Flood on Kaighn Avenue — August 11, 1958

By Camden NJ History

August 11, 1958 · Updated October 12, 2026 · 5 min read · Historical Accounts

On August 11, 1958, a major flood inundated Kaighn Avenue. Bob Bartosz documented the flooding with an extensive series of photographs from South 8th Street to Mt. Ephraim Avenue.

South 9th Street & Kaighn Avenue, August 11, 1958 — 1002 Kaighn: Lange's Studio; 942: Kasimir Folajewski's Tavern; 938: Kosciusko Hall. Photo by Bob Bartosz.

Flooded intersection of South 9th Street and Kaighn Avenue with a Lange's Studio sign — South 9th Street & Kaighn Avenue, August 11, 1958 — 1002 Kaighn: Lange's Studio; 942: Kasimir Folajewski's Tavern; 938: Kosciusko Hall. Photo by Bob Bartosz.

1026 to 1006 Kaighn Avenue, August 11, 1958. Photo by Bob Bartosz.

Flooded block of Kaighn Avenue with a delivery truck in the water — 1026 to 1006 Kaighn Avenue, August 11, 1958. Photo by Bob Bartosz.

Mt. Ephraim & Kaighn Avenue, August 11, 1958 — 1056–1116 Kaighn Avenue: Camden Plumbing Supply (1056), Cane's Tavern (1058), Butler Drug Store (1100). Photo by Bob Bartosz.

Flooded intersection of Mt. Ephraim and Kaighn Avenues with Cane's Tavern sign — Mt. Ephraim & Kaighn Avenue, August 11, 1958 — 1056–1116 Kaighn Avenue: Camden Plumbing Supply (1056), Cane's Tavern (1058), Butler Drug Store (1100). Photo by Bob Bartosz.

801 to 829 Kaighn Avenue, August 11, 1958. Photo by Bob Bartosz.

Floodwater covering Kaighn Avenue with cars and people on the sidewalk — 801 to 829 Kaighn Avenue, August 11, 1958. Photo by Bob Bartosz.

836 to 816 Kaighn Avenue, August 11, 1958. Photo by Bob Bartosz.

Kaighn Avenue after the water has gone down, with a bus and cars with raised hoods — 836 to 816 Kaighn Avenue, August 11, 1958. Photo by Bob Bartosz.

836 to 816 Kaighn Avenue, August 11, 1958. Photo by Bob Bartosz.

Second view of the muddy drained street with stalled cars — 836 to 816 Kaighn Avenue, August 11, 1958. Photo by Bob Bartosz.

South 9th Street & Kaighn Avenue, August 11, 1958 — 901, 903, 905 Kaighn Avenue. Photo by Bob Bartosz.

Flooded corner at South 9th Street with a man standing in the water — South 9th Street & Kaighn Avenue, August 11, 1958 — 901, 903, 905 Kaighn Avenue. Photo by Bob Bartosz.

938 Kaighn Avenue, August 11, 1958 — Kosciusko Hall. Photo by Bob Bartosz.

Flooded Kaighn Avenue in 1958 with a car submerged to its windows — 938 Kaighn Avenue, August 11, 1958 — Kosciusko Hall. Photo by Bob Bartosz.

1002–1008 Kaighn Avenue, August 11, 1958. Photo by Bob Bartosz.

A white Chevrolet sedan in floodwater below a Lange's Studio sign — 1002–1008 Kaighn Avenue, August 11, 1958. Photo by Bob Bartosz.

1002–1008 Kaighn Avenue, August 11, 1958. Photo by Bob Bartosz.

Second, square view of the flooded sedan — 1002–1008 Kaighn Avenue, August 11, 1958. Photo by Bob Bartosz.

Looking east toward intersection of South 10th Street & Kaighn Avenue, August 11, 1958. Photo by Bob Bartosz.

Kaighn Avenue flooded curb to curb with two cars and people wading — Looking east toward intersection of South 10th Street & Kaighn Avenue, August 11, 1958. Photo by Bob Bartosz.

