Historical Society of Riverton

Yeah, yeah, yeah, the so-called “Historic Snowstorm” left two inches of soft powder in Delran (5 miles north of Riverton).

But it may have been enough to turn the late-January issue of the Gaslight News into a Post-Groundhog Day Issue, so I posted the PDF today. I will stuff envelopes and mail the newsletters as soon as I get them from Joie Budget Printing in Cinnaminson.

I do recall some historic snow storms. Well, maybe not in the meteorological sense.

Years ago, I waited for the KYW Radio announcement or the phone call from the colleague a step up from me on the Riverton School phone tree (and then I, in turn, called the next teacher) to give me the word, “No school.”

Upon returning to school the next day, students were all a-buzz with stories of snowball fights and sledding at Double Bunkers.

Historic or not, Riverton kids (and a teacher or two) enjoyed the day off. Often, though, a Spring Break would be adjusted or the school calendar extended farther into June to make up the day.

Each generation seems to define its own version of The Good Old Days and it amazing how the sight of an old photo or the scent of wet socks drying by the heater grate can reboot those memories.

What will the kids of 2015 regard as their Good Old Days?

Snow and ice have certainly caused their share of fun as well as commotion here over the years.

In 1900, the steamer Twilight became icebound near Trenton, and Charles Biddle rescued fifteen ice skaters with his boat when they got caught on a Delaware River ice that was breaking up.  In 1903, two young Riverton men saved another skating party from drifting ice, again by boat.

The Feb. 8, 1934 New Era, Riverton’s now defunct hometown newspaper, described how Benjamin Lippincott’s mule-drawn wicker sleigh thrilled “the younger generation of Riverton” when  it came into town.

In 1979, former HSR President and Town Historian Betty B. Hahle wrote in the Gaslight News:

In 1888 “Receipt Book” of Wm. F. Morgan …”The Great Blizzard occurred March 12th 1888.” (added) “The second occurred Feb. 12 and 13th 1899. It snowed for 52 hours.”

In researching his excellent Nov. 2009 GN article, The Fascinating Fitlers, former HSR President Gerald Weaber found:

Dale Baker Fitler was born in Riverton  exactly nine months after the famous snow blizzard in March 1888. Drifts reached  fifteen to thirty feet high along the riverbank.

Now, that blizzard really was historic. The Blizzard of 1888 was of the most famous snowstorms in American history, it hit the eastern United States March 11th and 12th 1888. The Great White Hurricane paralyzed communities from Maine to Chesapeake Bay. Cities became isolated when telephone and telegraph wires snapped, trains stopped, and roads became impassable. The National Weather service estimated that 40 inches of snow-covered New York and New Jersey. Philadelphia claimed high winds blew up to 60 miles an hour, creating snowdrifts 40 to 50 feet high.

It’s a good thing we missed out on that kind of historic snowstorm this time.

Riverton Readers of all ages, what historic, or just plain memorable, snowfalls do you recall? -JMc

 

HSR President Phyllis Rodgers sends this short review of our recent trip to Winterthur Museum.

On Friday, December 5, thirty-nine HSR members and guests enjoyed a Holiday excursion to Winterthur Museum in Wilmington, DE.

First treated to a guided tour of the Historic Dupont Mansion, all were enthralled with the spectacular furnishings and Holiday décor.

After a leisurely lunch and visit to the outstanding gift shops it was time for the much anticipated viewing of the Costumes of Downton Abbey.

The vast variety of the collection from the hit series did not disappoint as samples of clothing from the upstairs and downstairs characters made one feel as if they were visiting with the actors themselves.

All made for a perfect day with good weather, good company, and a memorable Downton experience.

Downton Abbey returns for its fifth season starting Sunday, January 4th.

If anyone who went can send more photos, I will gladly include them. JMc

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North Korean strike in Riverton? Not-so-funny story — My 1 yr., 9 mos. old Dell computer suffered a complete nervous breakdown at the end of November and I had to replace the hard drive – lost everything on it.

Like they say at the auto dealer – it isn’t the years; it’s the mileage. This baby has a lot on the odometer. Mostly from doing newsletter layouts, managing this website, and other HSR related work.

I am only just now getting it back into fighting form. I had backed it up with an external Western Digital hard drive, but it was missing the last two weeks of work from mid-November to first week of December.

What it did save was a jumble when I transferred it to the new hard drive. Nothing is where I expected it to be. Some files arrived in multiples and some not at all. Also lost many other folders, emails, my address book, files and settings that the backup drive did not save, plus some programs I had downloaded. It has been a colossal chore trying to get things back so I can work on the newsletter and website.

