Blaine Street

October 12, 2023 · Updated October 18, 2026 · 3 min read · Streets

Blaine Street originally ran from 424 South 7th Street to Trenton Avenue, and through to Haddon, ending at 429 Haddon Avenue, with houses on the north side between South 7th and Trenton. The south side of Blaine Street has the rear of homes fronting on New Street, which runs parallel from South 7th Street to Trenton Avenue. In recent times the exit onto Haddon Avenue has been blocked off, and no houses stand anymore on Blaine Street. Blaine Street is bisected between South 7th and Trenton by an alley known as Edmunds Street.

Blaine Street first appeared in Camden's city directories in the 1888–1889 edition. The street was named for James Gillespie Blaine, who served twice as Secretary of State and was the 1884 Republican candidate for President of the United States, losing to Grover Cleveland. Although Cleveland was from New Jersey, Camden was very much a Republican town, this being the era when General William Joyce Sewell dominated local politics. The James G. Blaine School, which was located on the southeast corner of North 23rd Street at Wayne Avenue, facing North 23rd Street, in the Pavonia–Cramer Hill section of Camden, in what was then Stockton Township, was also named in his honor.

Photos

Blue street signs for South 7th Street and Blaine Street mounted on a pole against a bare-branched winter sky — South 7th Street & Blaine Street

1946 map of Camden showing Auburn Street — 1946 map of Camden (archive label: 1946 Map of Camden — Blaine Street bisects Trenton Avenue, which runs diagonally northwest to southeast, west of Haddon Avenue)

Narrow paved lane beside a black iron fence and a weedy lot, with brick and stucco houses ahead on Blaine Street, Camden. — Looking East on Blaine Street, Camden, NJ - December 27th, 2005

Blaine Street and 7th Street - 2005-12-27 — Intersection of South 7th Street and Blaine Street, Camden, NJ. December 27, 2005.

J. Edgar “Eggie” Lennox — 705 Blaine Street

Halftone newspaper portrait of J. Edgar 'Eggie' Lennox, a man in a baseball cap with a monogram on the front and a pinstriped jersey — J. Edgar “Eggie” Lennox — 705 Blaine Street, 1898–1906

700 Block of Blaine Street

705 Blaine Street

705 Blaine Street — 700 Block of Blaine Street
year	name
1898–1906	James Lennox & Family — James & Katherine Lennox; John H. Lennox; J. Edgar 'Eggie' Lennox; William Lennox; Edward Lennox; Maggie Lennox; Samuel Lennox; Harry Lennox; Hugh Lennox; Mary Lennox; Robert Lennox
1933	Albert Karge
1947	Franklin D. Dowling

707 Blaine Street

707 Blaine Street — 700 Block of Blaine Street
year	name
1947	Theodore Gizelbach

709 Blaine Street

709 Blaine Street — 700 Block of Blaine Street
year	name
1947	Howard Buffington

711 Blaine Street

711 Blaine Street — 700 Block of Blaine Street
year	name
1947	William W. Hunsinger Jr.

713 Blaine Street

713 Blaine Street — 700 Block of Blaine Street
year	name
1930–1931	John A. McAffery & Family — John & Elizabeth McCaffery
1947–1948	Ray L. Thomer
1948	Fire — Fire Fighter Elwood Menzies died in line of duty, January 12, 1948

715 Blaine Street

715 Blaine Street — 700 Block of Blaine Street
year	name
1947	Unknown

717 Blaine Street

717 Blaine Street — 700 Block of Blaine Street
year	name
1899–1906	William J. Maguire & Family — William J. & Adarine Maguire; William C. Maguire
1947	Russell L. Grasmick

719 Blaine Street

719 Blaine Street — 700 Block of Blaine Street
year	name
1947	William Pfeffer

721 Blaine Street

721 Blaine Street — 700 Block of Blaine Street
year	name
1947	Frank J. Worrell

713 Blaine Street — 1948 Fire

Shield-shaped embroidered patch with a gold border, showing a skyline with a bridge tower above red lettering reading Fire Department, Camden, New Jersey. — Fire Department, Camden, New Jersey - Patch

On January 12, 1948, Fire Fighter Elwood Menzies of Engine Company 8 died in the line of duty during a working fire at 713 Blaine Street, South Camden. Fireman Menzies was connecting a hose line to the apparatus when he collapsed in the street. He was 51 years of age and had more than 25 years of service.

Blaine Street Memories

My Grandfather was Raymond L. Thomer who lived at 713 Blaine Street, Camden City. He told me about the fire. My Father and Grandmother were walking home and saw the fire trucks go by them with no idea that the fire was at their house. My Grandfather was home alone and had to drop out of the second floor window. They lost everything they had in the fire.

My grandmother’s first cousin John O’Neil was also a firefighter at that fire. I was told he was injured when a window broke out and cut his arm.

Donna Mendelero — February 2010

Seward Street

Seward Street is one of Camden's "forgotten streets," though it still exists on the map. The page includes the 1905 Sanborn Map showing it near Blaine Street, Trenton Avenue and Haddon Avenue.

October 11, 2023

Haddon Avenue

Haddon Avenue is one of Camden's oldest roads, dating to at least 1792 as a bridle path and incorporated as the Haddonfield & Camden Turnpike in 1839. It runs southeast from Federal Street to the city limits toward Collingswood, Haddon Township, and Haddonfield.

January 28, 2023

Girl, 15, Accuses Youth

Albert Karge, 20, of 705 Blaine Street was arrested by Patrolman Frank Wilmot charged with a statutory offense against a 15-year-old South Camden girl. Camden Courier-Post, June 14, 1933.

June 14, 1933