Looking east toward intersection of South 10th Street & Kaighn Avenue, August 11, 1958. Photo by Bob Bartosz.

Square view of the flooded avenue with two cars and wading people — Looking east toward intersection of South 10th Street & Kaighn Avenue, August 11, 1958. Photo by Bob Bartosz.

1001 to 1047 Kaighn Avenue, August 11, 1958. Photo by Bob Bartosz.

Row of flooded brick storefronts and a street lamp — 1001 to 1047 Kaighn Avenue, August 11, 1958. Photo by Bob Bartosz.

1008 to 1100 Kaighn Avenue looking east from South 10th Street & Kaighn Avenue, August 11, 1958. Photo by Bob Bartosz.

Flooded Kaighn Avenue lined with storefronts and a Fountain sign — 1008 to 1100 Kaighn Avenue looking east from South 10th Street & Kaighn Avenue, August 11, 1958. Photo by Bob Bartosz.

South side of Kaighn Avenue west of 1024 Kaighn Avenue, August 11, 1958 — 1024: The Lunch Bar; 1002: Lange's Studio. Photo by Bob Bartosz.

Parked cars at the curb of a flooded block, with a lunch bar — South side of Kaighn Avenue west of 1024 Kaighn Avenue, August 11, 1958 — 1024: The Lunch Bar; 1002: Lange's Studio. Photo by Bob Bartosz.

South side of Kaighn Avenue west of 1024, as seen from 1039 Kaighn Avenue (Diamond Paint & Wallpaper Co.), August 11, 1958 — 1024: The Lunch Bar; 1002: Lange's Studio. Photo by Bob Bartosz.

A boy wades through knee-deep water past a parked Chrysler — South side of Kaighn Avenue west of 1024, as seen from 1039 Kaighn Avenue (Diamond Paint & Wallpaper Co.), August 11, 1958 — 1024: The Lunch Bar; 1002: Lange's Studio. Photo by Bob Bartosz.

Looking east on Kaighn Avenue from Mt. Ephraim Avenue, August 11, 1958. Photo by Bob Bartosz.

Wet-paved Kaighn Avenue with a produce truck, parked cars and an elevated railway bridge — Looking east on Kaighn Avenue from Mt. Ephraim Avenue, August 11, 1958. Photo by Bob Bartosz.

Looking east on Kaighn Avenue from Mt. Ephraim Avenue, August 11, 1958. Photo by Bob Bartosz.

Square view of the wet street with a loaded produce truck — Looking east on Kaighn Avenue from Mt. Ephraim Avenue, August 11, 1958. Photo by Bob Bartosz.

9th & Kaighn, August 11, 1958. Photo by Bob Bartosz.

A boy wades beside a stalled sedan in front of a brick church — 9th & Kaighn, August 11, 1958. Photo by Bob Bartosz.

North side of Kaighn Avenue west of 1045 Kaighn Avenue, August 11, 1958 — 1045: Live Poultry Market; 1053: Davis & Phillips Exterminators; 1007–1013: Polish Baking Company. Photo by Bob Bartosz.

Tree-lined block with parked cars and a live poultry market sign — North side of Kaighn Avenue west of 1045 Kaighn Avenue, August 11, 1958 — 1045: Live Poultry Market; 1053: Davis & Phillips Exterminators; 1007–1013: Polish Baking Company. Photo by Bob Bartosz.

South side of Kaighn Avenue west of 1058 Kaighn Avenue, August 11, 1958 — 1058: Cane's Tavern; 1056: Camden Plumbing Supply; 1028: Quality Meat Market; 1002: Lange's Studio; 938 Kaighn (last building at left). Photo by Bob Bartosz.

Flooded block with a Cane's Tavern sign and two men on the sidewalk — South side of Kaighn Avenue west of 1058 Kaighn Avenue, August 11, 1958 — 1058: Cane's Tavern; 1056: Camden Plumbing Supply; 1028: Quality Meat Market; 1002: Lange's Studio; 938 Kaighn (last building at left). Photo by Bob Bartosz.