It’s a good thing I am paid by the hour. Just kidding – from President on down, we all volunteer for this duty.

So with just four days left until Christmas I am a bit behind schedule on getting out this Homemade Holiday Greeting.

Mrs. McC and I went for a drive around Lippincott, Thomas, and Linden Avenues last night and snapped some pix of the light displays.

Now, I now we missed a lot, and probably left out your favorite, but it was c-c-c-cold and getting late. A particularly vigilant dog on Thomas convinced us to head home where I went to work on this Riverton Christmas Light Greeting Card from the Historical Society of Riverton.

You can leave a comment about an individual photo if you click on it to enlarge it and enter your comment in the “Leave a reply” box under the photo.

Nancy Hall remembers her Lippincott grandparents in Riverton having a Christmas tree with real lit candles. What is your recollection of a Riverton Christmas?

If you have a another photo to contribute or a memory of Christmas Past, please contact us below, or at rivertonhistory@gmail.com, or post it on Facebook.

Gotta go – I still have shopping to do. – JMc

 

OK, kids, that was snow I saw Thursday night. Really wet snow, but snow, nonetheless.

I guess that Polar Vortex the weather forecasters warned about has arrived. The season’s first freeze is already expected here during overnight lows this upcoming week.

At least Schwering’s Hardware in Palmyra is ready with its stash of snow shovels, ice melt, and the classic Flexible Flyer sled. I didn’t even know they were still made.

Isn’t Schwering’s Hardware the best? People have been finding quality products and first-rate service there since it opened its doors in 1922 as Schwering’s Wayside Hardware. Knowledgeable advice and neighborhood news are a bonus.

I have heard of Small Business Saturday coming up November 29, and it’s all good, but for many local people, it’s Small Business Everyday.

According to Cecily Tynan’s Winter Weather Outlook we can expect fewer snowstorms but bigger ones and lower than average temps. so we are in for some weather in which some lucky kid would get your money’s worth out of that sled. Just saying. – JMc

Speaking of digging up Riverton’s history…

Did you see this report or one like it during a 24-hour news cycle at the end of October?

http://6abc.com/news/human-remains-found-as-workers-dig-for-pool-in-nj/369322/

If you want a good laugh, scroll down and read the comments made by people weighing in on Riverton matters who have no idea on what they are talking about.

Town Historian Paul W. Schopp tells me that the disinterment of human remains near the Delaware is practically a Riverton tradition. Look for more in the next GN.

And now for some completely irrelevant Riverton fall foliage pix – John McCormick

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“Tempus fugit,” as my Cramer Junior High Latin teacher instructed in 1961.

Seems like after I passed sixty, time has actually increased in velocity. It’s already time to pay Society dues again.

November newsletters are in the mail along with a form for paying 2015 membership dues. (Click on the image at left and print that, or print this PDF form.)

Too soon for Santa? The local Sam’s Club didn’t think so in early October, so I think we are safe here on November 4.

Notice that Santa holds in his arm a Gaslight News.

Just $20 brings you four issues of the Gaslight News, either home delivered, or you may choose to read the newsletter online.

Know that when you join the HSR, you are doing much more than simply purchasing four issues of a minor historical organization’s newsletter. You become an ally in our work to discover, restore, preserve, and share local history. Dues dollars underwrite the considerable expense attached to accomplishing that.  – John McCormick

I have used parts of a certain undated Riverton map to illustrate a few web and newsletter articles (most recently, GN #158) and I have been asked about it. This is what I know.

The full title:I do love a good font. So Riverton–no-nonsense.

And the embellishments such as the sidewheeler steamboat at the bottom and locomotive spewing smoke at the top make this depiction of Riverton’s development at its outset worthy of displaying on a collector’s wall.

Except that this one is an inaccurate and half-faked copy.

Marilyn Lippincott had a Xerox copy of the map and she let me scan it. Some parts were very light or missing altogether.  Using a photo editing program I spent hours trying to resuscitate it; I darkened it and extrapolated (basically, guessed) the missing lot numbers, lines, and other components, so I cannot represent this as a faithful copy.

Still, half a loaf…

So by popular demand (for those two people who asked), here is the flawed map.

I publish it in the hope that someone out there on the web can help us fill in missing pieces. Like a date? Was this part of some sales literature to induce potential buyers’ interest? Can I get my mitts on a better copy so that we may make this murky bit of Riverton history more clear?

The Society sincerely appreciates donations of real items which help us reconstruct Riverton’s history. Giving a scan or photo is always an alternative for the collector who wishes to keep ownership while still sharing the information. Please keep us in mind before more local history slips away. – John McCormick