Need a gift idea? We have about 35 mugs featuring vintage images from our archives on hand and ready to go. See the samples in this earlier post.
I just sent in another order for shoppers who stopped in today at the Riverton Library’s used book sale. I will set up shop again next Sunday, Dec. 13, and again on Sunday, Dec. 20.
Questions? Please email rivertonhistory@gmail.com
If you have never ventured below stairs at the Library, come see a work in progress. We must get materials properly stored and cataloged. Then we can work out how to best display things. I do not have a timetable on when we would be open for visitors – there is still so much left to do.
Speaking of “left to do”… look for the November Gaslight News with a form enclosed for paying 2016 dues closer to Christmas. So make that a December Gaslight News.
P.S. Duval & Son, United States Soldiers at Camp “William Penn” Philadelphia, PA:”Rally Round the Flag, Boys! Rally Once Again, Shouting the Battle Cry of Freedom” (Philadelphia: Published by the Supervisory Committee for Recruiting Colored Regiments, 1210 Chestnut Street), 1863. Chromolithograph with hand-coloring.
Learn how a church cemetery in Cinnaminson and a young black man from Riverton are linked to the decision to enlist African Americans into the Union army and to train them just across the Delaware River in Camp William Penn.
Jay Howard presents his findings to a well-attended meeting Jan 2014
We pass along notice of this event received from our friend, Jay Howard, of Palmyra’s Historical Society.
Readers will remember we mentioned here in 2014, that Jay and others have studied Civil War muster sheets and a donated diary gaining great insight into the part this area played in that conflict. Presumably, this new presentation grew from that research.
African American Soldiers in the Civil War – Trinity A.M.E. Church Cemetery, Camp William Penn, and Henry Poke
Presented by Donald Scott, author of Camp William Penn 1863-1865: America’s First Federal African American Soldiers’ Fight for Freedom, and Jay Howard, Palmyra Historical & Cultural Society
And guess where the pests made landfall after their trip across the ocean.
Riverton, NJ.
Yeah, you could google that. Riverton’s Wikipedia page mentions it under HISTORY. “In 1916, Japanese beetles, now a widespread insect pest in the United States, were first discovered in a nursery near Riverton.”
Apparently, they arrived in the grub stage some years prior, as they snuggled in the root balls of some iris plants imported from Japan bound for Dreer’s Nursery.
In the “We get letters” section on page 4 of the Oct. 2015 GN I introduced readers to Ken Frank, a Philadelphia physician who lives in “old” center
city Philadelphia.
Ken had inquired through this website if someone could show him where Dreer’s Nursery was when he would be visiting Riverton in July.
Would I? Yessss.
My wife Linda and I met Ken and his wife Sue at the Light Rail Station in mid-July and we gave them the fifty-cent tour.
Ecology of Center City Philadelphia by Kenneth D. Frank
A lot has happened since then.
His 29 chapter book, Ecology of Center City, Philadelphia, which takes a historical approach in examining the natural history of downtown Philadelphia, is now available in paperback and as a free PDF online.
Ken will speak at a meeting of the American Entomological Society in the library of the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia on Wednesday, Dec. 2, about the centennial of the North American introduction of the Japanese beetle. The meeting starts at 7pm.
The Riverton contingent of Ken’s cheering section will consist of Nancy and Bill Hall, Jeannie Francis, my wife Linda, and me.
Bill Hall recalls some details about Japanese beetles in Riverton – says he used to be paid a bounty for catching them by the quart jarful.
Jeannie is a Master Gardener who not only has first-hand experience in dealing with the pests, she had relatives who worked at Dreers and knows some family stories passed to her about the beetles.
Get used to it because you can be sure it will occur to someone in this Centennial Year of the critter’s discovery in Riverton that it would be cute to have the story on the six o’clock news.
The meeting is free and open to the public. Enter the Academy through the door on 19th Street near the corner with Cherry Street, and the security guard will direct you to the meeting room. One parking lot that is close is on 19th Street, just across Cherry Street where the Academy is located. Find directions here.
If you have experience with battling Japanese beetles near here or can pass along a beetle anecdote, let me know below or comment on Facebook. – JMc
Just a short note to say I will be at the Library’s used book sale again on Sunday from 1-3pm so people who ordered mugs can pick them up. There is still a good choice of mugs on hand from which to choose. Wouldn’t one or two make a great gift?
Just lots of mugs with nostalgic reminders of Riverton, Palmyra, Riverside, and Moorestown.
Just closed up shop at the RFL used book sale. Like the proverbial hotcakes, the mugs are selling, and I am getting orders for more.
