Mercer County has finalized the purchase of a small, historically significant lot in Hopewell Township.
Referred to as the Peters Property, the almost one-acre property on Church Road is an important trail link and creek crossing on Baldpate Mountain. The land contains the Honey Hollow bridge abutment, where the bridge once crossed the Fiddlers Creek along Honey Hollow Road.
The area itself is historically significant. Known as the Honey Hollow settlement on Baldpate Mountain, it is the location of a long-forgotten community believed to have been in existence from at least the early 19th century into the mid-20th century, and settled by African-American families. The Mercer County Park Commission has hired Hunter Research, which will undertake historical and genealogical research on the subject of Honey Hollow.
“The richness of Mercer County’s history cannot be overstated, and it’s truly exciting to discover the heritage of this settlement and its people,” Mercer County Executive Brian M. Hughes said. “Our ultimate goal is to share the story of these early settlers and how they helped shape this great County.”
The proposal for the property is to construct a pedestrian bridge at the remaining bridge abutments for access over Fiddlers Creek. The purchase price was $20,000 and was funded through the county Open Space, Farmland and Historic Preservation Trust Fund, and the D&R Greenway assisted by providing legal representation.
