The year was 1927 and the future had hardly ever looked brighter for the City of Camden. Times were prosperous, business and industry were booming, and the city was full of recently constructed public buildings, civic improvements, schools, the new Delaware River bridge and its new highway to the suburbs. The stock market crash of 1929 and the Depression that followed were in the unimagined future.
It was in these times that Camden prepare for its 100th anniversary, and in this spirit of optimism that the city fathers under the direction of Mayor Winfield S. Price commissioned the booklet whose text you will find below.
Read more about the first 100 years of Camden and more articles from the Centennial Mirror
Centennial Mirror of the City of Camden, NJ
Published in the interest of a growing city, nineteen twenty-eight.
THE City Commissioners of Camden extend their Greetings to all citizens of the City, State and Nation who may visualize the Camden of Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow, through this volume which is dedicated to the Cause of Civic Progress.
Commissioners
INTRODUCTION
A Citizen of Camden, N.J., was in conversation recently at Washington, D.C. with a man who is a national figure in business and politics.
Of course the conversation turned on Camden.
“You have one of the finest cities in the country from the standpoint of opportunity,” said the national figure.
“I know it,” responded the Camden citizen, and then he continued, “You are a man who meets with the leaders of the nation. You are prominent throughout the country. Do you ever tell anybody who is not from Camden, that Camden is a city of real opportunity?”
“Well, of course you understand,” replied Mr. National Figure, “It would hardly do for me to preach Camden’s virtues to the people of my home city. What I say to you is in the nature of a confidence from a resident of one city to a resident of another, but you know· how I feel toward Camden when I speak of the opportunities for growth among growing cities.”
That’s the story.
If Camden doesn’t tell the rest of the country about Camden, the other fellow isn’t going to.
Camden this year completed its first hundred years as an incorporated city. A fitting and conservative celebration was conducted by the city. Thousands of Camdenites learned more about their city.
But celebrations soon cake their place on the shelf with the records of things past. Something permanent should remain. Thus this Centennial Mirror devoted chiefly to telling the things about Camden that the other fellow wouldn’t tell for us.
ALBERT A. HAUGH
Read More from the Centennial Mirror
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Camden Kiwanis Club Alert
The Camden Kiwanis Club is a Civic organization with activities centering about certain objectives, some of which are the underprivileged children, the promotion of an intelligent citizenship, the practice of the Golden Rule in business, the fostering of better relations between the employer and the employee, and between the farmer and the city resident. The…
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Meeting the Good Roads Demand Created by Automobiles
South Jersey is noted for its Smoothly Paved Highways and Paving Firm has Supplied Fine Example of Cooperation Automobiles brought about the modern highways of today and no section of the country has responded to the demand for good roads more completely than has South Jersey. The long level stretches of smooth surface roads have…
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A Brief History of the City of Camden
Incorporated in 1828, the progress and possibilities of Camden have far exceeded the expectations of the Founders and Incorporators. The year 1928 witnessed the celebration of the one hundredth anniversary of the incorporation of Camden as a city. But, the early history of the community dates back to 1631. Camden ante-dates her big neighbor across…
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Grow With Us
By Mayor Winfield S. Price, Director of Public Affairs A CITY grows only as it is made to grow. Camden this year marked the centennial anniversary of its incorporation as a city. One hundred years ago our population was 1143. Today our population is approximately 140,000. Ten years from now the population of Camden should…
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Economy In Keeping With Progressive Growth
By Commissioner T. Yorke Smith, Director of Revenue and Finance A municipal financial structure must be guided with diligence and efficiency, and guarded against extravagance and unreasonable expenditure. These are the principles practiced in the administration of the Department of Revenue and Finance for the citizens of Camden. Individual and corporate interests have an assurance…
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That Sense of Security
By Commissioner David S. Rhone, Director Of Public Safety In one of his first public statements after taking office, President Coolidge gave utterance to the following “A city may be judged by its citizens.” Judged from the standpoint of acts of commission, Camden points to its accomplishments in business, civic and home life to justify…
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