Research Library and

Mansion Hours:

Tuesday 1-4 PM

Second Saturday of

the Month 1-4 PM

Address

Historical Society of

Moorestown

Smith-Cadbury Mansion

12 High St.

Moorestown, NJ 08057

Phone

856-235-0353

Web Site

www.moorestown.

com/history

E-mail

moorestownhistory@

verizon.com

Published by

The Historical Society

of Moorestown

DECEMBER 2009

IN THIS ISSUE:Strawbridge Lake Park

Exhibit — photos/text (p. 2)The Clothes (and Bonnets)

Made the Quaker (p. 4)Moorestown Maples House, Architect’s Drawings (p. 5)

Do you know the location of these houses? (p. 6)

THE NEWSLETTER OF THE

HISTORICAL SOCIETY

OF MOORESTOWN

FRONT

PORCH

FROM

THE

View From the Porch

Dear Members,

Celebrating our 40th year in existence, the Historical Society of Moorestown is as vital as ever. Fulfilling our mission “…to provide opportunities for the community to learn about the past and further understand and appreciate the history of Moorestown…” we seized every opportunity to have our doors open throughout the fall season. Ann Condon’s excellent photograph exhibit documenting the creation of the second leg of Strawbridge Lake Park 1939-1941first opened at the Moorestown library before moving to the Mansion parlor in September. Lenny Wagner has stepped up to the plate and hit a grand slam as curator of the exhibit entitled Sports Legends of Moorestown that will open in January at the Mansion. With such broad appeal, we are considering extended hours to accommodate busy schedules, so stay tuned for additional exhibit times and dates. You will not want to miss this unique and amazing sports history event!

It is always a pleasure to recognize the hard work and dedication of our volunteers and no better occasion than this special time of year. At our Member’s Holiday Reception on December 11, we will honor the many people who so generously give their time and talents to keep the Society running throughout the year. You, friends, are the Society’s greatest treasure! Not yet involved? There are

(continued on next page)

Historical Society of Moorestown

40 yearsCelebrating1969-2009

The Historical Society

of Moorestown

Officers

President

Ann Langerhans

Vice-Presidents

BJ Tetlow

Stephanie Herz

Treasurer

Harry Koons

Recording Secretary

Lynne Brill

Corresponding Secretary

Lynne Japka

Trustees

Mary Berardi

Lynne Brill

Paul Canton

Ann Condon

Diane Fuhrer

Stephanie Herz

Debra Hojsak

Lynne Japka

Lisa Knell

Dolores Kocyan

Harry Koons

Ann Langerhans

Julie Maravich

Nan Pillsbury

Gloria Senno

BJ Tetlow

Lenny Wagner

Student Trustee: Alexis Gertie

Newsletter EditorLisa Knell

Library

Stephanie Herz

2

(View From The Porch, continued)

many opportunities for you to be connected, no matter your skills or interests. Just contact the office and we will find a comfortable spot for you.

Wishing you all the blessings of the season, I look forward to seeing you “up at the house!”

Ann LangerhansPresident

EXHIBIT: Strawbridge Lake Park 1939-1941Ann Condon’s exhibit showing the building of Strawbridge Lake will be on display at the house through December. Some excerpts from the exhibit here and on page 9:

“Strawbridge Lake and its surrounds as we know them today came about in several stages over a period of years from 1931 to 1941. Originally, the area was a wide swamp watered by Hooten’s Creek at one end and the North Branch Pennsauken Creek at the other. Route 38 was developed in 1931 parallel to the site... “

“The photos in this exhibit concern the development of the west end of the lake stretching from Pleasant Valley Avenue to Kings Highway. Work was begun in 1939. The township acquired land through purchase and donations. The Strawbridge family donated the largest parcel, thus the name Strawbridge Lake Park.”

Strawbridge Park before it was fully developed; there are canoes

in the background; date unknown (photo: HSM collection)

3

WHEN: Friday, December 11th 5:30 to 8 PM

WHERE: Smith-Cadbury Mansion 12 High Street, Moorestown

WHAT TO LOOK FORWARD TO: Savory Victuals, Delectable Sweets & Libations will be served by candlelight

Suggested $15 per person at the door

R.s.v.p. Lynne Japka by December 8th: 802-0204

Member’s Holiday Reception

T h e Hi s t o r i c a l S o c i e t y B o a rd o f Tr u s t e e s

C o rd i a l l y In v i t e Yo u

t o a m e m b e r ’s

Ho l i d ay Re c e p t i o n& Vo l u n t e e r Re c o g n i t i o n

wn

4

Bonnets from the

HSM collection

“by dressing in this manner Quakers easily

identified themselves as members of their faith

group”

The Clothes Make the QuakerCandace Kintzer Perry gave a stylish presentation on Quaker and rural

Pennsylvania Dutch women’s clothing at the Community House on Thursday October 8, 2009. Ms. Perry is the Curator of Collections at the Schwenkfelder Library and Heritage Center in Pennsburg, PA. Her passion for clothing worn by women in early America was thoroughly evident throughout her presentation. The program was a great delight for both fashonistas and people interested in local history; the latter being a topic that’s always in style at the Historical Society of Moorestown.

