Front Street

Front Street runs north and south through Camden, west of Second Street and parallel to the Delaware River. Its span begins at Erie Street in North Camden and continues southward as far as Atlantic Avenue. The two halves are commonly distinguished as North Front Street and South Front Street.

Originally Front Street ran continuously the length of the city. In the early 1970s, several redevelopment initiatives reshaped the corridor and broke its once-uninterrupted run. Along its blocks stood saloons and hotels such as Engel's at 952 North Front Street and the South Ferry Hotel at Kaighn Avenue, livery and boarding stables, churches including St. James Chapel at 915 North Front Street, and waterfront industry from the Victor Talking Machine Company at Cooper Street to the Campbell Soup plant near Market Street.

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Unit Block of North Front Street

The unit block of North Front Street in North Camden, near the foot of Market Street. It held livery and boarding stables at 39–41, Thomas McKenna's saloon at 33, and — at 22 — Mickle Hall, built in 1788. City directory records from the 1880s through 1929 are below.

39–41 North Front Street — Livery and Boarding Stables

John F. Brant Livery and Boarding Stable — Camden Daily Telegram, March 12, 1890.

John F. Brant Livery and Boarding Stable advertisement, 39–41 North Front Street, 1890
John F. Brant Livery and Boarding Stable — Camden Daily Telegram, March 12, 1890.
View transcription
LIVERY STABLES. FRANCIS McGOVERN, BOARDING AND Livery Stable, No. 319 Lawrence street, Camden. Carriages and coupes to hire for funerals, weddings, etc. Careful drivers furnished. Telephone 110. PALACE BOARDING STABLES, Broadway and Washington street. A strictly first-class stable with every convenience. JOHN Y. RADCLIFF, Prop. Telephone 304. J. H. WHITE, 211, 213, 215, Arch street. Livery, Boarding and Sale Stables. Particular attention given to boarding. Horses constantly on hand and for sale. JOSEPH FRANKLIN, Livery and Exchange Stables, 56, 58, 60 N. Second street. Telephone 45. JNO. BRANT, LIVERY & BOARDING Stable, 39 and 41 N. Front St. All styles of carriages for weddings, funerals, park driving will be furnished at lowest prices, day or night.

J. B. Franklin carriage and livery — Camden Daily Telegram, October 14, 1895.

J. B. Franklin carriage advertisement, 39–41 North Front Street, 1895
J. B. Franklin carriage and livery — Camden Daily Telegram, October 14, 1895.

Joshua B. Franklin Livery and Boarding Stables — 1906 Camden City Directory.

Joshua B. Franklin Livery and Boarding Stables advertisement, 1906 Camden City Directory
Joshua B. Franklin Livery and Boarding Stables — 1906 Camden City Directory.

29–33 North Front Street

Camden Iron & Metal Company (Abraham Wax, Morris Wax) — 1913 Camden City Directory.

Camden Iron & Metal Company advertisement, 29–33 North Front Street, 1913
Camden Iron & Metal Company (Abraham Wax, Morris Wax) — 1913 Camden City Directory.

22 North Front Street — Mickle Hall

Mickle Hall at 22 North Front Street, built in 1788.

Mickle Hall, 22 North Front Street, built 1788
Mickle Hall at 22 North Front Street, built in 1788.

39–41 North Front Street

39–41 North Front Street
yearname
1890–1892John F. Brant (Livery and Boarding Stables)
1888–1923Joshua B. Franklin (Livery and Boarding Stables)

22 North Front Street

22 North Front Street
yearname
1788Mickle Hall (built in 1788)

11 North Front Street

11 North Front Street
yearname
1929No information available

10 North Front Street

10 North Front Street
yearname
1915John Wigner

9 North Front Street

9 North Front Street
yearname
1929No information available

100 Block of North Front Street

The 100 block of North Front Street in North Camden, a block of carriage works, horse-blanket and asbestos manufacturers, and — at its south end from the 1900s into the 1990s — the Campbell Soup plant. City directory records from 1891 through the 1990s are below.

Intersection of North Front Street & Market Street

Camden Fire Department Ladder Company 1 fighting a fire at the then-vacant Campbell Soup plant, looking south from Market Street, 1992.

Camden Fire Department Ladder Company 1 at Campbell Soup plant fire, 1992
Camden Fire Department Ladder Company 1 fighting a fire at the then-vacant Campbell Soup plant, looking south from Market Street, 1992.

117–121 North Front Street

117–121 North Front Street as the New Jersey Asbestos Company, 1900–1906.

117–121 North Front Street, New Jersey Asbestos Company, 1900–1906
117–121 North Front Street as the New Jersey Asbestos Company, 1900–1906.

108 North Front Street — Eldridge R. Johnson

108 North Front Street, associated with Eldridge R. Johnson, founder of the Victor Talking Machine Company.

108 North Front Street — Eldridge R. Johnson
108 North Front Street, associated with Eldridge R. Johnson, founder of the Victor Talking Machine Company.

117–119–121 North Front Street

117–119–121 North Front Street
yearname
1890Northrop Manufacturing Company
1900–1906New Jersey Asbestos Company

111–113–115 North Front Street

111–113–115 North Front Street
yearname
1891Vacant
1893–1906Gausler & Starr Co. (Augustus C. Gausler, W.C. Starr, F.L. Starr; horse blanket manufacturers)

109 North Front Street

109 North Front Street
yearname
1891No information available

108–116 North Front Street

108–116 North Front Street
yearname
1891J.Z. Collings (carriage factory)

114 North Front Street

114 North Front Street
yearname
1907Camden Metal Works (Horace L. Brewer)

108 North Front Street

108 North Front Street
yearname
—Eldridge R. Johnson

107 North Front Street

107 North Front Street
yearname
1891No information available

106½ North Front Street (also 101–103–105 Market Street)

106½ North Front Street (also 101–103–105 Market Street)
yearname
1891West Jersey Press Building (plumber)
1891–1896Lim Sing (laundry)

105 North Front Street

105 North Front Street
yearname
1891No information available

103 North Front Street

103 North Front Street
yearname
1891No information available

100 Block of North Front Street

100 Block of North Front Street
yearname
1900s–1990sCampbell Soup

200 Block of North Front Street

The 200 block of North Front Street in North Camden. The Victor Talking Machine Company rose at the northwest corner of Front and Cooper Streets here. City directory records from 1890 through 1929 are below.

