Years ago, my favorite was Olga’s Diner. Their coffee and cheesecake were the best!
I hear that construction of a new Olga’s Diner, unrelated to the former one, is underway less than a mile from the original diner.
Chuck Cherris, one of many contributors to the images shown here, generously provided these scans of his vintage postcards in 2005.
Hightstown Diner, Mercer Street, Hightstown, NJ
Boulevard Diner, 41st and Crescent Blvd., Camden, NJ
Bordentown Grill and Bar, Rtes. 130 & 206, Bordentown, NJ
A google search for Camden images led a recent visitor to inquire if we could help him find a vintage photo of a lunch wagon in Camden, c. late 19th – early 20th centuries.
Maybe a reader out there in cyberspace can help Michael Gabriele, a Clifton, NJ author, find one.
Michael explains…
Six years ago I wrote a book about NJ diner history, published by The History Press (see attached image).
I’m in the final stages of a new project and trying to track down some material on lunch wagons (the precursors to modern diners) that operated in Camden in the 1890s and early 1900s. In particular, I’ve come across info on a Lunch wagons were the lunch wagon that operated at the Arch and Federal “triangle” intersection in downtown Camden.
If any of your colleagues has information, I would greatly appreciate it if they can share it with me. It would be super if someone has a vintage postcard collection that depicts a lunch wagon on the streets of Camden.
Let us know if you can help, or leave a comment about a Jersey diner. -JMc
It took a while, but one of our articles in The Positive Press, Regina Collinsgru’s long-running free monthly community newspaper that used to be distributed to riverfront towns in Burlington County, recently resulted in the sale of a mug.
A couple of weeks ago Elizabeth from Riverside called me to ask if we still had mugs available. In preparing for a move to Florida she came across a clipping she had saved from an old issue of The Positive Press that pictured some of our mugs that feature historic scenes of the area.
Riverside mug
I just delivered her mug to her and she was delighted to have a souvenir of Riverside to take with her.
The Positive Press, June 2016
The exchange reminded me how much I have been missing that undeservedly defunct newspaper.
True to its name, The Positive Press printed news stories and human interest articles with an upbeat perspective, often with a nostalgic aspect.
“News about YOUR neighborhood” was Regina’s motto.
Will Valentino’s popular “Back In Time” articles always illuminated a little known chapter of Palmyra’s rich history with stories about Lena Blackburne, the originator of baseball’s famous rubbing mud, and Titanic survivor Adolph Weikman.
Despite increasing its circulation about four-fold from 5,000 in 1995 to 19,000 in 2013, increased costs and undercutting competition from corporate-owned periodicals caused Regina’s one-woman publishing house to close, I believe, at the end of 2015. rev. 2-1-2021: end of 2017
The demise of that fine publication and the loss of all of the history contained in it is a somber reminder of how easily local lore can be lost.
If the Society had not preserved to microfilm hundreds of old Palmyra and Riverton newspapers in the 1990s, we would not have been able to offer the digitalized files on our website in 2012. (See our Historical Newspapers tab)
Where else would one find gems like these?
Riverton School field day, The New Era, June 16, 1938, p2
Japanese beetles, The New Era, July 11, 1919, p2.
History of flag parade staff, New Era, June 28, 1934, p.1
Record crowd for fireworks, The New Era, June 7, 1938, p1
Nellie Bly, The New Era, June 2, 1938, p11
Jersey Devil sighting, 1907 reprint -1965 75th Anniv. edition of the New Era
Faunce shad fishery, The New Era 1965 Anniv. Issue p22
Talkies at Broadway Theater, The New Era, Jan. 9, 1930
Hollingshead drive-in, The New Era, May 18, 1933, p9
marijuana, The New Era, March 10, 1938, p6
War ends, The New Era, Aug 16, 1945
fly bounty, The New Era July 19, 1912 p2
Ok, so some of this did not make the national news, but these local publications chronicled the area’s everyday news, big and small, momentous to the mundane.
Imagine the irreplaceable loss to posterity if all 100 of Betty Hahle’s “Yesterday” columns appearing in back issues of the Gaslight News were deleted from our website.
Or if this website ceased to exist?