Ms. Perry told the group how by the Eighteenth Century Quakers had various rules for dress according to their meetings. In the event a group didn’t have any special rules regarding attire in place, the members dressed simply and modestly. She went on to say that Quaker dress was generally out of date with clothing worn by society at large. As an example of just how out of style Quaker attire was, Ms. Perry explained that Quaker women were known to dress in the same kinds of clothes that their grandmothers wore. Not surprisingly, many people found this fashion sense peculiar. However, by dressing in this manner Quakers easily identified themselves as members of their faith group.

Ms. Perry displayed a picture of a Quaker woman at a Seventeenth Century meeting to illustrate how a typical Quaker woman dressed during the period. She elaborated on the various components of the woman’s outfit. The Quaker woman wore a kerchief around her neck. She had a piece called a gown around her bodice. A garment called a petticoat functioned as what we would call a skirt. And as the sine qua non of any clothing ensemble, the woman wore a chemise or shift as an undergarment. Ms. Perry added, interestingly, that Quaker women’s outfits had large pockets as there were no pocketbooks at the time.

Ms. Perry also spoke about headwear worn by Quaker women of the period. While Quaker women were well known for their bonnets, Ms. Perry explained that there were different styles of bonnets for different Quaker groups. She discussed how they were worn to cover the head before God. She displayed a picture of a flat, white beaver hat from the late Eighteenth Century. This sort of attire was common to Quaker women as well as Pennsylvania Dutch women. She also showed a calash bonnet dated from the Eighteenth Century as well. It folded up like a carriage and was functional in that it was designed to fit the hairdos of the time.

While Quaker women’s dress from the era may strike some as plain or “peculiar”, it clearly served its purpose. It let everyone in the community know who they were and, in turn, what they believed in. What could be more fashionable than

that? — Kevin Stephany

5

Architectural Drawings: House on Lot No. 55

Oak Avenue, Moorestown Maples, N.J.In July of this year The Historical Society received a fi ne donation of four architectural

drawings (19 3/4” x 14 3/4”) done by Registered Architect, William H. Kenderdine of Moore-

stown in October 1927. Mr. Kenderdine was working for Steward Maines, the local builder. The

subject of the drawings is titled “House on Lot No. 55 Oak Avenue, Moorestown Maples, N. J.”

Then, the search started.

Our Acquisitions Department Chair person, Ms. Ann Condon, drove up and down Oak

Avenue looking for the house pictured in the drawings. Result: No house exactly as drawn was

found except one with a few alterations to bring it up-to-date at some unknown time with the

then current building styles.

The front and side of the house were photographed and the prints taken to the Society for

comparison with the drawings. Changes noted were a picture window that replaced the origi-

nal front windows; a small addition was put on the back of the house;and, the chimney is not

placed as shown in the drawings. The garage remains the same. We don’t know if the drawings

were slavishly followed

by the unidentifi ed

persons who purchased

the house and changed

later, or if the original

design was altered

somewhat to suit their

personal taste.

Anyhow, it was an

interesting adventure

and if you live in a

smallish house on Oak

Avenue and would like

to have a look at these

drawings, come visit us

at 12 High Street. Floor

plans of the fi rst and

second stories accom-

pany the exterior draw-

ings and are all fi led in

the maps drawer. The

color photographs are

now in the photo collec-

tion, indexed by street.

—Dolores Kocyan

GIF

TS

TO

AC

QU

ISIT

ION

S

6

Can your help identify these images?

Library News

This fall has been a busy one for the Historical Society Library. In addition to our ongoing tasks of PastPerfect collection data entry and processing of new acquisitions, we are always fielding and researching questions about Moorestown history from the general public, academia and the press.

Without the help of our diligent volunteers, none of these activities would be possible. Many thanks to Bill Archer, Mary Berardi and Kevin Stephany for their reliability and expertise in helping to fulfill the mission of the Historical Society Library and Archives. As always, volunteers are welcome and much needed to help with the many aspects of running the library.

In the ongoing quest to create a complete index of all the photographs in our archives, we sometimes come across unmarked pictures that seem to be pertinent to our local history. We’re hoping that newsletter readers might be able to help identify some of these images. Take a good look at these photos — and as you’re walking, biking or driving around Moorestown, see if they resemble anything that you’re seeing. Please let us know if you think you’ve found a match at moorestownhistory@verizon.net or 856-235-0353.