Intersection of North Front Street & Cooper Street

Victor Talking Machine Company, northwest corner of Front and Cooper Streets, April 24, 1904.

Victor Talking Machine Company, northwest corner of Front and Cooper Streets, April 24, 1904
Victor Talking Machine Company, northwest corner of Front and Cooper Streets, April 24, 1904.

The corner of Front and Cooper Streets at Christmas, 1938.

Corner of Front and Cooper Streets at Christmas, 1938
The corner of Front and Cooper Streets at Christmas, 1938.

219 North Front Street — Charles Bowers

Charles Bowers of 219 North Front Street — Philadelphia Inquirer, March 13, 1912 (referencing Clinton Street, Daniel Leach, Charles Worthington, David Bakley, Engine Company 6, and Cooper Hospital).

Newspaper reference to Charles Bowers of 219 North Front Street, Philadelphia Inquirer, March 13, 1912
Charles Bowers of 219 North Front Street — Philadelphia Inquirer, March 13, 1912 (referencing Clinton Street, Daniel Leach, Charles Worthington, David Bakley, Engine Company 6, and Cooper Hospital).

229 North Front Street

229 North Front Street
yearname
1910No information available

227 North Front Street

227 North Front Street
yearname
1890Mrs. Catherine Shannon & Family (widow of Thomas Shannon; James F. Shannon, saloon at 5-7 Market Street; John E. Shannon, Annie V. Shannon, Mary E. Shannon)

219 North Front Street

219 North Front Street
yearname
1912Charles Bowers

201 North Front Street

201 North Front Street
yearname
1929No information available

300 Block of North Front Street

The 300 block of North Front Street in North Camden. City directory records from 1890 through 1941 are below, with a 1925 streetscape and newspaper accounts of its residents.

Intersection of North Front Street & Penn Street

Looking south on Front Street from Penn Street, circa 1925.

Looking south on Front Street from Penn Street, circa 1925
Looking south on Front Street from Penn Street, circa 1925.

315 North Front Street

"Hospital Cases," July 26, 1941, listing Florence Fidler, 7, of 315 North Front Street.

Hospital Cases roundup, July 26, 1941
"Hospital Cases," July 26, 1941, listing Florence Fidler, 7, of 315 North Front Street.

335 North Front Street

335 North Front Street
yearname
1890Minor Rogers & Family
1895–1896Garrett C. Cowls

331 North Front Street

331 North Front Street
yearname
1890Thomas McIntire

325 North Front Street

325 North Front Street
yearname
1915William Boots

317 & 319 North Front Street

317 & 319 North Front Street
yearname
1915No information available

315 North Front Street

315 North Front Street
yearname
1911–1920Mrs. Mary Knobbe (furnished rooms at 311 and 315 North Front Street)
1941Florence Fidler

311 North Front Street

308 North Front Street

308 North Front Street
yearname
—No information available

400 Block of North Front Street

The 400 block of North Front Street in North Camden. City directory records from 1884 through 1968 are below, with newspaper items touching several of its residents.

426 North Front Street — Almer Barr's Cigar Store

"Camden political banner raisings and parades," Philadelphia Inquirer, October 6, 1884 — a Republican banner raising at Constable Almer Barr's cigar store, Front and Birch Streets.

Camden political banner raisings and parades, Philadelphia Inquirer, October 6, 1884
"Camden political banner raisings and parades," Philadelphia Inquirer, October 6, 1884 — a Republican banner raising at Constable Almer Barr's cigar store, Front and Birch Streets.

412 North Front Street — Joseph Logue & Isaac Berrios

Joseph Logue of 412 North Front Street, 1893–1894. Camden Daily Courier, January 6, 1905.

Joseph Logue, 412 North Front Street
Joseph Logue of 412 North Front Street, 1893–1894. Camden Daily Courier, January 6, 1905.

"Camden — Birth Notices," Camden Courier-Post, November 9, 1967, noting the birth of a son to Isaac Berrios of 412 Front Street.

Camden Birth Notices, Camden Courier-Post, November 9, 1967
"Camden — Birth Notices," Camden Courier-Post, November 9, 1967, noting the birth of a son to Isaac Berrios of 412 Front Street.
View transcription
CAMDEN Louis to Mr. and Mrs. Louis Aldi of 1024 Lois Avenue. Isaac to Mr. and Mrs. Isaac Berrios of 412 Front Street. Carlos to Mr. and Mrs. Carlos Caraballo of 409 2nd Street. Michael Thomas to Mr. and Mrs. David Clark of 2105 Berwick Street. Virginia Doreen to Mr. and Mrs. William Cooper of 318 Federal Street. Elsie Denise to Mr. and Mrs. Nathaniel Davis of 629 N. 8th Street. Deborah Dee to Mr. and Mrs. David Lavender of 128 Boyd Street. Clarice Lynn to Mr. and Mrs. John Little of 141 N. 34th Street.

426 North Front Street

423 North Front Street

423 North Front Street
yearname
—No information available

419 North Front Street

419 North Front Street
yearname
1898Frank Breininger

414 North Front Street

414 North Front Street
yearname
—No information available

412 North Front Street

412 North Front Street
yearname
1893–1894Joseph Logue
1967Isaac Berrios & Family

408 North Front Street

408 North Front Street
yearname
1888Mrs. Sarah Scroggy

406 North Front Street

406 North Front Street
yearname
—No information available

404 North Front Street

404 North Front Street
yearname
—No information available

402 North Front Street

402 North Front Street
yearname
—No information available

400 North Front Street

400 North Front Street
yearname
—No information available

500 Block of North Front Street

The 500 block of North Front Street in North Camden. City directory records from the 1870s through 1940 are below, along with photographs and a descendant's memory of the Breininger family at 519.

530 North Front Street

"Hospital Cases," Camden Courier-Post, February 3, 1956, listing Daniel Cook of 530 Front Street among the injured.

