Known for its historic architecture, shops, art galleries and restaurants, Lambertville has a tourist’s good time at the ready. But if those attractions are the cover of the book, the community’s goodwill and creativity are the pages inside.
Read on to take a peek at what’s beneath the cover.
At a slight elevation, with a southern view, sits the Richard Holcombe House on North Main Street. Circa 1756, it is one of the oldest structures within this mile-long city.
Lambertville encompasses not only “Washington’s Headquarters” but block after block of historic residences, buildings and places of worship.
Homeowners and visitors alike revere the town’s solid foothold on its past, but such was not always the case.
In 1964, lifelong resident Alice Narducci had to rally her neighbors to save from demolition the James E. Marshall House, a federal brick structure built in 1816 and located on Bridge Street. From that community activism, the Lambertville Historical Society was born.
Jeff Campbell has been president of the society since January 2022, and a member since 2018.
“I love the history and architecture of Lambertville. That’s one of the reasons we moved into the city when I retired.” he said.
“Part of the mission of Lambertville Historical Society is to promote and preserve Lambertville’s history and architecture. Thus, getting involved in LHS was a natural fit for me,” he continued.
According to Campbell, the organization offers the opportunity “to contribute to quality of life in Lambertville, to improve our city, and to meet and work with great people who share common interests.”
Most familiar as the sponsor of the annual Autumn House Tour, and the Plein Air Plus art auction, the society is a vibrant, vital force dedicated to the preservation of the Marshall House Museum, education and community involvement.
In support of local students, the organization sponsors an annual scholarship for South Hunterdon Regional High School seniors.
The society also donated $5,000 to the Lambertville Library’s digitization of The Beacon in 2023.
Recent programs have been “Lambertville Then and Now,” originally a self-guided walking tour during the pandemic curated by members Rich and Mary Freedman, currently available on the historical society’s website; The “John A. Anderson — Lambertville’s First Photographer” exhibit, displayed first at the Marshall House Museum, now selections of which are on view at City Hall; and a vintage baseball game that took place in July 2023 on Ely Field.
The society also offers monthly walking tours, from the first Sunday in May to the first Sunday in November.
Suzanne Gitomer joined the historical society’s board in 2008, retiring in 2024. She served the club as president for seven years.
“I joined because so many of my favorite Lambertville friends and neighbors were involved in the organization,” she said.
“LHS celebrates the history of the town but also the diversity of the community, artistically and its social activism. It helps bring people together who simply love the town and its sense of community,” Gitomer said.
Member-appreciation events have included socials in historical must-see homes and club houses, holiday concerts featuring local musicians, Lambertville trivia programs and on-the-edge-of-your-seat educational seminars.
Certain activities of The Lambertville Historical Society are made possible with funds from the Hunterdon County Cultural & Heritage Commission, a partner of the New Jersey Historical Commission.
For more information visit lambertvillehistoricalsociety.org.
Luminary Art Club began about a year ago, founded by writer and comic book author/illustrator Liam Carroll.
On this evening, a casual group of five sit around a table at Luminary Coffee on North Union Street in Lambertville. The subject as everyone settled in was city transportation. Comparisons, best bets and ideas for dream modes are bandied about with light discussion. Conversation glides from member to member as a bean roaster whirs in the background.
Laptops, tablets, old-school journals, notebooks and sketchpads fill the table.
Tommy Gonzalez, writer and filmmaker, describes his current work, without categorization. Dialogue techniques are examined, references to J.D. Salinger are made, and thoughts on combining a police report style with scene building inferences are fleshed out. The group suggests the use of dark humor from everyday life, and the use of real-time timelines.
This is Andrea Schrader’s first time meeting the group. A poet and writer, Schrader finds inspiration, among other areas, from books on Quantum Physics.
Topics flow from the philosophy of existence, to defining reality. In a quiet tone, Schrader explains the perspective of reality only existing within the observer. To affect, you only need to think.