A previously placed order for 37 (about half already spoken for) may be here by next Sunday, Nov. 29. I will return then to the catacombs of the RFL with more mugs.
mugs to go
I still cannot thank anyone here by name for shopping with us because it is clear that Santa’s helpers are out in force early this year and we do not want to spoil surprises.
I can say that even with making 28 variations of mugs, someone always has another idea to suggest – like a vintage Fourth of July mug. Why didn’t I think of that?
Would a duster sailboat mug sell?
Have you another idea for a mug that would feature vintage imagery from our extensive image archive?
That huge image archive is the result of people making donations of actual postcards and photos to the Society, some eBay auction purchases on my part, as well my begging local history enthusiasts since 2007 for scans of their treasured collections. Such a number have obliged that our virtual acquisitions now far exceed our real collection. We can always use more.
FYI – available mug colors are light blue, blue, pink, red, white, black.
The HSR sincerely thanks all who have purchased our mugs. You know who you are.
Look for a late Nov/early Dec Gaslight News with a form included for paying your 2016 membership dues. – JMc
Well, it would have been boffo box office, but this was another example of your HSR dues dollars at work in partnership with Riverton Free Library in making available to the public a presentation free of charge.
“…29, 30, 31, 32… a great turnout,” observes RFL Director Michael Robinson.
Actress Maggie Worsdale played to a capacity crowd in the RFL’s meeting room Tuesday night.
She entertained in character for a full hour, delivering her fact-filled monologue with no notes.
It was, as it was heard characterized, more like a one-woman play than a typical historical interpreter’s presentation.
Maggie Worsdale channeling Martha Washington with flair
She absolutely did delight, teach, and inspire the SRO crowd with her recounting of episodes in not only Martha Washington’s life, but also for many other of America’s 44 First Ladies.
One could certainly fill up an hour reporting on the lives of First Ladies, but this remarkable performance was full of little known, often touching, anecdotes which were obviously the result of exhaustive research and preparation.
No video clip or excerpts of Ms. Worsdale’s one-act follow so that there are no “spoilers” should you have a chance to enjoy this compelling material performed live.
Consider this short review a 5-star endorsement of Maggie Worsdale’s production of Martha Washington. Book her without reservation. But you might want a bigger room.
For one night only, Tuesday, November 17, international performing and recording artist, cabaret and jazz singer, actress, and producer Maggie Worsdale brings her one-woman show to Riverton Free Library as she becomes Martha Dandridge Custis Washington.
Be there before 7pm, and we will have on display the mugs mentioned in the post of Nov. 9.
When I found out that the RFL was having its usual Sunday afternoon used book sale in the basement I decided to set up a card table just inside our new space and offer those mugs for sale.
I had about 28 mugs, mostly all different prototype designs I was trying out featuring vintage images from our extensive archive. You can make out a Riverside, a Moorestown, and a Palmyra mug amongst the Riverton cups.
I sold ten and got an order for 14. The result was encouraging enough that I will go back next Sunday and try again.
I can’t say who came or what they bought.
Let’s just say Santa has sworn me to secrecy.
I ordered another bunch more today, but delivery is not expected until the end of November.
The Veterans Day Observance at the recently restored Riverton War Memorial will include placing the name Richard W. Baskin USMC, Vietnam, on the Honor Roll displayed there.
Also am passing along word that on Veterans Day, this Wednesday, Nov. 11, Riverton School continues its tradition of recognizing veterans with a coffee reception 8:30-9:30am, followed by a ceremony in the gym, although I cannot confirm finding any mention of it on the RPS website.
Members of RiversideVFW Post 3020 shall act as standard bearers at the Riverton War Memorial between 10:30 and 11:00 am, as they have so often done. Riverton will be one of several stops that day to other memorials along these riverfront towns in which they perform their duties.
You don’t have to have a computer to join in OPERATION APPRECIATION 2015 – just thank a veteran for their service, or demonstrate it in a bigger way. We certainly owe so much to veterans, past and present.
The eligibility explanation and simple application procedure for those wishing to have a veteran’s name included on the Memorial are on the Borough website, http://www.riverton-nj.com/
With more names having been added by the Riverton Military & Veterans Affairs Committee since 2011, and the replacement of new plaques for the first ones, the HSR is to be entrusted with the safekeeping of the original plaques.
Please know that the Historical Society desires to add service photos of Riverton veterans to our own online Riverton Veterans Album. Have a look – you might see someone you know. – JMc
Need a gift idea? We have about 35 mugs featuring vintage images from our archives on hand and ready to go. See the samples in this earlier post.