Hospital Cases roundup, Camden Courier-Post, February 3, 1956
"Hospital Cases," Camden Courier-Post, February 3, 1956, listing Daniel Cook of 530 Front Street among the injured.
View transcription
Hospital Cases COOPER: Clement DiGaetano, 39, of 216 Mt. Vernon st., cut left side of head. Anna Kropski, 68, 1737 S. 6th st., cut head. Rita Procacci, 40, of 1125 S. 3rd st., burns of right hand. George Finney, 41, of 214 Taylor ave., cut right side of chest. Willie Chestnut, 19, of 1210 S. 8th st., cut scalp. Betty Cohen, 15, of 428 State st., injured right hand. David Taylor, 47, of 743 Walnut st., injured left foot. WEST JERSEY: Marie Stone, 15, of 316 Kaighns ave., swallowed a coin. Charlott Schmitz, 16, of 520 Vine st., possible fractured shoulder. Suzanne Schulman, 5, of Maple ave., Haddon Heights, cut forehead. Daniel Cook, 27, of 530 Front st., bruise of hand.

526 North Front Street — Samuel E. Johnson

Samuel E. Johnson, a Camden policeman, of 526 North Front Street (resident 1907–1931).

Samuel E. Johnson, Camden policeman, 526 North Front Street
Samuel E. Johnson, a Camden policeman, of 526 North Front Street (resident 1907–1931).

519 North Front Street — The Breininger Family

My Great-grandmother Sophia Pfeiffer Goehringer Breininger was a busy woman, she had 13 children, six of whom were alive in 1910. They all lived in Camden, NJ. From the early 1900s into the 1910s they lived at 519 North Front Street, where my Grandmother Frances Breininger Wilson was born at home. By 1912 they moved to 120 Elm Street. After Sophia died son George lived there. Son Frederick Goehringer lived at 126 North 26th Street. Frederick was coal dealer and husker, he or Harry had a horse for husking, and rented or had barn on corner of Front Street. Anna Goehringer Travis Mannes and her husband Al lived at 109 North 26th Street.

—Jean Kuhn, April 21, 2012

517 North Front Street — John W. Bockius Saloon

John W. Bockius's saloon at 517 North Front Street, 1906.

John W. Bockius saloon, 517 North Front Street, 1906
John W. Bockius's saloon at 517 North Front Street, 1906.

506 North Front Street — Frank H. Bott

World War I draft registration card for Frank H. Bott, a Camden firefighter, of 506 North Front Street, 1917.

World War I draft registration card for Frank H. Bott, 506 North Front Street, 1917
World War I draft registration card for Frank H. Bott, a Camden firefighter, of 506 North Front Street, 1917.

544 North Front Street

544 North Front Street
yearname
1947No information available

542 North Front Street

542 North Front Street
yearname
1932John Rossi

532 North Front Street

532 North Front Street
yearname
1869–1872Frederick Himmelein Sr. & Family (Helena Himmelein, John, Lizzie, Frederick Jr.)

530 North Front Street

530 North Front Street
yearname
1929John T. Johnson & Family (John T. & Mildred Johnson)
1956Daniel Cook

528 North Front Street

528 North Front Street
yearname
1895–1897James Egbert & Family (Lizzie Scroggy Egbert, Rhoda Egbert; Mrs. Sarah Scroggy)
1935John H. Jones (Mary W. Kobus, George E. Brunner)

526 North Front Street

526 North Front Street
yearname
1907–1931Samuel E. Johnson & Family (policeman; Frederica Johnson)
1940No information available

525 North Front Street

525 North Front Street
yearname
1938Nora Williamson

524 North Front Street

524 North Front Street
yearname
1896George Block (saloon)

521 North Front Street

521 North Front Street
yearname
1906Samuel Gahan

519 North Front Street

519 North Front Street
yearname
1900s–1911Franz 'Frank' Breininger & Family (Sophie Goehringer Breininger, Anna, Mary, Harry, George Goehringer; Frances Breininger)

517 North Front Street

517 North Front Street
yearname
1906John W. Bockius (saloon)

514 North Front Street

514 North Front Street
yearname
1892Mrs. Augusta Kohlinberg (Patrick McNally, Jesse Pratt)
1899–1900Charles Bush & Family (Annie Bush)

508 North Front Street

508 North Front Street
yearname
1897John Galvin

506 North Front Street

506 North Front Street
yearname
1917–1918Frank H. Bott & Family (Camden Fire Department)

503 North Front Street

503 North Front Street
yearname
—No information available

501 North Front Street

501 North Front Street
yearname
1870s–1880sNo information available

600 Block of North Front Street

The 600 block of North Front Street in North Camden, anchored by the long-running saloons at 643 (Smith's, later Dowling's) and 601 (later the Cooper Tavern). City directory records from 1897 through 1971 are below.

643 North Front Street — John S. Smith's Saloon

John S. Smith's saloon, 643 North Front Street — 1897 directory advertisement.

John S. Smith saloon advertisement, 643 North Front Street, 1897
John S. Smith's saloon, 643 North Front Street — 1897 directory advertisement.

603 North Front Street

"Camden at a Glance," Philadelphia Inquirer, 1915, noting the marriage of Joseph McCloskey of Front and Elm Streets.

Camden at a Glance news roundup, Philadelphia Inquirer, 1915
"Camden at a Glance," Philadelphia Inquirer, 1915, noting the marriage of Joseph McCloskey of Front and Elm Streets.
View transcription
CAMDEN AT A GLANCE Special to The Inquirer. Knocked down by a motorcyclist, five-year-old John H Mercer, of 1143 Atlantic avenue, received a probable fracture of the skull and severe lacerations. He was taken to the Homeopathic Hospital. The motorcyclist's identity is not known by the police. Miss Ellen Thompson, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Harry Thompson, of 828 Federal street, and Joseph McCloskey, of Front and Elm streets, were married at the Church of the Immaculate Conception by Rev. George Welsh. With a capital of $15,000 the Sturdevant Corporation, whose object is to do a general insurance business, was incorporated yesterday. The incorporators are Frank Sturdevant, Mattie Sturdevant and Malcolm B. Webster. While sitting on the porch of her home, Mrs. Jane H Dukes, of 3803 Westfield avenue, was fatally stricken with heart disease. Coroner Bushey gave a certificate of death.

601 North Front Street — Cooper Tavern

601 North Front Street, a saloon from as early as 1896 and the Cooper Tavern by 1955. Camden Courier-Post, November 25, 1955.

601 North Front Street — Cooper Tavern, 1955
601 North Front Street, a saloon from as early as 1896 and the Cooper Tavern by 1955. Camden Courier-Post, November 25, 1955.