Looking west on Kaighn Avenue from the NE corner of South 10th Street & Kaighn Avenue, August 11, 1958. Photo by Bob Bartosz.

Two cars submerged to their windows beneath a Tenth Street sign — Looking west on Kaighn Avenue from the NE corner of South 10th Street & Kaighn Avenue, August 11, 1958. Photo by Bob Bartosz.

Looking west on Kaighn Avenue from the NE corner of South 10th Street & Kaighn Avenue, August 11, 1958. Photo by Bob Bartosz.

Two cars flooded beside a pole with a Tenth St. sign — Looking west on Kaighn Avenue from the NE corner of South 10th Street & Kaighn Avenue, August 11, 1958. Photo by Bob Bartosz.

Looking east on Kaighn Avenue from the NE corner of South 8th Street & Kaighn Avenue, August 11, 1958. Photo by Bob Bartosz.

Wet Kaighn Avenue with a line of cars and billboards for Cities Service and Wonder Bread — Looking east on Kaighn Avenue from the NE corner of South 8th Street & Kaighn Avenue, August 11, 1958. Photo by Bob Bartosz.

Looking east on Kaighn Avenue from the NE corner of South 8th Street & Kaighn Avenue, August 11, 1958. Photo by Bob Bartosz.

Wider view of the wet Kaighn Avenue with a convoy of cars and the Naden Store sign — Looking east on Kaighn Avenue from the NE corner of South 8th Street & Kaighn Avenue, August 11, 1958. Photo by Bob Bartosz.

Looking at the SW corner of South 9th Street & Kaighn Avenue from the Railroad Bridge, August 11, 1958. Photo by Bob Bartosz.

Many cars flooded at a gas station corner with Atlantic and Imperial signs — Looking at the SW corner of South 9th Street & Kaighn Avenue from the Railroad Bridge, August 11, 1958. Photo by Bob Bartosz.

Looking at the SW corner of South 9th Street & Kaighn Avenue from the Railroad Bridge, August 11, 1958. Photo by Bob Bartosz.

Square view of flooded cars around a corner gas station — Looking at the SW corner of South 9th Street & Kaighn Avenue from the Railroad Bridge, August 11, 1958. Photo by Bob Bartosz.

Looking north on Mt. Ephraim Avenue from the intersection of Mt. Ephraim & Kaighn Avenues towards Sycamore Street, August 11, 1958 — Left: Grossman's Furniture, 1135 Mt. Ephraim Avenue; Right: Little Ritz Cafe, 1122 Mt. Ephraim Avenue. Photo by Bob Bartosz.

Street with parked cars under utility wires, Cities Service billboard in the distance — Looking north on Mt. Ephraim Avenue from the intersection of Mt. Ephraim & Kaighn Avenues towards Sycamore Street, August 11, 1958 — Left: Grossman's Furniture, 1135 Mt. Ephraim Avenue; Right: Little Ritz Cafe, 1122 Mt. Ephraim Avenue. Photo by Bob Bartosz.

Looking west on Kaighn Avenue from Mt. Ephraim Avenue, August 11, 1958. Photo by Bob Bartosz.

Deep floodwater on Kaighn Avenue beneath a Cane's Tavern sign — Looking west on Kaighn Avenue from Mt. Ephraim Avenue, August 11, 1958. Photo by Bob Bartosz.

Looking west on Kaighn Avenue from Mt. Ephraim Avenue, August 11, 1958. Photo by Bob Bartosz.

Square view down flooded Kaighn Avenue with Cane's Tavern at left — Looking west on Kaighn Avenue from Mt. Ephraim Avenue, August 11, 1958. Photo by Bob Bartosz.

Looking toward the SW corner of South 10th Street & Kaighn Avenue from the Railroad Bridge, August 11, 1958. Photo by Bob Bartosz.

A man in an undershirt stands in knee-deep water beside a submerged car — Looking toward the SW corner of South 10th Street & Kaighn Avenue from the Railroad Bridge, August 11, 1958. Photo by Bob Bartosz.

Comments