Historical Society of Riverton

The south wall of Camden City Hall’s gray granite façade bears the uplifting inscription, “In a dream I saw a city invincible,” a reference to a line from this poem by Walt Whitman.

I Dream’d in a Dream
Walt Whitman

I dream’d in a dream I saw a city invincible to the attacks of the whole of the rest of the earth,
I dream’d that was the new city of Friends,
Nothing was greater there than the quality of robust love, it led the rest,
It was seen every hour in the actions of the men of that city,
And in all their looks and words.

Started on the cusp of the Great Depression in 1929, and completed two years later, that neoclassical house of government for the City and County of Camden still dominates the Camden skyline over eight decades later.

This Souvenir Folder of Camden, New Jersey, probably dating from the early 1930s, has a description of an industrial and commercial metropolis of seemingly unlimited potential (PDF of description here.)

Ironic, I know. Many have recounted and analyzed reasons for Camden’s long descent into its current despairing state.

However, I have not come here to bash Camden, but to praise the Camden that was my hometown for my first 21 years.

These Depression-era old postcard photos predate my memories of growing up in North and East Camden in the late 1940s through early 1970s, to be sure, but those experiences truly shaped the outcome of this baby-boomer’s life.

View at full screen all 22 Camden Souvenir Folder images in this PDF slide show (1.99MB).

What buildings, places, or landmarks do you think would make it into a Souvenir Folder of Riverton, New Jersey? Let us know here, on our Facebook page, or email to rivertonhistory@gmail.com – John McCormick

HSR members converged on Riverton School’s library to reconnect with colleagues after the summer hiatus and hear Society Vice President Mrs. Pat Brunker outline some of the organization’s projects for the coming term.

One agenda item of particular interest to homeowners may be the revival of awarding historical plaques. Many Riverton homes and buildings have displayed these badges explaining the structure’s historic pedigree for some time, but the HSR has not granted any new plaques for several years.

Now available—the Historical Society of Riverton will award historic plaques for qualifying structures, minimum 100 years old, of particular architectural significance or of local historical significance. Call 856-786-8422 for an application which the HSR will review. Plaque donation: $150.

Further details on the simplified application process, program particulars, and an online application will be forthcoming in an upcoming post.

Then, Vice President Cheryl Smekal (yes, we have two VPs) told of an upcoming Dickens Tea by returning presenter Alisa DuPuy at the New Leaf on Thursday, November 21 at 7:00 p.m.  Your $15 includes tea and dessert, an evening’s diversion and entertainment, and supports the preservation efforts of the HSR.  Call 856-786-0323 for reservations.

Cheryl further explained that on December 7, in conjunction with Riverton Free Library’s Holiday House Tour, Phyllis Rogers and the New Leaf Tea Room will again host an HSR Museum for a Day, last done in 2011, in which the public may inspect rarely displayed artifacts, ephemera, vintage clothing, and photos from the Historical Society of Riverton’s archives. She invited anyone with something to loan for display to contact her at 856-829-9375.

Cheryl introduced our evening’s presenter, essayist and certified Philadelphia tour guide, Dorothy Stanaitis.

Speaking from the perspective of a colonial-era indentured servant who has eavesdropped  while serving tea to her well-to-do Philadelphia employers, Ms. Stanaitis divulged scandalous tidbits about American and British figures of her day.

She surprised even the most ardent of history buffs among us with some of the revelations included in her well-researched soliloquy that the history books left out.

Propriety, however, prevents me from repeating such gossip here. You may have to book this chatty domestic for your next club gathering and hear her Scandals, Rumors, and Dirty Rotten Lies for yourselves.

Afterwards, light refreshment accompanied many spirited conversations as members resumed that familiar society pastime as though the summer had not interceded at all.

Meanwhile, Dr. Cliff Johnson obliged by identifying some Palmyra police officers in a scan of a photo that I have had since 2004 when Betsy Ransome kindly let me scan about two dozen old postcards in her choice collection.

She used to hang them in her store, Grayson’s Flowers, on Broad Street in Palmyra. Betsy was one of the generous contributors who got the virtual image archive displayed on these pages off to its start.

Eventually, most discussion threads intersected on the wonderful contents of the refreshment table and, in particular, the remarkable homemade gingersnaps that Elsie Waters brought.