643 North Front Street

643 North Front Street
yearname
1897–1899John S. Smith & Family (saloon; Rebecca Price Smith, Fitzhugh Lee Smith)
1905–1944Dowling's (saloon; Joseph P. & Mary J. Dowling)
1949–1971Dowling's (saloon; Joseph P. Wilson & G.W. Michel)

641 North Front Street

641 North Front Street
yearname
1947No information available

636 North Front Street

636 North Front Street
yearname
1904Anthony Angelo & Family (Anthony & Edith Angelo; Joseph T. Angelo)
1940–1972Ralph Farace & Family (Giovanina Farace, Ralph, Rose, David, Michael)

633 North Front Street

633 North Front Street
yearname
1931Mrs. Rose Cinerelli, Teresa Cinerelli, Mary Cinerelli

631 North Front Street

631 North Front Street
yearname
1931Mrs. Anna Franceschino

630 North Front Street

630 North Front Street
yearname
1899L. Carter

623 North Front Street

623 North Front Street
yearname
1947Clarence Yapp & Family (Clarence & Mary Yapp)

619 North Front Street

619 North Front Street
yearname
1947No information available

618 North Front Street

618 North Front Street
yearname
1947No information available

615 North Front Street

615 North Front Street
yearname
1909Peter Wolverton

613 North Front Street

613 North Front Street
yearname
1917Phillipo Del Guerra (Margaret Del Guerra, Lino Battaloni, Philip Schmitz)

609 North Front Street

609 North Front Street
yearname
1912George Bretinstein

603 North Front Street

603 North Front Street
yearname
1917Joseph McClosky
1951Mrs. Alice Martz (Raymond J. Kuntz, Robert Blake)

601 North Front Street

601 North Front Street
yearname
1896Eliza Jones (saloon)
1904Thomas Tracy (saloon)
1918–1926Charles E. Snyder (saloon)
1927–1947Clara C. Snyder (saloon)
1954–1955Cooper Tavern (Raymond & Mary Welsh)
1955–1956Cooper Tavern (Pat Caridi, Walter Canzanese, Donald Palese)
1959Sally's Cafe
1964–1966Sam's Cafe
1967Casa Santiago (Francisco Santiago)

700 Block of North Front Street

The 700 block of North Front Street in North Camden. The 1947 city directory recorded the following.

732 North Front Street

732 North Front Street
yearname
1947Vacant

800 Block of North Front Street

The 800 block of North Front Street in North Camden. City directory records from the 1910s through 1947 are below.

822 North Front Street — John P. Gryckiewicz

John P. Gryckiewicz of 822 North Front Street. Camden Courier-Post, December 22, 1940.

John P. Gryckiewicz, 822 North Front Street
John P. Gryckiewicz of 822 North Front Street. Camden Courier-Post, December 22, 1940.
View transcription
TUG BLAST AVERTED BY ROOKIE FIREMAN The heroic efforts of one of Camden's newly appointed firemen prevented the explosion of a 50-gallon drum of gasoline stored on the tug Pacific, which caught fire yesterday in the docks of the American Dredging Company. Fire broke out in the hold of the boat from sparks of an acetylene torch used by workmen rebuilding the 65-foot boat, owned by the Graham Oil Transportation Company of Philadelphia. John Gryckiewicz, 22, of 810 North Front street, who was appointed to the fire department on Nov. 16 and completed his training Dec. 7, jumped on the boat and pulled a flaming rope from around the gasoline-filled drum. Gryckiewicz is stationed at Engine Company No. 2, Fifth and Arch streets. Four workmen were on the boat when the fire broke out. Fire Chief John H. Lennox estimated the damage at approximately $450.

822 North Front Street

822 North Front Street
yearname
1910s–1930sNo information available
1940John P. Gryckiewicz

808 North Front Street

808 North Front Street
yearname
1917Clayton Thomas Lofland & Family (Clara C. Hinderer Lofland, Elva, Miriam Ruth; William Elmer Lofland)

804 North Front Street

804 North Front Street
yearname
1947No information available

900 Block of North Front Street

The 900 block of North Front Street lay in North Camden near York Street and the Delaware River. The city directory records below span the 1890s through 2019, alongside photographs and newspaper accounts of the block's saloons, churches, and families.

Intersection of North Front Street & York Street

Looking northwest to the intersection of North Front Street and York Street, circa 1930s.

Intersection of North Front Street and York Street, circa 1930s
Looking northwest to the intersection of North Front Street and York Street, circa 1930s.

952 North Front Street

Eugene Widmann Sr., saloonkeeper at 952 North Front Street, 1909–1947. Camden Post-Telegram, October 1, 1909.

Eugene Widmann Sr., 952 North Front Street
Eugene Widmann Sr., saloonkeeper at 952 North Front Street, 1909–1947. Camden Post-Telegram, October 1, 1909.

Engel's bar ("The Blood Pit") at 952 North Front Street, circa 1949. James 'Gabby' Knox at far right.

Engel's bar at 952 North Front Street, circa 1949
Engel's bar ("The Blood Pit") at 952 North Front Street, circa 1949. James 'Gabby' Knox at far right.

944 North Front Street — Penn Jersey Welding Co.

Penn Jersey Welding Co., Inc. (Joseph J. Fitzpatrick) — 1955 New Jersey Bell Yellow Pages.

Penn Jersey Welding Co. ad, 944 North Front Street, 1955
Penn Jersey Welding Co., Inc. (Joseph J. Fitzpatrick) — 1955 New Jersey Bell Yellow Pages.

Penn Jersey Welding Co., Inc. — additional 1955 Yellow Pages advertisement.

Penn Jersey Welding Co. additional 1955 ad
Penn Jersey Welding Co., Inc. — additional 1955 Yellow Pages advertisement.

Penn Jersey Welding Co., Inc. matchbook, circa 1955.

Penn Jersey Welding Co. matchbook
Penn Jersey Welding Co., Inc. matchbook, circa 1955.

915 North Front Street

915 North Front Street as La Hermosa Iglesia Pentecostal, 1999–2019.

915 North Front Street as La Hermosa Iglesia Pentecostal, 1999–2019
915 North Front Street as La Hermosa Iglesia Pentecostal, 1999–2019.

909 North Front Street

Michael J. Hallahan Jr. of 909 North Front Street (resident 1909–1965).

Michael J. Hallahan Jr., 909 North Front Street
Michael J. Hallahan Jr. of 909 North Front Street (resident 1909–1965).

