By James Kerr
When you think of Trenton, what comes to mind? People might think of the golden dome on the state capital building that can be seen while entering the city, Trenton Thunder Stadium, where legends like Aaron Judge played, or the historic parts of Trenton where the American Revolutionary War took place.
One piece of architecture that has been standing for 219 years that lights up the night sky and reflects off the Delaware River is the Lower Trenton Bridge, or the Trenton Makes Bridge, as referred to by locals.
The Lower Trenton Bridge was originally operated by the Trenton Delaware Bridge Company and was the first bridge to go across the Delaware River. The bridge links Trenton, New Jersey to Morrisville, Pennsylvania, and is a popular tourist attraction.
Beyond the physical purpose of the bridge, it has become a symbol of Trenton for visitors and residents of the city. Filmmakers, photographers and artists capture the bridge in their art. The bridge was featured in two romance movies, one from 1988 titled “Stealing Home” starring Jodie Foster and in “Baby It’s You,” starring Rosanna Arquette.
In 2018, the lights were updated with a new LED system, featuring a multi-colored lighting system. The colors change based on holidays or events. When the Philadelphia Eagles won the 2025 Super Bowl, the bridge was green. Recently, the bridge was illuminated with yellow and blue lights to represent the colors of Ukraine. But most nights, the bridge’s letters are red.
The famous phrase, “Trenton Makes, The World Takes” was coined by S. Roy Heath, who was the secretary of the Trenton Chamber of Commerce in 1910. The phrase represented the industrial power that Trenton was known for. Trenton produced goods such as steel, rubber, wire and ceramics. Many of these items were used in World War II and sent overseas, which represents “The World Takes” piece of the phrase.
In an interview with The Streetlight, Darren “Freedom” Green, a Trenton native, shared his perspective on the bridge and its impact on the city. Green spoke about the significant role Trenton once played in manufacturing goods, and how it brought prosperity to the nation and the city itself.
“‘Trenton Makes, the World Takes’ was Trenton exchanging what it was making so that the world could take it and know that Trenton was an amazing place to visit, so it was almost like an outreach component,” Green said.
“What made it special were the factories that were here that produce the rubber, the porcelain and everything that we were doing,” Green added.
He explained that the city is in need of change to be the place it once was. “‘Trenton Makes, the World Takes’ is a rebirth of the city and all that’s going on, but it’s gonna require the depth of the old to have a rebirth of the new,” he said.
Anudeep Deevi, a 2021 TCNJ alumnus who spent a lot of time in Trenton engaging in community service in college, shared his view of the bridge.
“The bridge shows the pride of a city that is not afraid to let the world know what they’re about,” Deevi said. “The shift from a production economy to a service economy also showed the shift from manu- factured goods to talented people in the arts, healthcare, technology and many more who call Trenton home.”
When asked about his perspective of the bridge’s meaning to the city, Deevi said “it’s a reminder of the immense potential that they have for enacting change both within their own communities and within the world.”
Deevi said the bridge “is a symbol to motivate students to achieve and dream big, for residents to find the issues wrong with the city and to fix them, and the community to never forget their roots.”
The bridge stands as a shining light glimmering over the Delaware River and can be seen by many when traveling through Trenton. The bridge will forever stand as a symbol for the city, representing its rich history and growing culture.