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CAMDEN, NEW JERSEY CRAMER HILL |
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CAMDEN, NEW JERSEY CRAMER HILL |
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Another work in progress page, this one is a result of popular demand, one might say. This page will include articles and pictures about the past and present of Cramer Hill. As with most everything
else on this web-site, it's a work in progress, and I welcome your
participation- |
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| CRAMER
HILL
& EAST CAMDEN Map published in 1914 Click on Image to Enlarge |
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| CRAMER
HILL
& EAST CAMDEN Map published in 2002 Click on Image to Enlarge |
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Alfred 1885 |
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Cramer Hill derives its name from Alfred Cramer, who in the late 19th century purchased large tracts of farmland, for the most part between Federal Street and the Delaware River in what was then Stockton Township, subdivided the land into building lots, and sold them on an installment basis to people of average means. This was a new innovation in real estate sales at the time, and proved a great success. Referred to as Cramer's Hill at one time, the term Cramer Hill originally referred to the elevation north and west of 27th & Federal Street. Over the years the definition changed, and the term Cramer Hill came to refer to the area that lays northeast of State Street and northwest of the railroad and railroad switching yard that runs parallel to River Avenue. This switching yard is known as the Pavonia Yard. the term Pavonia referred in Alfred Cramer's time to the area northwest of Federal Street between State and North 27th Street. The old Pavonia railroad station was located at North 27th Street, and Camden's old City Water Works Reservoir was located in the Pavonia prior to October 3, 1902 when its walls fell. Many thousands of dollars of damage was done to property in the trail of escaping water. Over time the term Pavonia fell into disuse, and by 1980 only the Pavonia House bar, the Pavonia-Hower Coal Company, and the railroad yards still carried the name. By 1990 both the bar and coal company were gone. The railroad yard also expanded greatly in its width forming a division within Cramer's original landholdings, and the words Cramer Hill arrived at its present meaning. The main road that runs through Cramer Hill, and where most commercial activity has always taken place is River Avenue, which runs the length of the area between the Delaware and the railroad all the way to the city limits and on all the way up to Burlington NJ. The area is bisected by North 27th Street, and the intersection of North 27th Street and River Avenue is arguably the "heart" of Cramer Hill, with two of the three public schools, the former movie theater, and many of the churches and in earlier times social clubs located centered around the intersection. Along the Delaware River their was commercial activity, as the Noecker, Rickenbach and Ake Shipyard was located at the foot of 27th Street, and many other businesses and factories of different sizes located along the rail line and on River Avenue. A huge plant that made plumbing fixtures was for years just over the city limits along River Avenue in Pennsauken, and a bridge connected Cramer Hill with the oil refinery on Petty's Island. A creek called Baldwin's Run also bisected the area, running parallel to 27th Street north of 30th Street. Over time the creek became what was described in the 1930s as "a mosquito filled swamp" and "a health menace". Frederick von Nieda, who was Camden's mayor in the mid-1930s campaigned for almost forty years to have the swamp eliminated. Money for the project was finally appropriated after World War II, and Baldwin's Run was cleaned up, the project being completed shortly before Mr. von Nieda's death in February of 1950. The newly created park was named Von Nieda Park in March of 1950 by the Camden County Park Commission. When Alfred Cramer was originally developing the area along River Avenue, a great many people of German origin purchased lots there, and the area for many years saw a large segment of its populace be of German descent. However, like every other area of Camden, the area was at no time ethnically exclusive. The area was one of the last to integrate housing wise, this due in part to the fact that the population of minority citizens in Camden was far less prior to 1950 than it is today and to the fact that many