Private William F. Farrell, World War I, nephew of Michael J. Hallahan Jr. of 909 North Front Street.

Private William F. Farrell, World War I
Private William F. Farrell, World War I, nephew of Michael J. Hallahan Jr. of 909 North Front Street.

Thomas W. Bowers and family at 909 North Front Street, 1940s–1947.

Thomas W. Bowers and family, 909 North Front Street, 1940s
Thomas W. Bowers and family at 909 North Front Street, 1940s–1947.

907 North Front Street — William J. 'Shooey' Bonner

William J. 'Shooey' Bonner of 907 North Front Street, 1924–1931.

William J. 'Shooey' Bonner, 907 North Front Street
William J. 'Shooey' Bonner of 907 North Front Street, 1924–1931.

952 North Front Street

952 North Front Street
yearname
1894–1906Albert Ebener & Family (hotel & saloon)
1906–1909Christian Gienger & Family (saloon)
1909–1947Eugene Widmann Sr. & Family (saloon)
1949George Engel ('Engel's' / 'The Blood Pit')
1950sErie Cafe
1950sFrontier Playhouse

950 North Front Street

950 North Front Street
yearname
1906No information available

944 North Front Street

944 North Front Street
yearname
1955Penn Jersey Welding Co., Inc. (Joseph J. Fitzpatrick)
1955New Jersey Bell Telephone (Yellow Pages ads)

929 North Front Street

929 North Front Street
yearname
1907John Humes
1898, 1917–1918William Weber & Family (Louise, Mary L., Edna, Richard)

927 North Front Street

927 North Front Street
yearname
1900–1912, 1916William Weber & Family (Louise, Mary L., Edna, Richard)

925 North Front Street

925 North Front Street
yearname
1906No information available

924 North Front Street

924 North Front Street
yearname
1906No information available

923 North Front Street

923 North Front Street
yearname
1913William Weber & Family (Louise, Mary L., Edna, Richard)

922 North Front Street

922 North Front Street
yearname
1920–1938William Weber & Family (Louise, Mary L., Edna, Richard; died January 11, 1931)
1948John Bryson & Family (John & Colette)
1967–1980Thomas J. Winston Jr. & Family (Dorothy Johnson Winston and children)

921 North Front Street

921 North Front Street
yearname
1906No information available

920 North Front Street

920 North Front Street
yearname
1906No information available

919 North Front Street

919 North Front Street
yearname
1906No information available
1914William Weber & Family

918 North Front Street

918 North Front Street
yearname
1906No information available

917 North Front Street

917 North Front Street
yearname
1947Vacant

916 North Front Street

916 North Front Street
yearname
1906No information available
1931William J. 'Shooey' Bonner & Family (Mary L. Weber Bonner, William Jr., James, Catherine, Elsie)
1968James McDevitt & Family (Edith McDevitt)

914 North Front Street

914 North Front Street
yearname
1906No information available

915 North Front Street

915 North Front Street
yearname
1891–1915St. James Chapel (Arthur Truscott, William Severns)
1917–1961Gospel Hall
1963Mt. Zion Pentecostal Church
1968–1970Atkins Temple Church of Love
1972–1999Morning Star Pentecostal Church of the Apostolic Faith
1999–2019La Hermosa Iglesia Pentecostal

911 North Front Street

911 North Front Street
yearname
1906No information available

909 North Front Street

909 North Front Street
yearname
1909–1965Michael J. Hallahan Jr. & Family (Sarah T. Hallahan, Mary Hallahan; nephew William F. Farrell)
—Peter Pellegrino & Family (Mary Hallahan, Sarah J. Pellegrino, Michael J. Hallahan)
1940s–1947Thomas W. Bowers & Family (Sarah Pellegrino Bowers)

907 North Front Street

905 North Front Street

905 North Front Street
yearname
1906No information available
1963Vacant, badly damaged by fire

903 North Front Street

903 North Front Street
yearname
1884Charles Stellman
1947No information available

901 North Front Street

901 North Front Street
yearname
1947No information available

800 Block of South Front Street

The 800 block of South Front Street in Camden. The 1929 city directory recorded the following.

810 South Front Street

810 South Front Street
yearname
1929Potter Express Company

1000 Block of South Front Street

The 1000 block of South Front Street in Camden. City directory records from 1895 through 1947 are below.

1058 South Front Street

1058 South Front Street
yearname
1926Dominick Grada
1947No information available

1060 South Front Street

1060 South Front Street
yearname
1926William Smith
1947No listing in directory

1062 South Front Street

1062 South Front Street
yearname
1926Joseph Miller
1947No listing in directory

1064 South Front Street

1064 South Front Street
yearname
1926Roma Shaw, Robert Pollard
1947No listing in directory

1066 South Front Street

1066 South Front Street
yearname
1926No listing in directory

1068 South Front Street

1068 South Front Street
yearname
1895Mrs. Anetta Timerline
1926Samuel Brown

1100 Block of South Front Street

The 1100 block of South Front Street in Camden, near Kaighn Avenue and the river. It held Kroecker's Cafe at 1122, the American Art Glass Company at 1134, and the Wilson coal and ice works at 1135. City directory records from 1884 through 1964 are below.

Intersection of South Front Street & Chestnut Street

The 1100 block of South Front Street, 1906.

1100 block of South Front Street, 1906
The 1100 block of South Front Street, 1906.

1120 South Front Street (aka 1118 Front Street)

1120 South Front Street (aka 1118 Front Street)
yearname
1900–1903Michael Delaney & Family
1926Mrs. Ada Clark, Harry Angstadt
1960Frederick Kroecker & Family (Mary Smalls Kroecker)

1120½ South Front Street

1120½ South Front Street
yearname
1906No information available

1122 South Front Street

1122 South Front Street
yearname
1897–1959Kroecker's Cafe (saloon; George P. Kroecker & Family)

1122½ South Front Street

1122½ South Front Street
yearname
1906No information available
1926William Toland

1130 South Front Street

1130 South Front Street
yearname
1926Mrs. Linda W. Knight
1947No information available

1132 & 1134 South Front Street

1132 & 1134 South Front Street
yearname
1926William A. Ross
1951–1964Mamie Buggs (Betty Sanders, Charles Wing, James Johnson)

