(Pride Unity Leadership Sisterhood Esteem)

of Princeton High School

presents

The History of the African American Community in Princeton, New Jersey

BUSINESSES

1 This is a house located on John Street where Dr. Henry Austin was born. He became a physician, but since he could not practice at the hospital in Princeton, he moved to Trenton. Today there is the Henry J. Austin Health Care Center in Trenton. Years later Mr. and Mrs. Robert Ball moved into this house where Mr. Ball had a small store on the right side of the house. He started the store about 1929. All the neighborhood children would go to his store to get ice cream cones for 5 cents, big dill pickles from the barrel, all kinds of penny candy, chips and soda.

2 This is the parking lot on Clay Street (behind the Clay Street Learning Center circa 2000). In the 1930's to early 1950's this was the site of the Ice Plant that was owned by Andrew Teague and George Barclay. It was also referred to as Barclay's Ice and Wood Plant. The ice plant provided families with large blocks of ice for their iceboxes, and ice was delivered by truck to area restaurants. The plant was located in an area known as Gordon Park. This location was named after a colored resident Addison Gordon who owned property near Clay and Witherspoon Streets.

3 This house, located on Witherspoon Street, belonged to Mrs. Vann. She had an ice cream parlor in her home- she started her business in the early 1900’s and continued selling ice cream and candy until her death in 1940. Many small businesses were operated in private homes.

4 In the 1930's this location on the corner of Shirley Court and Witherspoon Streets was the site of a tailor shop then a second-hand shop. In the late 1940's it opened as Tadlock's Restaurant, owned by John Tadlock. Mr. Tadlock served delicious hamburgers and hot dogs. Many university students and nurses from the hospital joined the neighborhood patrons for southern style dinners.

 

5 This is the site of Allen's Tavern located on Witherspoon Street. The Tavern was owned by Mrs. Pearl Allen Moore. The Tavern opened after World War II and was a popular spot for the residents until the 1950's. On weekends it was frequented by the migrant workers who worked in Hightstown and Cranbury.

6 The building with the double windows was Mack's Barber Shop located on Witherspoon Street. Claude Mack opened the barber shop in 1935 under the name of "Mack's Sanitary Barber Shop." After Mr. Mack's death in 1966, his nephew, William "Billy" Mack managed the barber shop until 1971. Mack's Barber Shop is now owned by Mr. James Mack and the establishment is located on John Street.

7 (far left behind tree) The Imperial Restaurant- owned by Mr. Burnett Griggs for 42 years until he retired at the age of 83. The community and Princeton University students frequented this restaurant for delicious meals and generous ice cream cones. During Princeton's "Urban Renewal" Mr. Griggs had to fight off the borough to keep his property. He was offered a generous sum for this property, but he claimed he would not sell his property for a million dollars because he had saved every penny to purchase the land.

8 Corner of Hulfish and Witherspoon Streets (circa 2000) where Mr. Griggs’ Imperial Restaurant was located. This area is called Griggs’ Corner. The property on Route 206 known as Griggs’ Farm is property once owned by Burnett Griggs.

9 Mr. William Gale owned a dry cleaning establishment. This is the site of the second location of his shop. The first location was on the other side of Witherspoon Street.

10 Jimmy Mack’s Barber Shop on the corner of John and Quarry Streets Mr. James Mack started his business in 1961. Before that he worked as a barber with his uncle whose barber shop was located on Witherspoon Street. Before this building was a barbershop, it housed a bar, and a restaurant.

11 Site of Virginia Mills' Beauty Salon (far right with awning) Mrs. Mills was an entrepreneur who also trained women in cosmetology and business. She was born in 1901 on Chambers Street. She opened her beauty salon in 1935 and in 1970, after 45 years, she retired. Her husband was Lieutenant Cornel Berkley Mills who was the first Black postman in Princeton.

12 In the 1930's and 1940's this building, located on Leigh Avenue, was a grocery store owned by Irvin Ferrar. The building was purchased by Fred and Doris Burrell. Doris started a beauty parlor and Fred opened a florist shop where he supplied flowers and plants for weddings, funerals, dances and many events in Princeton. After about 20 years, Fred closed the business and Doris expanded her beauty salon that continues to service residents throughout Mercer County, Philadelphia and New York.

13 Lillie's Beauty Salon Lillian Taylor came to Princeton from Robersonville, North Carolina. She went to the Witherspoon School for Colored Children and graduated from Princeton High School in 1938. She received her beauty culture certificate from a beauty school in Newark, New Jersey. Her first employment as a hairdresser was at a beauty parlor on Hulfish Street. She opened her own business in 1948 on Witherspoon Street. In 1958 she continued her business on Quarry Street where she still lives today. The house above was also previously the home of "Tobe" Robeson, Paul Robeson's cousin. "Tobe" owned a vendor wagon and sold hot dogs and sodas on Nassau Street in front of Nassau Hall.

14 Three buildings on Spring Street were owned by William Moore, a native of Hillsboro, North Carolina. Known as "Sport", he was a successful owner of a second-hand store. He also sold furniture and antiques. University students would sell him their clothes to finance their trips to New York! His daughter, Christine Moore Howell, owned a beauty parlor at this site from the 1920's to 1940's. In later years Rex Gorleigh, a Black artist, had his studio in this building before he moved to Canal Road where he continued his artwork.

15 Numbers 4-6 Spring Street were the locations of Christine Moore Howell's Beauty Salon and cosmetic laboratory. The daughter of entrepreneur, William Moore, she owned two unique and flourishing beauty businessess. For 28 years Christine's Beauty Salon catered to "the very high class, particular clientele". Adjoining her salon was a laboratory where she produced her hair and skin care products. She studied beauty culture in the United States and Europe. In 1935 Mrs. Howell helped to create New Jersey's State Board of Beauty Culture and served as a State Commissioner of the Board of Beauty Culture Control. She was elected Chairman of the commission for three terms.

16 Pleasant Macon's Tavern also known as Macon's Willow Inn and later known as Macon's Inn-Bar operated from the 1930's to the 1980's on the corner of Route 1 and Raymond Road. Mr. Macon was the first African-American to own a business on Route 1 between Princeton and New Brunswick. Mr. Macon also owned a gas station that was adjacent to the Inn. Macon's Inn-Bar was demolished in the 1980's and a service station was later built on this site. In the 1930's Mr. Macon also owned the Macon Grocery and Meat Market that was located at 4 1/2 Leigh Avenue and the Witherspoon Fish Market located at 40 Witherspoon Street.

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