A Memory of East Camden

A recollection of East Camden by Angelo Forte, who lived at 2312 Howell Street from December 1943 to July 1946.

I lived in East Camden from December of '43 to July of '46. It was only a short time but these two plus years were the happiest of my life. I was 15 then and after living on a small street in South Philadelphia then moving to a house with a lawn, driveway and a garage was heaven.My two older sisters didn't care much for it because they had social ties in Philadelphia but I quickly made new friends in the neighborhood. The address was 2312 Howell Street across the street from the Pavonia railroad yard. I can still remember my mother hanging out laundry only to have to take it down and re-wash it when the switch engine across the street would blow its stack sending a cloud of black smoke and ash over the whole neighborhood.