What began as a Bicentennial-era effort to preserve local history has grown into a half-century tradition of documenting the people, homes and stories that shaped Hopewell Valley.
The Hopewell Valley Historical Society is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year with the release of a new book, Stories of Hopewell Valley, along with a public anniversary celebration planned for May 31.
Founded in 1976 by a group of local residents interested in preserving the Valley’s history ahead of the nation’s Bicentennial celebrations, the organization has remained entirely volunteer-run for five decades.
Society President Amie Rukenstein reflected on the dedication behind the organization’s work over the years.
“I have said it before and I will say again that I have been involved with quite a few volunteer organizations in my life and this, by far, is the loveliest and most dedicated group of people I have ever had the honor to work with,” Rukenstein said.
Over the past 50 years, society volunteers have recorded more than 250 oral histories from Hopewell Valley residents, preserving firsthand accounts of life in the region across generations.
Among the oldest interviews is Fred Burd, born in 1891, who recalled growing up in a rural farming community long before modern suburban development transformed the area.
The organization has also researched nearly as many house lineages, tracing who built homes throughout the Valley and the families who lived in them over the decades.
Its long-running newsletter — documenting local history from pre-European settlement through the modern era — now totals more than 1,000 pages of collected stories and research.
To mark the anniversary, the Historical Society compiled a large-format illustrated book featuring selected newsletter articles alongside newly written material and oral history excerpts.
Longtime trustee and former society president Jack Davis served as editor of the project, working alongside graphic artist Cheryl Jackson, who handled the design and layout.
“The book ‘Stories of Hopewell Valley’ is a celebration of our history created by many people,” Davis said. “The result is a book that covers the sweep of Hopewell Valley history from the time of the Native Americans who preceded European settlement till today.”
According to Davis, the project ultimately included contributions from 49 writers and interview subjects, along with a dedicated committee that spent countless hours selecting material, editing content and shaping the final publication.
The Hopewell Valley Historical Society will host a public 50th anniversary celebration Sunday, May 31, at 2 p.m. at Mercer County’s Hopewell Valley Golf & Country Club.
Additional information about the event and the new book is available at Hopewell Valley Historical Society