1134 South Front Street

1135 South Front Street (also 1131–1135 South Front Street)

1135 South Front Street (also 1131–1135 South Front Street)
yearname
1884Wilson Coal & Ice Company (Henry B. Wilson Sr., George E. Wilson Sr.)
1906Justice Coal Company (Howard T. Justice)

1138 South Front Street

1138 South Front Street
yearname
1926Patrick J. Smith (horse shoer)

1140 South Front Street

1140 South Front Street
yearname
1926Mrs. Ida Pickering
1947No information available

1157 South Front Street

1157 South Front Street
yearname
1926Kalman Steel Company
1926Delaware River Discharging (stevedores)

1159 South Front Street

1159 South Front Street
yearname
1926Mrs. Fannie Branhirst
1929No information available

1161 South Front Street

1161 South Front Street
yearname
1884Mrs. Ella Anderson
1926Bernard Schuman
1929No information available

1164 South Front Street

1164 South Front Street
yearname
1929No information available

1200 Block of South Front Street

The 1200 block of South Front Street in Camden, at the foot of Kaighn Avenue. Its corner was long the site of the South Ferry Hotel. City directory records from 1883 through 1947 are below.

Intersection of South Front Street & Kaighn Avenue — South Ferry Hotel

Southeast corner of Front Street and Kaighn Avenue — the South Ferry Hotel (aka Joseph Kaighn House), 1800s–1899.

South Ferry Hotel at Front Street and Kaighn Avenue
Southeast corner of Front Street and Kaighn Avenue — the South Ferry Hotel (aka Joseph Kaighn House), 1800s–1899.

1885 Sanborn fire insurance map showing the South Ferry Hotel at Front Street and Kaighn Avenue.

1885 Sanborn map showing the South Ferry Hotel at Front Street and Kaighn Avenue
1885 Sanborn fire insurance map showing the South Ferry Hotel at Front Street and Kaighn Avenue.

Built prior to the Revolutionary War, during the British occupation of Philadelphia one of their cannon balls pierced the brick wall of the chimney, and rolled out on the hearth of the open fireplace. As a relic connecting Camden's history with the events of the Revolution it was exhibited at the great Sanitary Fair, held in Logan Square in Philadelphia, in 1864, which realized over $1,000,000 in aid of the sick and wounded Union soldiers of the Civil War.

The South Ferry Hotel, located at the southeast corner of Kaighn Avenue and Front Street, has been known to the citizens of Camden as a hotel, and its gardens as a place of resort, for more than a century (1886). Originally it was a farmhouse built by one of the Kaighn family; the exact date when it was converted into a hotel is unknown, but the names of the landlords are familiar to the old residents, and include Adon Wills, Ebenzer Toole, Captain George Bender, Hewlings Haines, Aaron Hillman, William Bryant, John Kinsell, Daniel W. Beckley, Abraham Smith, Sothron Norcross, ex-Sheriff Leeds, Daniel Wells, William Sands, Theodore Krug, and the present proprietor, John Korn.

When first opened as a hotel it was close by the river-bank, and the ferry-boats, when started, had their slip across the street. The hotel is now nearly two squares away from the Kaighn's Point Ferry, the intervening ground having been filled in and built up to within a short distance of the ferry slip. It, however, still retains the name of South Ferry Hotel. A century ago it was a famous place of resort in the summer days for citizens of Philadelphia.

—History of Camden County, New Jersey, George Reeser Prowell, 1886

Around 1900 the South Ferry Hotel was razed to accommodate an expansion of the railroad yard at South Front Street and Kaighn Avenue.

1202 South 2nd Street (aka 102 Kaighn Avenue)

1202 South 2nd Street (aka 102 Kaighn Avenue)
yearname
1883–1884South Ferry Hotel (saloon & beer garden; Theodore Krug, proprietor)
1885–1889South Ferry Hotel (John Korn, proprietor)
1890–1899South Ferry Hotel (William Brosch, proprietor)
c. 1900Razed (railroad yard expansion)

1236 South Front Street

1236 South Front Street
yearname
1926No listing in directory

1238 South Front Street

1238 South Front Street
yearname
1926James Love
1947No information available

1240 South Front Street

1240 South Front Street
yearname
1926Mrs. Annie Parker
1947No information available

1246 South Front Street

1246 South Front Street
yearname
1926Vacant
1947No information available

Tag: front-street

1885 insurance map of the 300 block of Taylor Avenue between South 3rd and South 4th streets, with Bridge Avenue below.

Taylor Avenue

Taylor Avenue, once called Taylor's Avenue, ran from South Front Street to Hudson Street just south of Federal Street. Laid out by 1850, it was cleared from about 1970 for the Camden County Jail and Hall of Justice.

Green street sign reading HOWARD ST. mounted on the corner of a red-painted building above a porch column.

Howard Street

Howard Street ran for two blocks in North Camden, from State Street north to Erie Street, parallel to North Front and North 2nd Streets. It was already laid out and built up by 1887.

William Harring Jr., Robert Troutman and Charles Lawyer

Charles H. Lawyer

Charles H. Lawyer (1924–1994) served with the Camden Fire Department from 1948 to 1974. Appointed on March 2, 1948 to Engine Company 9 in East Camden, he was promoted to Captain on April 1, 1956 and spent most of his career with Engine Company 6 at Front and Linden Streets. He grew up on North 35th Street in Cramer Hill and later lived at 1032 North 22nd Street.

Black-and-white portrait of John P. Gryckiewicz in a Camden Fire Department uniform cap, tie and badge

John P. Gryckiewicz

John Paul Gryckiewicz (1918–2006) served 40 years with the Camden Fire Department, rising to captain of Engine Company 6, and was decorated for heroism in multiple rescues. A World War II Navy veteran, he served as a chief machinist mate aboard the Camden-built USS South Dakota.

Edwin S. Wirtz, Camden Courier-Post, February 5, 1952

Edwin S. Wirtz

Edwin Stanley Wirtz (1914–1975), son of Camden policeman Stanley R. Wirtz and grandson of Camden fireman James McDade, was appointed to the Camden Fire Department in October 1943 and served 22 years, retiring in October 1965 as an inspector in the Fire Marshal's office.

Edward A. Preisendanz

Edward Adam Preisendanz was the son of Rudolph and Annie Preisendanz and was born in Camden, New Jersey, on November 14, 1883.