The recipe, you ask. I’ll check with Elsie and get back to you.

Please join the conversation about Riverton history here or on our Facebook page. – John McCormick

Imagine “Pat” Steedle, Riverton expressman, politician, Rotarian, song leader, former Boy Scout and what not, sitting in the darkness along a Pennsylvania highway in his X Y Z’s drying his clothes over a bonfire.

That is how the April 23, 1931 issue of The New Era recounted for its readers’ amusement  an experience that George Steedle had with his moving van. Sandy Steedle sent us this great story about her great-grandfather, the subject of the feature article in this last newsletter, “Geo. D. Steedle moved millions with Steedle’s Express & Philburco buses.

Enjoy this humorous essay from an over eighty year old edition of The New Era, “Pat Steedle and His Truck Imitate Submarine on Highway at Reading.” The necessary concession to the budgetary restraints placed on the Gaslight News which limits each issue to four pages sometimes results in some good stuff not being able to get past this editor’s desk.

Such was the case with this article and the scanned images of a Tacony-Palmyra Ferry stock certificate I bought off an eBay auction last January.

There are many more stories about local characters in the old Riverton and Palmyra newspapers preserved here. Let us know if you find a topic which you would like to see  further explored here or in the Gaslight News. We welcome readers’ submissions. – John McCormick

Added July 3, 2018: We thank Paul W. Schopp for sending this great photo of a Tacony-Palmyra Ferry beside the bridge as it neared completion.

The construction of the new grandstand for Riverton Memorial Park reached another milestone with the fitting of the concrete joists to the configuration that is shaping up for completion, possibly in a month or so.

Borough Councilman Joe Creighton passes on these shots of a crane lowering the joists into place on September 27.

Just days before, Keith Herndon joined his brother, Mark, and son, Korey, as the family business proceeded to raise courses of perfectly aligned brick veneer on the cinder block structure.

Mark tells me that an electrician and plumber have started their work as the masonry work continues, but I have not been by at the right time to catch them.

Find other references to Riverton Memorial Park’s original grandstand and this new one by searching for “grandstand” in the search query box at the top of the page.

The following photos illustrate the exacting work of these skilled masons as well as another step in the progress of this much-anticipated borough project.  – John McCormick

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

If fall is in the air, then it must mean that the Historical Society of Riverton will rev up its meetings and programs soon, and their newsletter will resume publication. By now the September Gaslight News should be in members’ hands.

I don’t consider a newsletter issue a triumph unless I have made at least a serious grammatical error or typo with bonus points for misstatements of fact. The PDF file linked above fixes my misspelling of the name of my longtime teaching colleague, friend, and now HSR President, Mrs. Phyllis Rodgers.

There goes my Christmas bonus.

Come see what else is new at the first meeting of the season on Thursday, October 10 at 7:00 pm, at Riverton School when Scandals, Rumors, and Dirty Rotten Lies will be the presentation.

As always, Readers, do let us know about errors or weigh in with your own reaction to any topic or image seen here.

Welcome back. – John McCormick

This slim Historical Society membership appeal hitched a ride in the property tax bill envelopes which should already have arrived in Riverton Borough mailboxes. Delays with the adoption of Burlington County’s budget caused the delay of many local property tax bills, including Riverton’s.

True, asking for residents to shell out another twenty bucks to join the Historical Society may be a hard sell when they have just been invoiced for a large sum over which they have little choice.

However, we sincerely hope that a dozen or so of the near one thousand households receiving bills will choose to endorse the work of the Society by becoming members of the only organization that strives to preserve and promote our local history through research, special events and public education programs.

Those of you seeing this from across the miles who find this site worthwhile may also consider this a solicitation for your membership.

The support of the Society by members with their dues determines the very nature of programs, events, and projects the Board may plan as it allocates resources for the upcoming season. Quite literally, Every Member Counts, not only for their financial stake, but the group benefits when individuals bring their unique skills, knowledge, and perspective to the organization.

The pages of Riverton history abound with intriguing authors, artists, inventors,  entrepreneurs, innovators, industrialists, abolitionists, and social and political activists who have influenced the outcomes of events here and elsewhere.

Please help us continue to serve this great community of local history fans with compelling content about new discoveries, be they found within these scant square-mile borders or across the nation.

For more information, email us at rivertonhistory@usa.com – John McCormick