By Anne Levin
When Becky Taylor and Tim Brill began offering walks through different areas of Trenton just over a year ago, they made a pledge known as “Walk the Talk.” This credo, like a Scout pledge, makes sure that each participant in the Trenton Walks! program has every other walker’s back, should any safety issue arise during the treks.
That credo, Taylor is happy to say, has never had to be enforced. In fact, the noontime walks have become so popular that 12 new ones, with new themes, are being launched.
On Thursday, September 18, Trenton’s Mill Hill neighborhood is the subject of a tour led by longtime resident Jean Bickal. On Wednesday, September 24, a walk through the northern half of Mercer County’s South Riverwalk Park is being geared toward seniors and those with mobility issues, though all are welcome.
Taylor, who has lived in Trenton since 2017, acknowledges that the capital city often gets a bad rap.
“We want to make sure people know they are safe as can be on these walks,” she said. “And getting out and learning about the amazing history, culture, and even some of the challenges, makes you understand the city better. I just love it here. I have never known Trenton the way I do now, as a result of these walks. You’re out there, you’re aware of what’s happened and what’s happening.”
The upcoming walks mark the 55th and 56th treks since the June 2024 launch of Trenton Walks!. More than 85 participants (and three dogs) have taken part, according to the website greatertrenton.org.
“One of the things I love about the program is that we all get the opportunity to know each other in a new way,” said Taylor. “You walk along, you talk — it’s a really nice way to get to know a lot of people. And we’re always looking for people with new ideas about different walks. Of all of the things we’re going to do this fall, many came from discussions with people on walks, who have great ideas.”
One of those people was Bickal, who on Thursday will focus on Mill Hill’s early development in the 19th century as well as its rediscovery in the 20th. A resident of the neighborhood for the past 28 years, Bickal designed the walk.
“I’ll start with the history of the mill, around the 1670s, that was on the hill — which is where the name ‘Mill Hill’ came from,” Bickal said. “Then I’ll move to the real development of the neighborhood, which started in the beginning of the 19th century. Then to the early 1970s when [former Mayor] Art Holland moved in, and resisted urban renewal, which would have meant tearing the neighborhood down. It actually made the national news when he and his family moved in!”
Bickal also plans to take participants behind her own house, which borders the Assunpink Creek, and to view the Architects Housing development which is on the creek’s other side.
Participants in the tour geared to seniors and those with mobility issues will meet representatives of the City of Trenton’s Department of Health and Human Services, and the Progressive Center for Independent Living for the tour through South Riverwalk Park. The easy stroll through the linear park features benches, gazebos, and historical displays as well as views of the Delaware River.
Several new walks are planned for October and beyond. One will be led by a geologist, who was recruited by Taylor after, as a participant, he pointed out several geological aspects. Other themes for the future include the city’s railroad history, cemetery and church tours, Watershed Institute projects, the Abbott Marshland, and the East Coast Greenway.
“Especially as we head into the 250th anniversary [of the Declaration of Independence], we’ll repeat some of the history walks and include some new ones,” said Taylor. “There are just so many things to learn about Trenton.”