View of Camden Waterfront in 1850

Old Ferries - Annals of Camden NJ

Annals of Camden No 3 - Old Ferries - Camden NJ Download In this age of inventions, improvements and ever-changing modes of transportation, the ferry boat is still an important factor in carrying the traveller across that "goodly and noble" river which forms the boundary between the two Quaker Colonies of New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

1891 Sanborn fire insurance map of Camden, NJ, Sheet 32, covering the Delaware River shore and blocks from Front to Locust Street.

Spring Street

Spring Street in South Camden dates to at least 1850 and was mapped by 1891 running north-south from Clinton Street, between Second and Front Streets; its planned extension south to Walnut Street was obstructed.

James McDade

James McDade

James McDade was born in Pennsylvania in September 1860 and had moved to Camden by 1884. His wife, Emma Ferkler, was seven years older than him.

Row of brick houses along a street with parked cars, utility poles and a bridge span in the distance.

Point Street

Point Street in North Camden was laid out in 1804 as Cooper's Point Road, giving access along the riverbank to sawmills, planing mills and shipyards; its current name comes from that road.

Erie Street

Erie Street in North Camden runs from Beach Avenue to 9th Street, crossing Delaware Avenue, Point, Front, Segal, and the numbered streets 2nd through 9th.

1906 Sanborn Fire Insurance Map showing Boyer Street and Nelson Court, Camden, NJ

Boyer Street

Boyer Street, also known as Boyer Court, was a half-block dead-end street running east from Nelson Street in South Camden. Eight brick homes on the north side were built in the early 1890s and demolished after World War II for industrial development.

1906 Sanborn Map showing Clay Street between South 2nd Street and Front Street

Clay Street

Clay Street, in Camden's 5th Ward, ran west from the 900 block of South 2nd Street to South Front Street. It was a short residential street tied to the industrial growth of the 1890s, extinguished by the City of Camden in October 1974.

Penn Street Looking East from 4th Street - 1910

Penn Street

Penn Street runs east from the Delaware River to North 12th Street in Camden. First listed in the 1867 city directory, it lost blocks to the expansion of Rutgers University and the building of Route 676.

Cox Street area — 1885 Sanborn Fire Insurance Map

Cox Street

Cox Street ran west from 1119 South 2nd Street for about half a block to a dead end, roughly opposite Sycamore Street; it first appeared in City Directories in 1890 and was renamed Sycamore Street around 1922, then erased after World War II as part of a redevelopment plan.

Camden Grocers Exchange - Atlantic Avenue and Ferry Avenue

Atlantic Avenue

Atlantic Avenue lies three blocks south of Kaighn Avenue and runs from Front Street east to Haddon Avenue. East of 7th Street it was and remains a mix of homes and commercial properties; between 7th and 9th Streets, I-676 and the elevated rail line cross the street, and east of 9th Street it is primarily residential.

Looking East Down York Street - 2004-06-06

York Street

York Street in North Camden stretches from Delaware Avenue to 10th Street, crossing Beach, Point, Front and Howard Streets. The page includes 2004 photographs looking east and west along the street.

804 Cooper Street - Baird Family Home - 1893

Old Cooper Street

Reprinted from the series of stories of Camden's earlier days, under the title Sixty Years in Camden County - Gosh! by Will Paul, appearing in The Community news, of Merchantville, NJ.

England Place - Sanborn Map - 1906

England Place

England Place, also known as England's Place, was a short dead-end street running half a block from 408 North Front Street in Camden. Homes first appeared in 1878; the street was demolished by 1980 and the land became a city park.

Edward N Cohn

Edward N. Cohn

Edward N. Cohn was born in 1832. On the 1870 U.S. Census, he reported his birthplace as Bohemia, while in the 1880 Census he listed it as Germany. It is likely he was born in a region that is now part of the Czech Republic.

Howard Carrow

Howard Carrow

Howard Carrow was born on September 30, 1860, in Camden, Kent County, Delaware, to Edward and Margaret Carrow. His ancestors, of Scotch-Irish and English descent, were primarily farmers who had lived in Maryland and Delaware for several generations.

Cooper-Street-Postcard-East-of-4th-St

Cooper Street

One of Camden's oldest and most storied streets, named after the Cooper family. Covers the full length from the waterfront to the 2000 block, including the Victor Talking Machine Company, Esterbrook Pen Company, Johnson Park, the Hotel Plaza, the Walt Whitman Hotel, the Elks Lodge, and East Camden's other Cooper Street.

Sepia postcard photo of a damaged brick building and debris on a street, labeled "Camden Cyclone."

2nd Street

2nd Street extends north-south between Front Street and 3rd Street, running parallel to the Delaware River until Mechanic Street. In the early 1970s, several buildings were cleared on the east side of North 2nd Street below Mickle Street to make way for the Royal Court townhomes and Mickle Tower senior citizens apartment building.

Market Street looking east, c. 1893: a wide street lined with brick buildings and tall utility poles, with horse-drawn wagons.

Market Street

Market Street in Camden was likely named because it linked via the ferry to Market Street in Philadelphia, which it follows on the map; no known market existed on it. Includes a circa 1893 photo looking east from N. 2nd Street.

Eugene Alston

Eugene F. Alston

EUGENE F. ALSTON was born October 16, 1919 in Camden to Richard Alston and his wife, the former Dolly Robinson. His father had been born in 1891 in Henderson, North Carolina.

Amanda Alloway

Amanda Alloway, who was born in New Jersey in November 1843, had a notable life deeply intertwined with the historical tapestry of Camden, New Jersey.

William E. Albert

William E. Albert

WILLIAM E. ALBERT was born in New Jersey around 1870. He was the son of Ernest and Hannah Albert. Ernest Albert had emigrated to America from Wurttemburg in what is now Germany.

Federal Street and Arch Street, Camden, NJ. Circa 1930

Arch Street

Arch Street ran from Delaware Avenue to North 5th Street between Federal and Market Streets in downtown Camden. Formerly known as Plum Street, it was home to Oetzel's Saloon, the Genova Cafe, the Collings Carriage Company, and the Camden Fire Department headquarters at 5th and Arch.

Newspaper clipping: Friends will honor veteran firefighter

Friends Will Honor Veteran Firefighter

On the eve of his March 1980 retirement dinner, Camden fire captain John P. Gryckiewicz looked back on 40 years with the department — the rescues, the Garden State Race Track fire, 84-hour weeks and $60 paychecks, and a city he still loved.