“The power in positive thinking,” she mused.
The poet reads a few stanzas of her current work to be presented the next evening at Newtown Bookshop. The group offers ideas on character analysis. Schrader mentions a wolf in her work. A humorous comparison of dogs versus cats ensues.
Erin Ferlich is a visual artist and self-described “doodler.”
“How wonky can you make them before they no longer look like teeth?” a rhetorical query she offers, describing her notebook page filled with impressive molar caricatures.
“(The group) keeps me in the creative process,” she said, emphasizing the satisfaction of such when you have a “non-creative” job.
Graphic arts student Deidre Hennessey attends Bucks County Community College. A canceled class that afternoon allowed for her to attend and share an assignment she had been working on. The group discusses how much ink (there’s never enough, in her mind) should be used for the exercise in geometric gradations.
“I wanted something like this to go on in the community,” Carroll offered as the genesis for the group. “If this didn’t happen, I’d be just sitting around wanting it to exist.”
“I’m glad it’s offered,” said Ferlich. “When you move to a new city it’s nice to see what is out there. You can only do so many book clubs.”
The group meets on the first and third Wednesday of the month at Luminary Coffee on North Union Street. Email liamwcarroll122@gmail.com for more information.
In post-Civil War, pre-suffrage-era Lambertville, the modern woman was emerging.
Forty-five women, notably upper-middle class and educated, would gather, starting in 1892, to discuss “reading and intellectual pursuits,” according to the club’s website.
By 1893, this “Reading Circle” had moved from private homes to gathering at the Quaker Meeting House at 39 York St. Soon after the name of the organization was changed to The Kalmia Club.
In time, it would be gifted the clubhouse from the Society of Friends.
As often happens when women organize, social consciousness moved to the forefront, and Kalmia was no different. Public health, social and industrial conditions and current events wove into topics and pursuits the group addressed, and continue to this day.
Nancy Campbell has been a member of the club since 2018, and president since 2022.
Not long after she and her family had moved to town, “A friend invited me to attend a meeting, and I joined that very day! Everyone was so friendly, the program was wonderful, and the food was delicious! I also loved the vision of the club, ‘Women empowering women through personal growth, friendship, volunteerism and service’,” said Campbell.
Though the club is known for its thoughtful, fun and educational programs, it serves the community, specifically young women, via scholarships and participation in the Girls’ Career Institute through the Federation of Women’s Clubs.
Local resident Fran Bardusco has been a Kalmia member for 30 years, proudly donning her “25 Year” pin at meetings. She has held board positions of president, treasurer and lead the Garden Tour and fundraising committees. She now runs the newly formed Games Night Cluster (Kalmia Clusters are special interest subgroups that began in 2023).
“I joined in the early 1990s when the membership was critically low” she said. “Kalmia, at that time, rented the front part of the (clubhouse) main floor to the River Keeper and had our small meetings in front of the stage behind their file cabinets. Since then, we have grown in membership, taken back and updated the building, and Kalmia is recognized by the greater community. I like the friends I have made over the years, and that the work we do is seen by many.”
During her decades of participation Bardusco has witnessed the evolution of Kalmia to become a place where women can find their niche, become involved, and serve their community.
“Friendships are made best by doing activities together that make a difference,” she added.
The club’s major fundraiser is the annual Hidden Gardens of Lambertville tour that takes place on the second Saturday of June.
Meetings are the second Monday of the month, and include social time with refreshments, a brief business section, then the evening’s program. Recent topics have been “Latinas en Lambertville,” “Sailing Around the World,” “The Salem Witch Trials,” and “Reflections on Rwanda,” all with local presenters.
Kalmia Club will host a fundraiser Saturday April 13, “Swing Into Spring — An American Jazz Songbook Dinner Dance.”
For more information, visit kalmiaclub.org.
It’s Super Bowl Sunday, pregame, and the Lambertville Elks Lodge 1070 is good to go.
