Bordentown, New Jersey, is located at the confluence of the Delaware River, Blacks Creek, and Crosswicks Creek. The town sits on a high bluff northeast of Philadelphia. Bordentown has always been an accessible crossroads, first by water and train and presently by car and light rail. The community was a railroading town and had a successful boating industry. It eventually transitioned into a factory town, supporting such businesses as Eagle Shirt Factory, Ocean Spray Cranberries, and Springfield Worsted Mills. Motels, drive-ins, and diners sprang up along the highway as halfway stops from northeast to southwest Jersey. The New Jersey Turnpike brought tourists and visitors, who frequented the locally owned restaurants, shops, and galleries. Bordentown showcases the rich industrial and community history of this Burlington County town.
Born and raised in Bordentown, author Patricia DeSantis is the president of the Bordentown Historic Society. Arlene S. Bice has been a resident of Bordentown for 35 years, a business owner, and a “Lifetime Member” of the BHS. The majority of postcards are courtesy of the authors' extensive collections and by the late Holmes and Irene Pellett.