Ralph Farace death notice, Camden Courier-Post, April 19, 1972

Ralph Farace

Death notice for Ralph Farace, 65, of 636 North Front Street, Camden, who died April 18, 1972, with the funeral from the Falco Funeral Home in Pennsauken, a Mass of Resurrection at Holy Name Church and burial in Calvary Cemetery, Cherry Hill.

Thomas J. Winston Jr. death notice, Camden Courier-Post, October 5, 1970

Thomas J. Winston Jr.

Death notice for Thomas J. Winston Jr., 51, of 922 North Front Street, who died October 1, 1970; husband of Dorothy (nee Johnson) and father of ten children, with funeral services announced at the Mayo Funeral Home and interment at Sunset Memorial Park.

Newspaper clipping: Widow Routed by Blaze

Widow Routed by Blaze

Mrs. Edith McDevitt, a widow living at 916 Front Street, was routed from her home when fire broke out in her upstairs bedroom for the second time within six hours; two firemen were overcome by smoke.

Camden Birth Notices, Camden Courier-Post, November 9, 1967

Camden — Birth Notices

Camden birth notices from the Camden Courier-Post, November 9, 1967, listing eight births, including Deborah Dee to Mr. and Mrs. David Lavender of 128 Boyd Street.

Firemen climb ladder at Ray's Tavern fire, 5th and Mickle Streets

4 Trapped in Blaze Saved by Firemen

A rash of overnight fires in Camden during a February 1967 snowstorm destroyed Ray's Tavern at 5th and Mickle Streets and damaged four buildings; police and firemen rescued four elderly residents, and Acting Battalion Chief Arthur Batten's crew answered the second call for aid after fighting two North Camden blazes.

Newspaper clipping: MS Victim — Fireman Rescues Woman

MS Victim: Fireman Rescues Woman

Fire Capt. John Gryckiewicz of Engine Company 6 carried Mrs. Emily Burns, a 40-year-old multiple sclerosis patient, from her burning second-floor apartment at 602 North 2nd Street in February 1965, after two civilian rescue attempts failed.

Arsonists burn church at 915 North Front Street, Camden Courier-Post, August 17, 1963

Arsonists Burn Church, 2 Houses In North Camden

Fires attributed to arsonists badly damaged the Mount Zion Pentecostal Church at 915 North Front Street and vacant houses at 1133 Lawrence Street and 905 North Front Street; Fire Inspector John Gaffney said the fires were "definitely set."

Notice of Application for liquor license, Dowling's Inc., Camden Courier-Post, June 5, 1963

Dowling's Inc. Liquor License Notice

A June 5, 1963 Camden Courier-Post notice that Dowling's Inc. applied for a plenary retail consumption liquor license for 643 North Front Street, naming its officers and only stockholders: Joseph P. Wilson, H. Dolores Wilson and G. W. Michel.

Stove Fire Routs 4 on So. Front St., Camden Courier-Post, April 4, 1962

Stove Fire Routs 4 on So. Front St.

A kerosene-stove explosion routed four people and badly damaged 1134 South Front Street, home of Mamie Buggs; a fireman was injured.

Flames Wreck House On S. Front St., Camden Courier-Post, May 14, 1960

Flames Wreck House on S. Front St.

Fire practically destroyed a three-story frame house at 1134 South Front Street on a Friday night; District Chief Edward Michalek said an unidentified person apparently ignited two paper-loaded carts standing against the house. Sole occupant James Miles, 61, got out safely.

Mrs. Mary Kroecker obituary, Camden Courier-Post, March 7, 1960

Mrs. Mary Kroecker

Obituary for Mrs. Mary Kroecker of 1120 South Front Street, wife of Fred Kroecker, who died at West Jersey Hospital.

Hospital Cases roundup, Camden Courier-Post, February 3, 1956

Hospital Cases

Cooper and West Jersey hospital cases reported in the Camden Courier-Post of February 3, 1956, including Rita Procacci of 1125 South 3rd Street, treated for burns of the right hand.

Dominick Persiani Rites Arranged for Saturday - 1953-05-21

Dominick Persiani Rites Arranged for Saturday

Camden Courier-Post - May 21, 1953 High Mass for Dominick J. Persiani , 35, will be sung Saturday at 9 a.m. in the Sacred Heart R. C. Church . Relatives in the funeral home of Joseph A. Falco, 1020 S. 4th st. , where friends may call Friday night.

Newspaper clipping "Three Men Held Without Bail in Tavern Holdup," Camden Courier-Post, Jan. 12, 1953.

Three Men Held Without Bail in Tavern Holdup

Three men arrested in Atlantic City in the $2000 holdup of Lynch's Cafe at 3rd and Erie Streets were held without bail by Judge Dzick; the getaway car had been recovered on 7th Street between Liberty Street and Kaighn Avenue.

Man Hangs Self in North Camden, Camden Courier-Post, September 5, 1951

Man Hangs Self in North Camden

Raymond J. Kuntz, 35, a Standard Tank and Seat Co. worker who lived at 78 Vine Street, was found hanging in the cellar of his home by Mrs. Alice Martz of 603 North Front Street and his mother; Coroner Robert Blake listed his death as suicide.

Camden Fire Alarms noting a fire at 1132 South Front Street, Camden Courier-Post, March 26, 1951

Fire at 1132 South Front Street

A Camden fire-alarm list recording two alarms for a fire that damaged the interior, exterior, and contents of 1132 South Front Street.

Fireman Injured As Flames Rout 10, Philadelphia Inquirer, March 25, 1951

Fireman Injured As Flames Rout 10

A fireman was hurt and ten people driven from 1132 and 1134 South Front Street when fire broke out at the home of Mamie Buggs.

Red Traffic Light - Stock Photo

Boy Sees Accident, Asks Traffic Light

Camden Courier-Post - July 8, 1950 By Wilbur Morse Jr. Petitions for highway safety measures or improvements usually come from adult individuals or organizations.

Camden Courier-Post article on Lucy Dean Wilson, retired Camden High School teacher, April 7, 1950

Camden's Own 'Miss Chips'

Lucy Dean Wilson, who taught music, public speaking and dramatics at Camden High school for 37 years beginning in 1896, recalls her career as former pupils plan a testimonial dinner for her at the Walt Whitman hotel on April 22.

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