Local members filter in, greet friends and regulars, grab some seats, then continue to socialize.
Upgraded in recent years, the Wilson Street space maintains a warm vibe with casual comfort. There’s a mid-century modern-inspired live-edge cherrywood bar, plank flooring throughout and a dart board in the back, nostalgia on-point.
At the ready and in attendance, as he is for most events, is Bill Vogel.
He quietly and efficiently attends to the evening’s offerings, traditional game day fare of chicken wings, a few surprise sides, and some fresh fruit, a thoughtful touch.
Vogel is an Elk of the highest order — literally. As the president and executive officer, or Exalted Ruler, he leads the local organization in the principles of charity, justice, brotherly love and fidelity.
During his 29-year history with the club, Vogel has witnessed changing interests, demographics, legacies and trends.
“I joined because that was the thing to do at the time, all the families joined. It was a Lambertville tradition, you joined all of them, the Moose, the YMAC, the Legion. That’s what you did on Friday and Saturday nights,” Vogel said.
Though many of Lambertville’s fraternal orders have slipped away with the tide in this river town, the Elks and a few others thrive.
The biggest adaptation in the Elks organization came in 1995, when membership was opened to women. Vogel credits the involvement of women, specifically the auxiliary, as integral to its survival.
As it created this bridge from past policies to future success, some women joined as members, others stayed in the auxiliary, according to Vogel.
Despite past decades of waning interest, the local Elks has experienced a renaissance, with steadily rising memberships over the last five to 10 years, and a greater variety of activities.
The monthly open mic, organized by local musician Bill Kershaw, is held on the first Saturday. Wildly successful and well-attended, the event is open to the public, with a rotating list of local charities benefiting from funds raised. Some of the charities include Veteran’s Haven North, Elks Army of Hope, and Lambertville Animal Welfare. At the state level, Lodge 1070 sponsors a child with special needs for one week at Camp Moore and donates to the Somerset Children’s Center. In a typical year, the small but mighty lodge will donate over $12,000 to the local community.
Annual fundraising events include a St. Patrick’s Day party, a local-favorite Halloween party, and a spirited Taylor Ham versus Pork Roll Challenge taking place during the town’s ShadFest in April.
“Each Elks club has its own personality, and it reflects the community,” said Vogel.
Brad Sanford, along with his wife, Linda, agree.
“The style of the new bar, the pottery mugs, the open mic nights,” are examples of Lambertville’s artistic community’s influence, according to Brad.
Members for the past eight years, Brad joined the lodge first, as recommended by a friend at another local club. Linda joined shortly thereafter, and as she put it, “Things just snowballed from there.“ Both Sanfords are on the lodge house committee.
Trustee Bill Morrow, member for about as long as the Sanfords, is collecting the cover charge on the evening of the Super Bowl, greeting guests and handing out wristbands.
“It’s a fun place. Your dollar goes further, and you’re helping other people. I can come to town and say this is my club, my place. It’s a community thing, small town life,” he offered.
Lambertville American Legion Post 120 received its congressional charter in 1922, and was named for a local son, James Toscani, who was killed in action during WWI.
Located at the northern end of Lambertville, tucked away beyond a mix of business and residential properties, the post stands, as stalwart and purposeful as it was when constructed in the 1940s.
“The original plans were drawn by an architect using pencil and a ruler,” said Bob Miller, Post Commander.
Miller quickly recalls the recent trauma of 2021’s flash flooding that devastated sections of town.
With Alexauken Creek right behind it, the post building took a direct hit, as a wall of water rapidly filled the building to ceiling level. In the aftermath lay several inches of mud, along with a pool table and a 500-pound safe, tossed about like children’s toys.
“A decision had to be made,” Miller said solemnly. “Do we keep (the building) or no?”
Down but not out, Post 120 members, with the community at large, rallied in support of each other.
Fast forward to November 2023 when the Post received its certificate of occupancy, after two years of sweat equity, renovation and restoration.
