I just reviewed the Bergen Avenue site again. Ok, so my parents bought 1021 Bergen from the Kennedy family in 1953. My parents lived in the white house, one house from Engles Lot. There was a red house that is gone between my parents house and that lot. My dad passed away in 1982 and my mom eventually sold the property in 1988. My mom and dad were Tom and Helen Campbell.
The William Deals lived in Camden across from my parents until the late 1980s as well.
I also remember there being a suitcase factory on the corner of Bergen Avenue and River road next to Swartz’s Furniture Store (across Bergen). It burned down in the early 1950’s. There was also Al’s Barber Shop a few doors up from the furniture store on River Road, and there was Harry’s sub shop next to the barber shop. Howard Unruh actually shot a child sitting on the horse in the barber Shop. Then there was the drug store on the corner of 32nd Street and River Road. The pharmacist was such a grouch!! There was a small grocery store across 32nd Street that was owned by a Jewish family. It later became a laundromat. Frank and Tom’s was the larger grocery store across River Road. They had the best lunch meat!!! The small sub shop in between Frank and Tom’s and the Bar… and there was Lucy’s Hair Salon and next to that the dry cleaner all on the side of River Road as Al’s Barber Shop. We had so much in such a small area!
As kids we used to wait on the corner on Friday night to catch the bus to the skating rink in Fairview! That was the highlight of our lives back then! And of course when we were older we could walk to the Arlo in East Camden! No wonder we all were so skinny! We walked everywhere! We actually walked to Wilson from Cramer Hill over the railroad tracks behind Campbell Soup! Sometimes, under the trains… it’s a wonder we are still alive!
Then there was Carmellos’ on the corner of Beideman and River Road. This woman hated kids! She had the best choice of soda and ice cream, but the kids tormented her! There was also Dead Man’s hill on 33rd Street. Do you know why it was called that? I’ve never found the answer to that one.
Oh, the Bar on River Road across from Lucy’s and Swartz’s was Engles. Frankie Engle used to throw pears at everyone and no one would do anything about him because his dad owned the bar and everyone was afraid of him. Funny now that I think about it.
Joe Arensberg lived on the 1000 block of 32nd Street. He is much older than my husband. He raised his family there until moving to Maple Shade. John Long and family lived directly behind my parents. There address would have been 1024 32nd Street. The Marini’s lived directly behind the grocery store on River Road and 32nd Street in the 1000 block. The Huhn’s lived on the 1000 block of 33rd Street [1032 north 33rd street] directly across from my parents home.
My parents lived in the white house, 1021 Bergen, one house from Engles Lot. There was a red house that is gone between my parents house and that lot. Going up Bergen toward the river, the next house on the same side [1017 Bergen Avenue] was were Ellen Marren lived, then there was a driveway that circles around behind the row houses on the same side of the street. Paul Delfing later lived in that apartment [at 1017 Bergen Avenue]. He was also a fireman. Then the row houses started and William Hummel lived in the second house of the red brick row houses.
You’re really jogging this old memory. I just gave my husband a big lecture on writing to you with all of the info that he has stored. He could really fill in some of the blanks as he was very involved with the Boy’s Club and knew most of the kids on the hill. I wasn’t that aware of most of what went on since my parents were strict and my sister and I were never allowed out of the house!
Other friends — Rennes Allenbach (former Camden Chief of Police Bob Allebach’s younger sister. We are still best friends); Ginger(Virginia) Dowhy, cousin to the Dowhy firemen clan, Ray Chintal who lived on River Road near 22nd Street, next to Ginger; Becky Sooy Murtaugh who is married to John, Ed Murtaugh‘s brother; Tara Angelastro Sooy, the sister of Becky Murtaugh; and Marianne Shinn Charlton, who lived on the 800 block of 32nd Street. Her mom was the crossing guard for the Harry C. Sharp School. Also Bruce Bauer, who had an Aunt, Mrs. Lewes, who taught 5th grade at Sharp School.
Dolores Arensberg Campbell
August, 2009
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