Only in Bucks County: Radcliffe Street

Hello everybody!

So... my downstairs neighbor accidentally set our house on fire. Everybody and everything is fine, but I'm staying with my fiance in Bristol Borough for the next six or seven weeks until the smoke damage is remediated and the structural damage is repaired. My blogging goal for the summer is to post about life here in Bristol as much as possible for two reasons... one is for me to learn more about the town and the special things it has to offer; and the other to bring attention to what an amazing little town it is.

Let's start with Radcliffe Street, as that's where we are living.

Radcliffe Street runs parallel to the Delaware River, with rows of brownstone buildings and magnificent mansions with beautifully landscaped lawns and hydrangea-filled gardens behind wrought iron fences.

Bristol was a hub for shipping and industry in the late 1800's and that's when many of the grand Greek Revival style homes were built along Radcliffe Street by the wealthy owners of mills and factories. More homes were built along Radcliffe Street over the next 20-30 years in the Colonial Revival style; with their columned porches, classical details like swags and urns, and gabled roofs. Each one is different and there's a tremendous amount of pride in the upkeep and care of these large homes. If you like old houses, you've got to come take a long walk up and down this tree lined street! 

Only in Bucks County: Summer Antique and Classic Car Shows

  The heat of summer seems far off, but pretty soon it will be ice cream season, concert season, and car show season. 

Bucks County has an amazing amount of meets, shows and cruise nights, and the first car show to pop up for the 2016 season in Bucks County is a big one; Bristol Borough's 38th Annual Antique Auto Show on Sunday May 1st, 2016. I've enjoyed car shows since I was a kid, and I'm particularly interested in the American cars of the 50's, 60's, and 70's. Those are the cars that I gravitate to at the local shows I've been to, although of course there are also plenty of antique autos, foreign cars and sports cars at these events. 

My favorite Bucks County car show is definitely the Newtown Business Association's Antique and Classic Car Show, which is scheduled for July 10th this year. You can't tell by my photos, but it is always extremely hot that day...

The Doylestown At Dusk Car Show is a really fun show that doesn't really begin til twilight.

 It is planned for July 16, 2016 from 5-10 pm. 

The very popular two-day New Hope Auto Show will take place on August 13th and 14th.

As I said, I'm a sucker for the big old American cars of the 60's and 70's. Nostalgia I guess. 

I love how the interiors are symbolic to the technology and design of an earlier time. 

Look at that price! 

Does anybody remember steering wheels like this?

At a small car show this Fall, I found my first car, a 1976 Pontiac Trans Am with a 400 horsepower engine. Definitely the favorite car I've owned!

The interior was almost identical to the one I owned, I still remember the feel of its small, thick steering wheel.

I love the chrome on these older cars!

And I love the fenders.

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Loving the lines. Look at those fenders!

If you can't wait for the summer shows for your fill of classic and antique autos, many of our towns have already kicked off their Cruise Nights in April. Here's a terrific list assembled by Movin' on Kruzers Car Club.

                          

 

Click here to see a gallery of my photos on Bucks Happening's website from the 2016 show!

1959 Mercury -  Can you imagine getting picked up for a first date in this?

"My grandmother was probably the first person who I thought was beautiful. 

She was incredibly stylish; she had big hair and big, big cars."

~ Tom Ford, American Fashion Designer