The pristine interior, bright and airy with a gleaming “canteen” section, welcomes members and the public with weekly and monthly events. There’s the Friday night dinners, homemade, modestly priced and popular. This evening, a Lenten meal of stuffed manicotti is served. A new venture is Thursday Tiki Night, with themed drinks and food available for purchase. The fourth Saturday is open mic night. All events raise funds for this nonprofit 501(c)(19) to support veterans’ charities, along with the civic education programs Boys and Girls State. This year, 13 boys from South Hunterdon Regional High School have expressed interest in the program.
Miller has been a Legionnaire since 2009, retiring from the Army in 2016 after 33 years of service. His wife, Kathy, a Lambertville native, was busy this evening in the kitchen but took time to say hello before heading back to her duties.
With a quiet demeanor and gentle smile, Miller spoke of the Legion, its Four Pillars (Veteran Affairs and Rehabilitation, National Security, Americanism, Children and Youth) and breadth of reach.
“Our post is managed at the state level, as a resource for local vets, as well as the larger statewide efforts,” he said. As one of five posts in Hunterdon County, 120 focuses on relief funds and resources for local veterans, but all five reach out to the others in times of need, according to Miller.
The vibe at Post 120 is laid-back and friendly, abundant with smiles and laughter, and a permeating sense of goodwill with purpose.
Attending that evening, as she does most Fridays, is retired Army Nurse Dorothy Hartel.
Hartel’s service included time at several homeland military bases, as well as in Korea.
“When you are stationed overseas, you get exposed to different cultures, you see other views,” she reflected. A highlight of her time in Korea was a field exercise for MedEvac service, training in full military gear.
Now home and retired with her husband in Lambertville, Hartel enjoys the camaraderie of Post 120. “I like the socializing, working with different people. We share a common bond,” she said.
Finishing up in the kitchen, Kathy Miller and Post Auxiliary Secretary Tammy Schneider Thomas shared their backgrounds and reasons for membership.
Schneider Thomas’ father was in the Navy and worked on ships. She has been a member for 14 years, adding “The people are like one big family. Everyone helps each other.”
Kathy Miller joined as an auxiliary member. She is very much involved with the activities of the organization, attributing her dedication to patriotism, helping and supporting veterans.
Musicians, and customers, are warming up at Mitchell’s Cafe in Lambertville on this chilly midwinter evening.
A well-functioning wood stove, along with exposed brick walls, wood beams and oak tables set a cozy scene for those in attendance.
Lambertville Jazz, a weekly gathering of the like-minded, was founded by longtime resident and musician Steve Croce. The troupe has returned to the cafe a second time for an evening of collaboration, improvisation and general love of the genre.
Croce came up with the idea in 2021, as an outlet and avenue for acoustic players in search of a place to grow and play.
He had already been practicing piano at the Kalmia Club on York Street for a few years.
“At first it was just me,” Croce said.
After posting on Facebook an invitation to jam weekly with him at Mary Sheridan Park, adjacent to the club, a few people started to show up.
“Then a few more, and it just grew from there,” he said.
Lambertville Jazz meets most Thursday evenings at the Kalmia Club, with occasional sessions at Mitchell’s. During the warmer months, the park’s gazebo is used.
A core group of players attend regularly (Alan Okun on drums, Dave Paller on bass, Jeff Fadden and Mike Smalley on guitar, Anthony Flamio on Afro Latin percussion, and Croce on piano). Singers Amy Raditz and Pam Brennen often join the band.
Towering in both stature and enthusiasm, Croce excitedly describes Lambertville Jazz as a type of “happening,” something akin to the Beat coffeehouse experience in the 1950s and ‘60s.
“We’re trying to contribute to the creative fabric of this community. Visual artists, poets. Music writers, bring your chord sheets. Everything is a workshop,” he said.
Though the invitation to collaborate is open to everyone, the music retains a steady, chill jazz mood. No electric guitars or hard rock sets.
