Life in Hopewell Township in the 1870s – Larry Kidder

Presented by Larry Kidder in conjunction with the Hopewell Valley Historical Society

This talk focuses on the changes taking place in Hopewell Township after the end of the Civil War and the disruptions it had caused. Like people all over America, the people of Hopewell had to deal with a world that was on the verge of rapid changes that would ultimately replace agriculture as the primary economic activity. This change would also see the decline of social and cultural activities associated with agriculture that were important to people. How people sought to benefit from change and adapt to new ways of life provided many examples of true grit.

Larry Kidder is a retired history teacher who is president of the Hopewell Valley Historical Society and has volunteered as an historian and interpreter for Howell Living History Farm for the past 30 years. He is the author of two books dealing with the history of education and farming in Pleasant Valley in Hopewell Township and three books on the American Revolution in the Mercer County area. His most recent book is Ten Crucial Days: Washington’s Vision for Victory Unfolds.