— Stephanie Herz

“we are always fielding and researching

questions about

Moorestown history from the general

public, academia and

the press”

7

8

NEW MEMBERSHIP APPLICATIONNAME(S): ADDRESS: MEMBERSHIP CATEGORY:

BASIC MEMBERSHIP: Student $10 ___ Individual/Family $35 ___

DONOR LEVELS: Contributor $100-499 ___

Patron $500-999 ___Benefactor $1,000+ ___

DATE: TELEPHONE #:

Make check payable to: Historical Society of Moorestown Mail to: Historical Society of Moorestown P.O. Box 477 / Moorestown, NJ 08057

For Membership information,

contact: Lynne Japka

at 856-802-0204 or lynne_japka@

comcast.net

YOUR

MEMBERSHIP in the Historical

Society of

Moorestown not only

helps to preserve our

legacy but entitles

you to the Society’s

quarterly newsletter,

a 10% discount in our

Gift Shop, invitations

to member only

events and access to

our historic research

library.

Please don’t miss out

on all that’s “new” at

the Mansion.

MEMBERSHIP NEWS

Winter is upon us!

The Society has hosted many wonderful events and exhibits this past year. Without the help of the following volunteers these as well as the day to day operations of Smith-Cadbury would not have been possible.

• Susan & James Acker • William Archer • Mary Berardi • Lynne Brill • Paul Canton • Lisa Cash • John Coles • Ann Condon • Joyce Connell • Laura Cooper • Mark Dishong • Jacquie Ebert • Craig Ebner • Florence Fogel • Nancy Froelicher • Diane Fuhrer • Jean Gerry • Pam & Alexis Gertie • Marylou Glassburn • Gail Greenberg • Jolee Greenberg • Charles & Lisa Hammell • Bill & Ruth Hannum • Stephanie Herz • Debra Hojsak • Judy Holmes • Lisa Knell • Dolores Kocyan • Harry Koons • John Kunkler • Ann, Gil, Charlie & Olivia Langerhans • Julie Maravich • Joan Meader • Pricilla Naylor • Delores Neugold • Pete Peterson • Nan Pillsbury • John Roberts • Cathy Ruff • Dave Schill • Claire Scott • Alice Selzler • Gloria Senno • Dee & Bill Slade • Renee Slemmer • Kevin Stephany • Jay Taylor • BJ Tetlow • Pete Trentacoste • Carolyn Tucker • Carmen von Wrangell • Lenny Wagner • Joe & Michelle Wetterling • Patty Wixted •

Wishing all our members a happy and healthy Holiday Season!

Till next time,Lynne A. Japka, Membership Chairperson

Continued from page 2: Strawbridge Lake Park 1939-1941“The WPA (Works Progress Administration, later called Works Projects Administration) provided much of

the funding to pay the workers and rent some of the equipment. This nationwide program developed by the Roosevelt Administration during the Depression after 1929 had certain standards. Workers were to be drawn from local unemployed residents. They were paid according to the local wage scale, averaging $41 a month and they could not work more than 30 hours a week. Regarding equipment, the belief was that the less mechanical

equipment used, the more men could be employed to perform manual labor.”

“Over the past 70 plus years our Strawbridge Lake Park has been well used for picnics, ice skating, recreational fi shing, and simple relaxation in the out of doors. It is our very successful local WPA project.”

Exhibit text was drawn from a paper prepared by June Rosenbaum in 1990, early Moorestown newspapers on microfi lm, and internet information about the WPA.

Building the foundation for the #2 dam; July 1939 (photo: HSM collection)

9

COMING IN 2010

Annual Meeting(April 15th)

New Member Welcome(date to be announced)

CALENDAR OF UPCOMING EVENTS

DECEMBER 2009

Strawbridge Lake Park 1939-1941 Exhibit continues

5 Holiday Parade Smith-Cadbury open

11 Candlelight Party/ Volunteer Appreciation at Smith-Cadbury (5:30-8 PM)

12 Second Saturday Tours 1-4

FEBRUARY 2010

Sports Legends of Moorestown Exhibit continues

13 Second Saturday Tours 1-4

JANUARY 2010

Sports Legends of Moorestown Exhibit opens

9 Second Saturday Tours 1-4

Historical Society of Moorestown

Smith-Cadbury Mansion12 High Street, Box 477Moorestown, NJ 08057

Non-ProfitOrganization

U.S. Postage PaidMoorestown, NJ 08057

Permit NO. 183

DECEMBER 2009

From our

Strawbridge

Lake Park 1939-

1941 exhibit

Map for the Dam

Application to the

State Water Policy

Commission;

June 1939

(HSM collection)

Visit us during December! Decorations . . . Tours . . . Gift Shop . . . Strawbridge Lake Park Exhibit . . .

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