of the families who established roots in Cramer Hill tended to remain in the area. Separated from downtown Camden by the Cooper River, Cramer Hill did not experience the racial unrest that destroyed downtown Camden in the 1960s and 1970s. The area did suffer economically, however, as the rest of Camden did, when industrial jobs began to leave the city after World War II. In time, the demographics of Cramer Hill did change. The population is fairly representative of Camden's ethnic makeup today, although there is a far stronger Hispanic presence there than perhaps on other parts of the city. While the last German-American social club closed its doors in the early 1990s, there remain a few businesses in the area whose roots go back 80 years or more, among them the Lingo Inc. flagpole business, the Crescent Bottling Company, and the L. Schimpf Inc. auto repair shop. In late 2003 a massive redevelopment plan was proposed for Cramer Hill. The proposal includes the construction of 5000 new homes, and the environmental clean-up of the Harrison Avenue landfill, which is then to be converted into a golf course. While this is in some ways reminiscent of the early 1960s proposal which was successfully battled by the residents of the then economically stable Cramer Hill, this proposal is on much better financial footing, and their was a general consensus throughout the neighborhood that the plan is both necessary and desirable. Unfortunately, some very loud and well-funded "squeaky wheels" managed to derail the project. Sadly, Cramer Hill will not see a comprehensive redevelopment. The neighborhood and the City sadly seems to have been sentenced to 30-40 more years of decay, crime, and misery. |
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27th
Street South of Arthur Avenue |
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I was
born in Cooper Hospital in 1938, was raised in Cramer Hill at 2724
Hayes Avenue. I
attended Washington,
Sharp, and "VETS Memorial", then
graduated from Woodrow Wilson in "56". Bob
Turner |
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VON NIEDA PARK - 2003 |
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Bars & Clubs in Cramer Hill |
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Talk about Cramer Hill, and sooner or later the conversation will get around to the bars and social clubs that were so much a part of the social life of the neighborhood for many years. It's hard to believe, but there are only four bars and two liquor stores still open in Cramer Hill as of January 2004.
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The
Former Home of Mayor Frederick von Nieda |
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Frederick von Nieda was the Mayor of Camden in the mid-1930s. A resident of Cramer Hill for almost 50 years, Mayor von Nieda lived in this home until his death in February of 1950. |
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The Rio Bar North
27th Street Click on Image to Enlarge |
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The
RIO Theater |
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The Rio Theater was originally called The Auditorium, and was opened up by Herbert Megowan, one of the first entrepreneurs to go into the movie theater business. He later sold the property to Samuel Varbalow's Savar theater chain. The theater was later renamed the Rio. The Rio closed its doors in the 1960s, and became the home through the late 1970s of the Cramer Hill Boys Club. The former theater has for many years been the Faith Holy Temple Church of God in Christ. |
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Defiance Athletic Club 1923 Elwood
"Woody" Bearint |
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1925 Delaware River Bridge Construction, North Camden & Cramer Hill The circled area is the Harrison Avenue garbage dump. In 1925 the site was considered as a location for an airport to serve Camden and Philadelphia. The site has remained undeveloped and in need of environmental cleanup. In the fall of 2003 plans were announced for a cleanup and conversion of the site for use as a golf course. |
Camden Courier-Post - February 10, 1933 |
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CLUB DANCE TONIGHT The Eleventh Ward A. C. will hold its first annual dance tonight at Morgan's Hall, Fourth and Market streets. Three South Jersey and one Philadelphia District A. A. U. champion will be the honored guests. The honored guests are Phil Mungo, Bill Toomey, Georgie Wright and Eddie Gehringer. The committee in charge of the dance is composed of James Zimmerman, chairman, Charles Hutchinson, Ed Peard, Jr., and James McCann.. |
