Do you remember the observation tower used to observe and report planes flying over Rancocas Creek during World War II? Mal Anderson, President of the Delran Historical Society and Alice Smith, President of the Riverside Historical Society have joined together to create a presentation on Civil Defense and the observation tower. You have two opportunities to hear this fascinating presentation. On Tuesday May 17, they will be at the Delran Historical Society meeting at 7pm at the Delran Municipal Building. On Wednesday, May 18, they will be presenting at the Riverside Historical Society Meeting. The Riverside Historical Society meeting will be at at the American Legion Post 146 located at 212 American Legion Drive on the corner of Monroe Street and American Legion Drive.
Category: Local History (Page 3 of 3)
Join us for our regular monthly meeting on April 19th, 2016. Meetings are held in the community room of the Delran Municipal Building located at 900 Chester Avenue, Delran. Purchase tickets for the hoagie sale and hear about the bus trip planned to Washington DC in September.
This month, Dr. James Schulte from Delaware State University will be presenting a program entitled English, Dutch, Swedes and Lenapes, the Starting of a Nation.
Dr. Schulte is a Pennsville, New Jersey resident. He is active in the Friends of Hancock House (Salem County) and the past president of Preservation Salem, Inc.
Light refreshments will be served.
John Anderson will be attending our January 19th meeting to explain the process for nominating the Rancocas Creek for inclusion in the National Water Trail System. The members of the Delran Historical Society know the importance of the Rancocas Creek in the development of Delran Township. Community support is needed for the application. Our meeting will be a great opportunity for residents to learn about the process and how they can assist in making our Rancocas Creek a nationally recognized waterway.
In recognition of days gone by, the municipality plans to put up several historical markers at a number of sites. Trinity Episcopal Church, Methodist Episcopal Church, Bridgeboro Grammar School, Cambridge School, New Riverside Cemetery, Fairview Christian Cemetery, the Conrow House, World War II Observation Tower and the Bridgeboro Bridge have been designated “historic sites” because of their significance to the town.
The effort stems from a request by the Delran Historical Society to allow it to identify a list of properties and old buildings that played a role in making Delran what it is today. “The project enhances Delran’s attractiveness to its residents and bolsters the town’s reputation as a caring community that takes pride in its history,” society president Mal Anderson said. “We want our residents to appreciate the places that helped create our town’s rich past and feel a sense of connection to it.”
Sites were selected after several years of work undertaken by the society’s Historic Site Marker Committee, which compiled a list of properties that have long stood out in the community. Society members brought the proposal to the Township Council earlier this year. “We thought that this should be an ongoing program,” Anderson said. “Initially, we would develop a short list of historic sites and go from there in ensuing years.” The mayor and council members loved the idea. “We fully supported it,” said Mayor Ken Paris, who acknowledged that he’s a bit of a history buff. “It’s interesting,” he said. “I think it’s great for the young kids to know the history of their town.”
In the coming months, each site will be marked with a small sign briefly describing its history. Even though many of the locations are known by residents, council President Gary Catrambone said the markers will give the general public a little insight into the history of Delran, which was established by the New Jersey Legislature on Feb. 12, 1880, from portions of Cinnaminson.
“The committee worked tirelessly to research and to develop a short list of sites that were most significant to our town, and we are very grateful and indebted to them for their commitment and dedication,” Catrambone said. “The fruits of their labor will be enjoyed by current residents and by future residents for decades to come. They will all be able to enjoy our unique heritage and rich history with a much deeper understanding than otherwise would have been possible.”
Posted: Monday, January 4, 2016 5:15 am in the Burlington County Times
By Todd McHale, staff writer
Our meeting will feature guest speaker Katherine Ng. Ms. Ng will presenting on Preservation in Action New Jersey and Beyond. Ms. Ng is the Vice President of Development for Wu & Associates, a general construction firm who has received widespread recognition for their restoration and preservation work from notable sources including the National Trust for Historic Preservation, state agencies, and local preservation organizations. Holding a Masters in Psychology from the University of California, Los Angeles, and a Bachelor’s in Linguistics from Cornell University. Ms. Ng’s focus centers on the integration of culture into the fabric of sustainable community growth. She is an active proponent of historic preservation, having worked with post-September 11th restoration of historic Chinatown in lower Manhattan; having served as a past Advisory Board Member for the Pennhurst Memorial and Preservation Alliance to develop an international site of conscience; and serving as an invited speaker for professional and collegiate preservation audiences. Ms. Ng was appointed to the Board of Trustees for the New Jersey Historic Trust in 2014 by Governor Chris Christie. She chairs the Legislation and Policy Committee and serves on the Strategic Planning Committee.
The Lenni-Lenape Indians were the first seasonal visitors to New Jersey’s Absecon Island during the hot summer months – the island on which Atlantic City is located. During the 1600 and 1700s it remained a quiet peaceful area with a few settlers building residence there. It was not until the 1800s when Atlantic City really came to be and it did not take long for the population in our area to realize the enjoyment of the very same island. The city itself was incorporated in March of 1854 and in July of that same year the first public train, the Camden-Atlantic City Railroad, left Camden carrying passengers to the Atlantic City area. The first official roadway from the mainland to the island was in 1860 – Atlantic City would never be the same again! The population at that time was about 700 residents; by 1900 the population grew to 27,000! Atlantic City grew rapidly and offered many sites and activities to its visitors such as beaches, its boardwalk, restaurants, amusements, and pageants – a perfect vacation destination away from the city! The 1930s and 40s would see its heyday with many famous celebrities coming to town making Atlantic City world renowned.
In June of 1870, Atlantic City’s first portion of its boardwalk opened. Atlantic City’s famed rolling chairs were first introduced at a convention in 1876 and originally designed as wheelchairs for the handicapped. They were opened to the public and became boardwalk transportation for the carriage trade when able bodied people pretended to need to use them. In 1887 local businessman William Hayday started renting them to the public. The rolling chairs were all the rage and became the preferred way to get up and down the boards and the only vehicle allowed on the boardwalk. It was fashionable to chicly dress for a ride in a rolling chair on a Sunday afternoon. You were dignified and it was a sign of luxury. The rolling chair continued to be a popular attraction throughout the decades. There are still rolling chair companies in existence today. Why not go back in time and take a ride on the AC boardwalk!
The featured image is Delran Historical Society’s Vice President, Elaine McCabe’s grandparents, Wilbur J.Freck and Frances Austin Freck taken on the boardwalk in Atlantic City circa 1910.