In the long run, the Historical Society of Riverton will only survive if it has the active support of the community which it serves or it will suffer the same fate that befell The Positive Press.
Even though The Positive Press is no longer in business, I found only 24 issues (about ten percent of the 20-year run) still alive on the world wide web. Better look sooner rather than later in case they disappear.rev. 2-1-21: The internet caught up with us and the links below no longer work. See Regina Collinsgru’s comment below this post.
Here are the very first eight newsletters (1974-1977) of the Historical Society of Riverton. Then-president Marilyn Colozzi probably wrote most or all of the single-page issues (Secretary Mary Jane Wittmeyer signed #8)
Incidentally, the names listed for the members of the Board of Directors are exclusively female.
So, thanks for the history, ladies!
RYC float, July 4, 1976 PHOTO CREDIT: Bill McDermott
In existence since June 1970, the young band of history enthusiasts struggled earnestly those first years to offer activities and programs, sponsor trips and tours to places of interest, recruit more members, and engage public interest in Riverton history.
The subject of Gaslight News #6, dated October 28, 1976, tells of a meeting that almost led to the undoing of the fledgling association.
A special meeting of the board was held October 5th to discuss the continuation of the Historical Society. After much discussion pro and con it was recommended, by those present, that the Historical Society should be dissolved.A motion was made to that effect. On October 20th the board met again. It was decided at this time to continue holding our programs, as planned, for this coming year.
Whew! We almost didn’t make it.
So here we are in 2019, approaching the Fiftieth Anniversary of our founding (June 2020), and we still strive to engage a community to understand and preserve local history.
Currently, only about 68 of 997 Riverton households support the Society with their membership. “Likes” on social media do little to materially advance our mission to “…create an awareness of our heritage, to discover, restore, and preserve local objects and landmarks, and to continue to expand our knowledge of the history of the area.”
What does move the Society’s agenda forward?
Gifts of time and money, and contributions of images, documents, artifacts, and other such evidence of our past by countless persons have made this online archive possible. Please join this group of ardent lovers of local history or donate at any time so that we may continue this worthy undertaking.
In October 1976, the Historical Society of Riverton almost dissolved. Starting in December 1977, under President and Editor Betty Hahle’s leadership, the Society continued to offer activities and programs, expanded the newsletter from its previous one-page format, and pursued historic preservation projects.
In these issues follow the organization’s efforts to save the gaslights from extinction and preserve the film “Romance of Riverton.” Read the first of Betty Hahle’s informative “Yesterday” articles. She went on to produce over 100 of her signature historical essays from 1977 – 2001.
Editor’s Note: If I can locate it, I will post that Charles Stonaker interview mentioned in the Dec. ’77 issue. Is there anything mentioned in these early issues about which you would like to know more? -JMc
Editor’s Note: The pages of these newsletters chronicle the early days of the Historical Society of Riverton.
Gaslight News binders
A previous post noted that the research and historical preservation efforts of many pioneering HSR members have given us the understanding we now have of Riverton history.
Much of that history is recorded in about 180 issues of the Society’s newsletter (thru May 2019).
Shortly after I took on the job of editor in September 2007, I set out to scan back issues of our newsletter. I was disappointed to find many issues missing from the file cabinet in the Riverton Library basement in which they were stored.
Luckily, former HSR President and newsletter editor Betty Hahle had her own duplicate files. She let me borrow copies that were missing, but there were still gaps in the full publication run of the Historical Society’s own newsletter.
Further rummaging through our storage area in the basement of Riverton Library yielded a manila folder full of newsletters that had belonged to Mrs. Joan Hartmann. Its contents filled in a few more missing pieces of the Gaslight News record.
The first eight single-page issues written by then-president Marilyn Colozzi proved to be elusive for a while more, but now, even those take their place in this archive of newsletter back issues.
Only two more, dated January and November 2006, remain missing. Please contact the Society if you are able to help in completing this important record of those first formative years of the Historical Society of Riverton. – JMc
Incorporation of the Society, its certification as a non-profit, curating engaging historical programs, publishing newsletters, surveying Riverton, combing through period resources, securing a National Register of Historic Places designation, collecting and storing artifacts, images, and documents, and other work of historical preservation have brought us an understanding of what renowned historian David McCullough called “… who we are and why we are the way we are.”