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Defiance Athletic Club 1923 Elwood
"Woody" Bearint |
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Quite a few Cramer Hill readers were amused at an odd little incident on River Avenue the other day ... It appears that an absent-minded driver of a milk wagon was riding, not his wagon, but on a bicycle ... His thoughts were probably in Timbuctoo or the South Pole; at least he wasn't thinking of what he was doing, .. For as he started up a hill, on which a number of persons were waiting for a bus, he said something aloud and immediately began to pedal more industriously ... What he said was "Giddap!" |
Checked and Double Checked By
JIMINY Camden June 3, 1933 |
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'BENEDICTS'
TO
PLAY PIERCE
A. C. TOMORROW The
Married Men of Eighteenth Street and Pierce A. C. will hook up in the "rubber" of their three-game "father,
son, and neighbor" tussle tomorrow morning, at Twenty-second Street
and Pierce Avenue. The scrap will start
at 10 o'clock. Earl Cholister will seek to last nine innings for the "'Benedicts", while Lloyd Mick win toss them up for Pierce A. C. |
PIERCE Camden Courier-Post June 3, 1933 |
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11TH
WARD WOMEN HOLD CARD PARTY TONIGHT A card party
will be held tonight by the Eleventh Ward Woman's Democratic Club at Red
Men's Hall, 715 North
Twenty-Seventh Street. The men's club is co-operating at the function, which will the last of the season. Mrs. Grace MacDonald will be in charge, assisted by Mrs. Helen Rush, president of the Woman's club, and Walter T. Bateman, president of the men's club. |
ELEVENTH
WARD WOMEN'S Camden Courier-Post June 6, 1933 |
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ELEVENTH WARD FROLIC TO AID BOY ATHLETES
Street dancing and exhibitions of boxing and wrestling will be features of a pinochle party to be held by the Eleventh Ward Athletic Club on the grounds adjoining the club house at 1014 North Twentieth street, a week from tomorrow night. Proceeds will be used toward providing better athletic quarters for boys of the ward, and possibly towards playground facilities for the smaller children. Four champions will be among those taking part in the exhibitions. Prizes wlll be awarded winning card players, and an orchestra will play for the dancing, Dr. Ethan A. Lang, president of the club, announced. |
ELEVENTH WARD ATHLETIC CLUB Camden Courier-Post June 9, 1933 |
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Camden Courier-Post - June 9, 1933 |
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Patrol Sought to Protect City Gardens for Unemployed A "garden patrol" will be
organized tonight to protect "Garden City," established by Rev. James G. Rodger at the Girard Estate tract east of Cooper river off
State
Street. Seven unemployed men at present form the "police department" of "Garden City." It will be necessary to increase this number before next week, Dr. Rodger said. Plans also will be discussed to boost the number of gardens to more than 500 this year. Fully 300 acres, sufficient to provide for 1000 family gardens, are available at the tract. There were but 25 gardens cultivated last year. In addition to this tract Dr. Rodger has directed cultivation of approximately five acres at the Reynolds tract, between Princess and Memorial avenues. Eight gardens on this site last year has been increased to 20 this summer. Altogether more than 500 families at present are benefiting from Dr. Rodger's project, which was the forerunner of the present Emergency Relief Administration program of garden development. Dr. Rodger, who resides at 721 Cooper Street, also has spread the idea throughout this eastern portion of the country. |
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Camden Courier-Post - June 19, 1933 |
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STRAY DOGS DAMAGE GARDENS OF
JOBLESS A plea to East Camden dog owners' to keep their pets away from gardens of the unemployed was issued Saturday by John Emory, chairman of the Cox Tract group, whose 90 miniature farms are located in the vicinity of Twenty-first Street and Pierce Avenue. Dogs running at large, Emory said, have destroyed much of the early produce in the gardens. He indicated that assistance of the police would be sought. The tract, one of the most extensive in the city devoted to unemployed gardening, has begun to supply many of the families with fresh vegetables, Emory reported. |
| CAMDEN COURIER-POST - February 1, 1938 |
