mi
In and Out Social Club
Industrial
0.4 mi
Mercer Street Friends Center
Industrial
0.4 mi

Nearby Battles

Battle of Assunpink Creek / Second Trenton Jan 2 1777
1777Revolutionary War
0.2 mi
Second Battle of Trenton
1777Revolutionary War
0.2 mi
First Battle of Trenton
1776Revolutionary War
0.3 mi
Battle of Assunpink Creek (Second Trenton)
1777Revolutionary War
0.3 mi

Questions about this property

When was Roebling's, John A., Sons Company, Trenton N.J., Block 3 listed on the National Register?

Roebling's, John A., Sons Company, Trenton N.J., Block 3 was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on August 21, 2012.

What type of historic resource is Roebling's, John A., Sons Company, Trenton N.J., Block 3?

Roebling's, John A., Sons Company, Trenton N.J., Block 3 is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Roebling's, John A., Sons Company, Trenton N.J., Block 3?

The period of significance for Roebling's, John A., Sons Company, Trenton N.J., Block 3 is recorded as the listed era.

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