Real Estate Safeguard to Purchasers Board Proves Property Here


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


The Camden County Real Estate Board is an organization composed or Realtors operating in and around Camden County.

Organized March 8, 1916, it was incorporated May 10, 1916, with eight charter members. Its growth has been rapid and continuing until today it numbers 100 active members, 3 junior members and 70 associates.

In its short existence, the Board has many accomplishments to its credit. In 1917, it was instrumental in organizing the New Jersey State Association of Real Estate Boards, which has played a great part in procuring beneficial legislation.

In April, 1918, the Board endorsed and incorporated as a part of its By-Laws, the Code of Ethics of the National Association. This Code has lifted the plan of the business to that or a profession and differentiates between a Realtor and a Real Estate Operator.

The Camden Real Estate Board was particularly active in procuring the passage of a Real Estate License Law, with its amendment requiring compulsory examination, thus eliminating the irresponsible brokers and compelling individuals desiring to engage in the business to at least befit themselves with the main requirements.

It has adopted many features which permit of the rendition of real service to the community, chief among which are the Multiple Listing and Appraisal Divisions.

In March, 1923, the first “Own Y our Home” Exposition was held in Camden and was a huge success. It was followed in 1924, by a second Exposition which enjoyed even a greater success than the first. It brought home forcibly the benefits of aiming a home and played no small part in the rapid expansion of ensuing years.

The Educational Committee, in the spring of 1924, conducted two successful courses of night study in conjunction with the Y. M. C. A. and have since followed with a series of lecture courses of instructive interest.

An annual practice is to give a Christmas Party to a group of poor children. In the past few years, newsboys, children from the Camden Home, the Detention Home and others, have been entertained and presented with gifts.

In the past year, the Board has been unusually active in civic and municipal affairs, taking a leading part in the campaign for the Constitutional Amendment on Zoning; being the only Service Club to actively back the referendum on”Port Development”; conducting an effective drive for the repeal of the Mercantile Tax and giving careful study to reduction in taxation and economy in Government.

This year a campaign to improve our business districts is already well under way. Various surveys are to be undertaken to furnish the facts necessary in an analysis of the determining factors for the future growth of Camden.

The Board numbers among its membership many men actively engaged in civic and municipal affairs such as Joseph H. Forsyth, New Jersey State Senator; T. Yorke Smith, Commissioner of Revenue and Finance; Frank G. Hitchner, Former City Commissioner; Leon E. Todd, President New Jersey Association of Real Estate Boards; Carl R. Evered, Vice-President Chamber or Commerce; George N. Wimer, Mayor of Palmyra, and Horace B. Beideman, Camden, Superintendent of Transportation.

Camden Real Estate Board officers are: G. Carr Jessup, President; Arthur N. Cutler, Vice-President; Philip Zinman, Secretary; Louis B. Humphreys, Jr., Treasurer; Wilbert H. Mick, Governor, State Association.