Historic Camden, NJ

A great Union meeting was held in the Court House in April of 1861. John W. Mickle, for whom Mickle Street and Boulevard was named, presided and resolutions were adopted calling on the Board of Freeholders and City Council to appropriate money for the equipment of persons who might volunteer in defense of the country. The first official tender of a company of uniformed and drilled militia was that of the Camden Zouaves made to the Governor on April 18,m 1861. The Stockton Cadets, Captain Edward G. Jackson and the Zouaves, Captain John R. Cunningham, were also mustered into the service, the cadets becoming a part of Company A and the Zouaves a part of Company G, Fourth Regiment.

In 1852 a plot of ground at Second and Cherry Streets was purchased for $3200 and upon it was erected the first gas works in Camden.

Morgan’s Hall, also known as Morgan Hall, was built by the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. The cornerstone of Morgan’s Hall, or as it was originally called, Odd Fellows Hall, at the southeast corner of Fourth and Market Streets, was laid on October 5, 1848.

The First Presbyterian Church effected a permanent organization on June 25, 1846. The West Jersey Presbytery had organized the church on September 27, 1840, but owing to a lack of funds to build a church edifice the project was temporarily abandoned in December of 1841.

A paper mill with a capacity of 45 tons of paper a month was erected on Cooper’s creek, north of Federal Street and extending from the creek to Twelfth Street, then known as Paper Mill Road.

John K. Cowperthwaite, the first Mayor of Camden, was chosen under the Act of March 9, 1844.

The first election in New Jersey of Members of Congress by Congressional Districts, instead of at large, was held in 1843. The First District comprised Cape May, Cumberland, Salem, Gloucester, and Atlantic Counties. Camden County had not yet been created, and was still a part of Gloucester County.

The first night boat between Camden and Philadelphia was put on July 4, 1842, by the Camden and Philadelphia Ferry Company, the last boat leaving Camden at 9:00 PM and Philadelphia at 9:30 PM.

On March 12, 1841 the Camden Mutual Fire Insurance Company was chartered. It continued as a mutual association until July 1, 1870, when it was converted into a stock company, although it was not until 1881 that the word “Mutual” was dropped from the name and the name Camden Fire Insurance Association was adopted. The original office building was erected at the southwest corner of Fifth and Federal Streets in 1858. Prior to that time the Director’s meetings had been held until 1853 at Parson’s Hotel; at the Federal Street Ferry.

The Camden and Woodbury Railroad & Transportation Company, from Camden to Woodbury, was opened to the public January 29, 1838. The first schedule showed trains leaving Woodbury at 7:30 AM, 1:30 PM, and 4:00 PM, and from Camden at 8:30 AM, 2:30 PM, and 5:00 PM. To accommodate a number of stage proprietors, an additional trip was later made, leaving Woodbury at 10:00 AM and arriving at Camden at 11:30 AM with stops at Gloucester Point and at Kaighn’s Point Roads. The rate of fare from Camden to Woodbury was twenty-five cents and from Camden to Westville fifteen cents. The road after numerous “ups and downs” was finally abandoned about 1850.

City Council authorized the construction of a market house on Market Street at the intersection of Third Street on March 13, 1837. This market house containing 8 stalls was erected at a cost of $250, and was ready for use December 28, 1837. It was continued in use until 1871 when it was torn down.

The Camden Cemetery, known in modern times as Old Camden Cemetery, adjoining the Newton Friends’ burying grounds, through an action of a town meeting of the Township of Camden, was founded on March 10, 1836. The control was vested in trustees appointed by the township meeting. A plot of ground containing 2.94 acres was purchased from Isaac Cooper for $590.