Creating a website, updating it, refreshing the newsletter, and establishing a Facebook page, tasks for another generation of HSR members, would never have occurred without the pioneering endeavors of many who came before.
Who do you recognize among the persons mentioned in these five issues?
Louise Vaughn, “Sister” Probsting, Joan Hartmann, Nell Layton, EllaMay Moore, Ruth Schmierer, Betty Hahle, Carl and Walter McAllister, Harold Zayotti, William Baxter, Alice Myers, Pete Dechnik, Lloyd Griscom, Nancy Hall, John Parry, Betty Lockhart, Marilyn Colozzi…
And who among you will carry on our mission into the 21st century?
THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF RIVERTON Constitution – Article II – Purpose
The purpose of the Society shall be to bring together those people who are interested in history and especially the history of the Borough of Riverton, but not limited thereto. The Society’s major function will be to create an awareness of our heritage, to discover, restore, and preserve local objects and landmarks, and to continue to expand our knowledge of the history of the area.
Can you support this noble work with your membership or a donation?
Are you are old enough to remember hearing the words, “Meet me at the Eagle”? I do recall hearing those very words uttered by my own mother. It was quite common for people who were shopping at the John Wanamaker Department Store in Philadelphia to arrange to do so with their family or friends. Moreover, if one were to become lost or even separated from their loved one while shopping, then this phrase took on real significance and became very sound advice!
John Wanamaker Building, Philadelphia, PA
In an age before cell phones and GPS, “Meet me at the Eagle” was the only geographic coordinate needed to arrange a meeting place in any John Wanamaker department stores. The following account along with several accompanying vintage postcard images will serve to illustrate the origin of that signature store symbol.
The Eagle, The Grand Court, John Wanamaker, Philadelphia
The Eagle was the centerpiece of the Grand Court in the John Wanamaker Main Store located in Philadelphia. This prominent symbol would become the meeting place for thousands of Philadelphians since Mr. Wanamaker brought it to the store from the 1904 Louisiana Purchase Exposition held in St. Louis.
The Eagle, The Grand Court, John Wanamaker, Philadelphia
Separately made parts form the heavy plates of the inner structure and the outer features and other surface parts. The Eagle contains some 6,600 bronze feathers and each individual feather was made and painstakingly placed by hand. Created by the noted German sculptor August Gaul, the dimensions of his creation measured 6’6” in height, 3’3” wide and 9’10” in length. Overall, the Eagle was a spectacular and imposing work of art as well as the store mascot!
Strawbridge and Clothier’s, 8th and Market Sts., Philadelphia, PA 1914The Gimbel Store, Philadelphia, PA
For many years, the Wanamaker store had to distinguish itself from among the other retail giants as considerable competition was coming from other notable names such as Strawbridge & Clothier, Lit Brothers and Gimbels.
In order to satisfy the demands of competition and to grow its retail business, Wanamaker’s made a strategic decision to open a number of branch locations. During the 1950s and ‘60s, the company built new stores in area communities including Wilmington (Delaware), Wynnewood, Jenkintown, and King of Prussia (all in Pennsylvania) as well as in Moorestown (New Jersey).
Furthermore, every Wanamaker Branch Store had its own large version of the Eagle, prominently displayed for all shoppers to see and enjoy. These Eagle replicas were placed in a relatively new type of merchandising venue, the suburban shopping mall.
The Eagle, Moorestown MallThe Eagle, Moorestown Mall
Two more postcards depict the famous Eagle at the Moorestown Shopping Mall. Like its Philadelphia cousin, the massive golden Eagle perched high upon a pedestal amid a fountain of dancing waters at the mall entrance to the John Wanamaker store also served as a rendezvous spot.
The Eagle, The Grand Court, John Wanamaker, Philadelphia
In this final postcard, the Wanamaker Eagle sports a celebratory horn to trumpet and announce an upcoming store-wide event. Printed on the address side of this postcard, the message conveys the following information: “120TH / ANNIVERSARY / SALE / OCT. 14-25. We’ve made our 120th Anniversary Sale the most exciting storewide sale ever. Sale starts Wednesday, Oct. 14, in all Wanamaker stores. Doors open 9:00 am sharp! I look forward to seeing you.” Mrs. Fulcanetti, salesperson in the Linen Department at the Moorestown Store, mailed it from Moorestown, N.J. Oct. 8, 1981.