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SOUGHT FOR CRAMER HILL Peril to Children Crossing Tracks Discussed by Legislative Forum Possibility of amending existing statutes providing state aid for elimination or grade crossings to permit financing, an underpass in Cramer Hill was suggested by City Commissioner Hartmann to State Senator Burling and Assemblymen Lawrence H, Ellis and Millard E. Allen at the weekly legislative forum. Hartmann, attending the session on other matters, was asked by the legislators to join a discussion started by Clarence Dunkleberger of the Eleventh Ward. Dunkleberger pointed out no streets cross the railroad tracks between River road and Westfield Avenue, between Twenty-seventh and Thirty-sixth streets. He said parochial and high school students cross the tracks at great danger, and suggested some way be found to compel the railroad to provide an underpass at Thirty-first street, Thirty-second Street, Lois or Beideman avenue. Burling said that matter was one for the city's legal department to pursue. Hartmann was called in, and said three solicitors have given opinions that the railroad cannot be forced to act. He also said such an underpass would cost $400,000, not $40,000, the figure named by Dunkleberger. "We are unable to get state aid be cause there is no crossing there to eliminate," Hartmann said. "If the law could be changed to cover such situations, we might be able to work out something. Certainly an under pass is needed there." Dr. Ethan A. Lang, Eleventh ward physician, has been seeking for a long time to have something done about the situation, but has been stymied by the high cost. |
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PIERCE Camden July 9, 1942 Harry Edelmayer at far left Click on Image to Enlarge |
| World War Two in Cramer Hill - Service Banner | |
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Cramer
Hill's civilian Air Raid Wardens erected this sign listing the names
of Cramer Hill men then serving in America's Armed Forces Click on Image to Enlarge Click Here to super-size Image Photo
originally appeared in the |
| 1947 Cramer Hill Wildcats | ||
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East Camden News * Thursday, February 19, 1959 |
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Nasuti received his discharge in 1946 and was employed for a short period with Hollingshead Co. He then was employed as a carpenter's apprentice with the Pennsylvania Railroad, where he is still employed as a carpenter. Rock married Lillian Baker in build1949, and the Nasutis are now four, including Gary, aged six, and Glenn, two. After some convincing of his brother-in-law, Bill Flemming, Rock joined the Cramer Hill Boys Club in 1956 and became active as Flemming's coach of the Robin teams of 1956 and 1957. Each year the Robins were champions of the Little League. While Rock is the type of fellow who weighs his words at club meetings he never hesitates in assisting on committees. In 1958 he was co-chairman of the fair committee, chairman of the football refreshment stand in 1958, chairman of our 1958 Christmas party, co-chairman of our 5th annual birthday party, and assisted on fund drives, and Little League committees. Rock makes plenty of noise on the bowling alleys, rolling a 175 average with the PRR team. |
| HOUSES
FOR SALE - November 30, 1965 As advertised in local newspapers that day! |
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Veterans
Memorial Park |
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The
park dates back to the 19th century. In 1938 the City of Camden
erected Veterans Memorial Middle School, and monument was erected
after World War II. |
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WELL
BABY Camden June 1938 Click
on Image
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Is Ablett Village in Cramer Hill? Some say yes, some say no. Ablett Village IS on River road, but was not ever a part of Alfred Cramer's landholdings, rather, it was built on land owned by 19th century industrialist Moro Phillips. Students from Ablett Village attend Veteran Memorial Middle School and the George Washington Elementary School, so one would say that Ablett residents would definitely be a part of the Cramer Hill community. |
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The
Chateau |
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| WONDER WELD - The Miller Manufacturing Company | |||||
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CRESCENT BEVERAGE 25th & River Avenue Founded in 1893 by February 1, 2004 Click on Image to Enlarge |
