September Membership Meeting to Explore Architect Samuel Sloan’s Work in Haddonfield

Our next general membership meeting will be held on Wednesday September 25 at 7:30 pm in Greenfield Hall, and will feature a presentation by Melinda McGough on noted architect Samuel Sloan (1815-1884) and his work in Haddonfield.

Based in Philadelphia, Sloan was highly in demand during the mid-nineteenth century. He designed the octagonal Longwood mansion near Natchez, Mississippi, the Asa Packer mansion in Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania, and the town plan for Riverton, New Jersey. However, much of Sloan’s work remains a puzzle because all of his papers were destroyed.

McGough’s graduate research in the 1970s showed that Sloan also designed three houses in Haddonfield: one on Warwick Road and two on Washington Avenue. In fact, these are the first identified examples of Sloan using the then-popular “stick style” of architecture.

We hope you’ll join us at Greenfield Hall on September 25 at 7:30 pm to learn more about Sloan’s life and work. Members are free, with a suggested donation of $5 for nonmembers.

Historical Society to Benefit From Haddon Township ACME Reusable Bag Program Starting August 15

The Historical Society of Haddonfield has been selected as a beneficiary of Acme’s new GIVE BACK WHERE IT COUNTS reusable bag fundraiser.

Starting August 15 and continuing through September 30, the Historical Society will receive $1 for each of these $3 reusable bags sold at the Acme Markets store in Haddon Township, located at 400 West Cuthbert Road, Westmont, unless otherwise directed by the customer.

We hope you’ll help to GIVE BACK WHERE IT COUNTS and support our work to preserve Haddonfield’s history!

Historical Society To Close in August for Annual Summer Break

Just a reminder that the Historical Society will not be offering tours or other programs during the month of August while we’re closed for our annual summer break. We will return to regular public hours after Labor Day.

Our last summer hours for Greenfield Hall will be Wednesday July 31 from 1-4 pm, and our last research hours at the archives center in the Mickle House will be Wednesday July 31 from 9:30-11:30 am.

If you miss us in July, you can still reach out by phone or email, but please be patient if we are slower to respond. Enjoy the rest of your summer!

Historical Society Publications Again Available For Sale Online

After a brief hiatus, we recently launched a new online form for ordering copies of books published by the Historical Society of Haddonfield.

You can now use the online system to order copies of books like Haunted Haddonfield, Elizabeth Haddon Estaugh 1680-1762, or Jan Twitchell’s autobiography, A Fortunate Life, among others.

The new online system is connected directly to PayPal, or you can download a paper version of the order form and mail it to us with a check. Click here to check out the new online form.

Members get a 10% discount on purchases; contact us at 856-429-7375 or info@haddonfieldhistory.org to get your discount code BEFORE placing your order.

In addition, we still have a handful of prints of the 1899 Haddonfield birdseye map for sale. The unframed print is 20″ x 30″, and available for $50 (tax included). Please contact our office to place your order for a print.

Book Club To Discuss “Frederick Douglass: Prophet of Freedom” in September

UPDATE: We’ll be holding this discussion on Tuesday September 24 at the Historical Society of Haddonfield instead of the Haddonfield Public Library.

The Historical Society Book Club’s summer book selection is Frederick Douglass: Prophet of Freedom, by David Blight. We will meet to discuss the book on Tuesday September 24 at 7 pm at Greenfield Hall, 343 Kings Highway East, Haddonfield.

After escaping from slavery as a young man, Frederick Douglass (1818–1895) became a prominent leader in the abolitionist movement. He was also an advocate for women’s suffrage, and eventually served as the U.S. ambassador to Haiti, among many other accomplishments.

David Blight’s engaging biography of Douglass won the 2019 Pulitzer Prize in History. The Wall Street Journal describes it as “a brilliant book that speaks to our own time as well as Douglass’s.”

As always, all our welcome at the discussion, even if you haven’t read the book.