In 2001, the Philadelphia Historical Commission designated the Eagle an historic object. The original Eagle is currently located at what is now Macy’s Department Store at 13th and Market Streets in Philadelphia.
We welcome your recollections and stories and look forward to hearing from you should you wish to tell us about your memories of the classic Wanamaker Eagle.
PS: Since publishing the above, a few Facebook comments referenced eating in the Crystal Tea Room, seeing the Christmas Village, and attending the organ and light performance in the Grand Court. Our family has done those things, but the only photo in our album I could find was this one of the Rudi Express, a monorail that traveled around the 8th floor Toy Department. Could shopping online at Amazon ever duplicate the unforgettable and magical day we had shopping in-person at Wanamaker’s? – JMc
After recently stumbling across the above newspaper photo while searching our Historical Local Newspaper Collection, I realized there were a few other bits about the same topic in our archive, so I decided to get them all in one place.
But don’t worry – there is still room for more, if you care to contribute, as the women below have done.
Pam Deitz supplied these snapshots showing the ceremony for the crowning of the 1936 May Queen.
1936 May Queen ceremony – photo credit Pam Deitz1936 RPS May Queen Court1936 RPS May Queen Court
Cheryl Smekal, 2011 Museum for a Day Curator
Cheryl Smekal, a former HSR Board Member whose family photo album has been a source of inspiration here before, provides these scans of May Day celebrations in the mid-1950s.
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One wonders how much more Riverton history is stored away in basements and attics?
In the November 2009 Gaslight News, Mrs Elsie Showell Waters described the annual Riverton Field Day as it was observed in 1932:
What excitement—Field Day was coming! We got white sneakers for the day. We took flowers to school to decorate the May Poles. We upper-class girls donned our black bloomers, our middy blouses, and our new sneakers. We marched out to the field at Memorial Park to do our exercises with dumbbells and Indian clubs to band music. After that, we went into tents set up at the park to change into our pretty dresses for the May Pole Dance. Such fun dancing around the May Pole, weaving pretty colored ribbons under and over to make a pretty design.
2013 Parade Marshal Elsie Waters
Elsie, who passed in 2018 at age 99, was an active HSR Board Member and a vital part of our Society for many years. Her enthusiasm for history is greatly missed. Casey Foedisch‘s 2013 interview of Elsie reveals the great love she had for her lifelong home.
People ask, “Where do you get this stuff?” and the answer is, we get a lot of it from you, our members, and visitors. We welcome anyone’s photos or recollections that will elaborate on this May Day/ Field Day theme (or anything else, really).
Please the form below to comment or contact us for details on how to submit longer memoirs.
If you find value within these pages, please support this endeavor with your membership or use Paypal (button at left) to contribute to the noble work of preserving local history. -JMc
Iris Gaughan, Marshal Coordinator, sends a sincere thank-you to Michael Gilbert and all others who helped to get to her goal of having 44 volunteer marshals cover the 7 corners of the race route for one-hour shifts during next Sunday’s Historic Riverton Criterium. Iris reports that she now has enough volunteers.
And, the Society thanks Iris – the race literally could not go on without marshals.
Did you see the ingenious official 2019 HRCriterium poster on Facebook that Lauren West designed? She even included New Jersey’s State Bird, the American goldfinch!
2019 HRC poster by Lauren West
The two mugs below each incorporate her design elements and include a photo of Carlos Rogers, creator of the race, along with descriptive text.
To preorder a LIMITED EDITION 2019 HRCriterium Commemorative Mug, please use the form below, and someone will contact you to work out payment and delivery details.
(Actually, they are limited only to how many people order one.)
I’m in the final stages of a new project and trying to track down some material on lunch wagons (the precursors to modern diners) that operated in Camden in the 1890s and early 1900s. In particular, I’ve come across info on a Lunch wagons were the lunch wagon that operated at the Arch and Federal “triangle” intersection in downtown Camden.
