Camden, New Jersey

Camden History

Historical archives documenting the people, streets, and stories of Camden, New Jersey.

Welcome to Camden History, unsurprisingly about Camden, New Jersey, a city steeped in history and brimming with stories that have left an indelible mark on the tapestry of America's past. Situated on the banks of the Delaware River, Camden has a rich and complex history that spans centuries. From its indigenous Lenape inhabitants to the bustling industrial hub of the 19th and 20th centuries, and from its pivotal role in the Underground Railroad to its contributions to the birth of the recording industry, Camden has played a significant part in shaping the nation's narrative.

Camden's origins can be traced back to the early 17th century when European settlers first arrived in the region. Over time, it evolved from a quaint village into a thriving industrial center, earning it the nickname "The City Invincible" in the late 19th century. The city's industries, including shipbuilding, manufacturing, and commerce, contributed to its growth and prosperity.

But Camden's history is not just one of industry and commerce; it's also a story of resilience, community, and cultural diversity. Throughout its past, the city has been home to waves of immigrants, each adding their unique traditions and flavors to the city's vibrant cultural mosaic.

Join us on a journey through time as we explore the people, places, and events that have shaped Camden's captivating history. From the waterfront to the neighborhoods, from famous figures to everyday citizens, we invite you to discover the hidden gems and untold tales that make Camden a city worth exploring and celebrating.

Remnants of Camden's history are all around you if you know where to look!

Gold Badge for Police Captain newspaper clipping
News Articles

Gold Badge for Police Captain

Police Captain Edward Hyde was presented with a gold badge of his office by the men of Camden's Second District; Captain Arthur Stanley made the presentation speech.

·1 min read
Camden News Notes including William Kniesle injury, Philadelphia Inquirer, June 18, 1908
News Articles

Camden News Notes — William Kniesle

Brief items from Camden: the Excise Board transferred two liquor licenses; suspicious men were chased from the Pavonia car yards; William Kniesle of 322 North Thirty-sixth Street broke his wrist while working on his naphtha launch.

·1 min read
Camden Cops Raided Barn Full of Cats newspaper clipping, page 1
News Articles

Camden Cops Raided Barn Full of Cats

Captain Stanley investigated the disappearance of pet cats near Ninth and Sycamore Streets and opened an unoccupied barn, from which at least a hundred half-starved felines bounded out — the work of neighbourhood boys who believed the barn was haunted.

·2 min read
Electric-Train-Hit-Automobile-Philadelphia-Inquirer-1908-05-02
News Articles

Met Death When Electric Train Hit Automobile

Samuel Bailey, Well Known Camden Business Man, Killed Wife in Sanatorium, She is Likely To Die Chauffeur Badly Injured, But He Will Recover—Collision Occured [sic] at Grade Crossing Special to The Inquirer MAYS LANDING, N.J., May 1—Faintly calling, "Where is my husband?

·3 min read
Nothing to Hold Suspected Boys
News Articles

Nothing to Hold Suspected Boys

Three boys arrested on suspicion of robbing the home of Esther Mills at 1220 South Fourth Street were discharged from custody when no evidence was produced against them.

·1 min read
Exciting Scenes Feature Big Fire, Philadelphia Inquirer, February 18, 1908
News Articles

Exciting Scenes Feature Big Fire

A mixing-tank explosion touched off a disastrous fire that swept the N.Z. Graves Paint and Varnish Company plant on Twelfth Street, Camden, between Linden and Federal streets — destroying more than half a million dollars in property, injuring three, and driving families from their homes. (Philadelphia Inquirer, February 18, 1908.)

·7 min read
Camden Now Eighty Years Old - 1908-02-02
News Articles

Camden, Now Eighty Years Old, Is Proud of Its Wonderful Growth

City on Saint Valentine's Day, Will Observe the Anniversary of Its Incorporation—Some Facts and Figures Concerning "Slow Town" Across the River Eighty years will have passed on Friday, February 14, since Camden became an incorporated city, and just now the citizens are looking back over those years and recalling with a pardonable pride the epochs that have made it a community of homes, of splendid industries and of clean, progressive government.

·10 min read
charlesthumes-010108-inq-1.jpg
News Articles

Camden Increases Its Police Force

Mayor Ellis adds twenty-five officers to the Camden police force and orders several promotions, elevating Edward Hyde and A. Lincoln James from sergeants to captains.

·1 min read
One of the New Schools Opened - Camden Daily Courier, November 26, 1907
News Articles

One of the New Schools Opened

The Camden Daily Courier reports the opening of the James M. Cassady School, with Health Physician Davis explaining the closing of the Dudley School during a diphtheria outbreak. (Transcription incomplete.)

·2 min read
John Humes injured in a runaway, Philadelphia Inquirer, November 17, 1907
News Articles

John Humes Hurt in Runaway

John Humes, a driver for J. R. Carson, a grocer of Third and Birch streets, was thrown beneath his wagon and had his shoulder broken in a runaway that aroused Camden's business section.

·1 min read
Philadelphia Inquirer, September 26, 1907 — Blackened the Faces of Bride and Groom, 584 Auburn Street
News Articles

Blackened the Faces of Bride and Groom

Members of the Alpha Club hazed two fellow members who married, including Charles M. Alcott Jr. of 584 Auburn Street. The club blackened the faces of the newlyweds on their return from their wedding tours.

·1 min read