“We work on improvisation with a classic jazz influence,” said Croce.
At Mitchell’s on this night, a mutual friend of the group, Ron Klein, shows up to play saxophone, then the flute. A little later in the evening, a young chanteuse joins in with a few jazz standards.
By 9 p.m. the after-dinner crowd is filling the cafe and loving the music.
“Everything is a work in progress,” said Croce. “The evening is about growing as musicians, so there may be some stopping, redoing, starting over. But it’s all part of the process,” he added.
The smooth jazz flowed that night, sometimes not even stopping between songs, as the drummer just kept it rolling into the next number. And the beat went on.
A hometown theater showing independent films and documentaries is a rare and precious find for those escaping megaplexes and franchises.
Only a few communities in Bucks and Hunterdon counties offer these cinematic havens. Luckily, Lambertville is one of them.
Acme Screening Room, located at the Phillip L. Pittore Justice Center (formerly an Acme supermarket, hence the name), opened in 2008, and established its own 501(c)(3) nonprofit art house cinema in 2019.
As movie houses and megaplexes alike dealt with streaming competition, Acme Screening Room remained relevant. Upgrading to more-comfortable seating, state-of-the-art digital projection with surround sound and online ticket sales kept the venue competitive.
Then came COVID.
Executive Director Donna Muchnicki came to the organization seven years ago, with a background in nonprofit fundraising.
Witnessing the struggle against a “Netflix & Chill” inertia taking over post-2020, she and her board of directors remained adaptive to the changing viewer habits.
“We offer events about twice a month now. We want to mix it up, meet the needs of a diverse audience,” Muchnicki said. Adding more programs to bring people out to the theater has had a positive impact, she noted.
Drawing from the local community and surrounding area, the screening room has developed partnerships with filmmakers, authors, artists, health practitioners and even farmers.
In January, the film “Common Ground” was shown, followed by a discussion of regenerative agriculture with representatives of Solebury’s Spring Creek Farm.
In February, a Black History Month event featured “The One and Only Dick Gregory,” including a Q&A with Dick Gregory’s son Dr. Christian Gregory and film editor/board member Patrick Murphy.
When “Dosed — The Trip of a Lifetime” screened March 2, it was followed by a discussion with Dr. Heidi Dalzell and Barbara Parrish, LCSW, of Lambertville-New Hope Integrated Therapy.
Though interests may be diverse and programs varied, there is one constant for anything in Lambertville. And that is Halloween.
For the last two years, the screening room has sponsored the Lambertville Halloween Film Festival.
Muchnicki and Vince Caffarello, managing director of the Halloween Film Festival, are already preparing for this year.
“Entrants come from all over, even intentionally,” said Muchnicki.
The festival will run Oct. 18-20. There will be local and cult screenings by the Midnight Society and a Monster Bash masquerade party. One of the weekend’s highlights, the Monster Bash is sponsored by the Lambertville Chamber of Commerce and Rago Arts. The Hunterdon County Cultural and Heritage Commission, and the NJ Council on the Arts support the Acme Screening Room.
“We want to tap into Lambertville as a Halloween town,” offered Joan Millsaps, Acme Screening Room board secretary.
Both Millsaps and Muchnicki describe their experience with the screening room as inspiring.
“I wanted to contribute to this town, for all that I get from it. Lambertville didn’t happen by accident. It took dedicated people coming together for the community,” said Millsaps.
“It’s a room full of engaged people. When people leave the theater with a thought, idea or knowledge that they didn’t have before, that inspires me,” Muchnicki reflected. “Speakers tell me about the great Q&A sessions. I get ‘thank you’ emails from filmmakers on Monday mornings,” she continued, adding it is a “joy” to support emerging filmmakers.
Acme memberships are available at various levels and benefits. Applications for board positions are being accepted, and the screening room can also be rented for private use.
Details: acmescreeningroom.org.
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