| Louis
E. Schimpf, Inc.
February 1, 2004 Click on Image to Enlarge |
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| Looking North on River Avenue from 25th Street - Fall 2003 |
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ON
THE WATERFRONT Forgotten for the most part are the industries and shipyards that were located along the Delaware north of the Cooper River. On business that employed a lot of local workers was the Rickenbach, Noecker, & Ake Shipyard. which was at the foot of 27th Street. This yard specialized in wooden boats and barges. By the time Bernie Rieck took these pictures in the early 1960s, the yard had been closed about ten years. Please note that the photographer, the late Bernie Rieck, miscaptioned these photos as being "North Camden" and "30th" Street. James Rickenbach. who grew up at 27th & Harrison, noted the error in 2006. |
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Click on Images to Enlarge Bernie Rieck: These images are caption North Camden, but are obviously Cramer Hill from their position in relation to City Hall and the Ben Franklin Bridge. The two story Farragut Sportsman Association building is in the background. |
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Click on Images to Enlarge Bernie Rieck: These abandoned barges are all gone now. |
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Click on Images to Enlarge Bernie Rieck: The property, now behind a rusty chain-link fence, shows little evidence of the activities that were here for over 59 years. One can fairly easily see the pier if one walks up to the water. |
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Click on Images to Enlarge Bernie Rieck: This wooden building is long gone. When I enlarged the photo I could just make out the "R" located above the white double doors in the front of the building. |
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COMMENTS by James Rickenbach The North Camden waterfront photos, "about 30th St., c62"- I do not believe any of these photos were taken around 30th Street. They were all from 27th Street. The images of the barges and other wreckage appear to be between 27th and 25th Street, where the Farragut Club is. The two barges (Sand Lighters as my father called them) appear to be from the boat yard run by my Grandfather and his sons (James Rickenbach, Adam Rickenbach and James M. Rickenbach) at the foot of 27th Street. I used to live directly across the street from the old wooden building. It was at 27th Street and Harrison Avenue. I grew up knowing it as the "Curtain Factory". They made the material for window shades for a company in Philadelphia. It was run by the Ott family. My father grew up in the same house and he said the entire river front lot across the street was a family type park when he was young. The wooden building was originally a dance hall. It later became a nickelodeon. |
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Facing West- see old light pole- there are a few standing on property |
Facing NW inside entrance |
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Facing SW from 28th & Buren- Pier or boat slip can be seen through the trees |
Another shot of boat slip or pier through trees |
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Buren
St- Facing North from |
Northeast corner 28th & Buren |
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Schools in Cramer Hill
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| The George Washington Elemantary School |
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| American
Legion Post 274 Ladies Auxiliary outside Mendez Flowers North 25th Street & River Avenue - Fall of 2003 |
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CAMDEN COURIER-POST MAY 12, 1934 Click
on |
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...continued... |
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| Southeast Corner of North 25th & River Avenue - September 27, 2003 |
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bar pictured above has a long history. It has changed hands (and
names) several times 1918-1921 Charles Irle Sr. 1926-1928 William J. Hinkson 1929-1931 Mrs. Mary Hinkson 1939-1947 Beatty's Grille 1959-1966 Juno's Tavern 1970 Schoell's Tavern 1977 Crane's Tavern Late 1988 Olde City Brewery Tavern 2003 Closed |
| Christus
Evangelical Lutheran Church built by George Bachmann Sr. North 26th Street & Hayes Avenue - February 1, 2004 |
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| Postwar Housing in Cramer Hill | |
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2822
Wayne Avenue circa 1962 Photo by Bernie Rieck |
Looking West towards Cramer Hill on the North 36th Street Bridge - 1980 |
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Photograph Courtesy of Floyd L. Miller Jr. |
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I grew up in Cramer Hill at
I no longer live in Steve
Logeren |
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I was born in Camden in 1940 at West Jersey Hospital but we lived in Riverton and then Palmyra during the war. In 1946 we moved back to the McCurdy home, 741 North 25th Street in Cramer Hill, at 25th and Arthur Avenue, right next to Vets School. I attended Washington School until the 6th grade. Then we were bussed to the Davis School in East Camden on 34th Street. Back to Veteran's Memorial Junior High School, as it was called then, for 7th, 8th & 9th grade and on to Woodrow Wilson High School after that. I was friends with the Holsher family, they lived on the corner of 25th and Hayes Avenue, and ran the Crescent Bottling Company at 25th and River Road. I knew the parents as well as the boys, Henry, Bill and Carl. I think Carl and Bill run the business now. I also worked after school and on Saturdays at Lou Schimpf's Garage. I went full time with them for three months after High School, and also for a year or so after returning from the Marines in 1961. Actually, my Dad, Ben McCurdy had raced dirt track race cars with Lou Schimpf "in the old days". They ran at the old sand pit that later became the site of Esther Williams Pool company and the land fill off River Road in Pennsauken. They also ran in Pitman, Vineland and a few other tracks in South Jersey. I never knew until I read your site that Lou Schimpf's father [John Schimpf] had originally owned Crescent Bottling. Your site on Veterans Park, in front of Vet's School, brought back memories, particularly the shot of the cannon. When it was first located in the park it was just placed at the location it is in now. Consequently, if there were enough bodies, it could be picked up and wheeled around, just like they did in the Army! Well, a bunch the neighborhood boys (no names, please) worked on it one Sunday night and were able to wheel it right up to the front steps of the school! When Dr. Messenger, the school Principal looked out his window on Monday morning, he was looking right down the barrel of the cannon! You will note from the photographs of the cannon that it is now mounted on two block and concrete supports under the axel and the tail end is also permanently cemented into the ground! Of course, with the wheels now off the ground, we could stand on the wheel, hold on to the face plate, and see how fast we could get the wheel to turn as we ran on it! One of your earlier contributors mentioned pulling the red wagon full of junk to Frank's Junk Yard, right over the 27th Street Rail Road Bridge. Frank's was a great source of income in those days, but as he said, we didn't know that we were that poor, because we always had a good time growing up. Swimming off the 36th Street Petty's Island bridge; duck hunting in the cove behind Rundles, hanging out down the river at the Farragut Boat Club at 25th Street and the River, and hopping trains in the Pavonia Yard. They were good times and a great time and place to grow up. Harry
McCurdy |
The two photos of the cannon in Vets Park: Looking at the one on the left, facing the school, I remember there had been a sidewalk that ran from the circle and monument in the center of the park, down to 26th St. It would have been between the cannon and that large tree, in the left hand photo. On each side of the sidewalk, spaced about 2 feet apart, were small bronze plaques mounted on stone blocks. Each one had the name, rank, service, and date killed, for veterans killed in WWII. In addition, on each side, just down from the circle (near the cannon and tree), were two larger bronze plaques, about 3 ft X 4 ft. They commemorated either men or units from WWII, but I can't recall the lettering. If you look at the right hand photo of the cannon (with the Church in the background), you can see the spot where one of the large plaques had been situated. It is really a shame how the city and school board have let this park go down. I remember when I was a kid, Erv Stiffel ran a florist shop on 27th Street between the gas station in front of Vets (where 26th Street and 27th Street came to a "point") and Wells' soda shop at the corner of 27th and Hayes. He had been in the Marines and fought in the South Pacific. He always made sure there were flowers at the white WWII monument on the corner of 27th and Arthur (across from Roedel's Funeral Parlor) and also made sure it was cleaned up. I recall he was in the Courier Post a number of years ago complaining about the City and School Board not cleaning up the graffiti off the monument. I guess he is gone now, as are most of that "greatest generation", but I still recall his strong commitment to veterans.
As an aside, if you look at the photo of that white monument at the corner of 27th and Arthur, you will see a two story house in the background, on the left. That was my house, at the corner of 25th and Arthur. It had been in our family back to the early 1920's, and was still there the last time I checked .
You have another photo of a large house that is captioned "27th Street, South of Arthur Avenue, About 1900". That house has since been "modified" and was a church, when I was a kid. But my family told me that at one time, when it was larger (as depicted in your 1900 photo) it had served as a private hospital. Later, (I would guess in the 1920's or 30's) the city erected a large water tower on the lot between the church/hospital and Arthur Avenue. I think that is still there as well. Harry
McCurdy |
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CRAMER HILL PEOPLE OF
NOTE |
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| A | ||
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B |
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| Edward Bearint | Elwood Bearint | Horace B. Beideman |
| C | ||
| D | ||
| Daniel G. Deacon | ||
| E | ||
| F | ||
| G | ||
| Robert Gess | Howard L. Gick | |
| H | ||
| Frank J. Hartmann Sr. | Frank J. Hartmann Jr. | |
| I | ||
| J | ||
| K | ||
| Edward J. Kelleher Sr. | August Knorr | Herman O. Kreher |
| L | ||
| Jacob Leon | ||
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M |
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| N | ||
| Rocco Nasuti | ||
| O | ||
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P-Q |
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| R | ||
| S | ||
| William F. Schmid | Carl F. Sorg | |
| Elmer Ellsworth Stevens | ||
| T | ||
| U-V | ||
| W | ||
| X-Y-Z | ||
