Historical Society Launches Street-Sign Fundraiser

The Historical Society is pleased to launch a unique fundraiser with a selection of old Haddonfield street signs. These are full-size vintage signs that would look great on a wall, on a shelf, or otherwise on display.

We are asking for a minimum donation of $100 per sign, and all proceeds benefit the Historical Society.

Streets and quantities are limited. If you’re interested, please contact Society trustee Karynna Baresel at kbaresel@mac.com.

UPDATE #5: Available street signs as of August 6:

Birdwood Ave. – reserved
Centre St. – reserved
Clinton Ave. – reserved
E. Cottage Ave. – reserved
E. Summit Ave.– reserved
Ellis Street – reserved
Estaugh Ave.– reserved
Farragut Ave. – reserved
Fowler Ave.
Hickory Lane – reserved
Lakeview Ave.– reserved
Lincoln Ave. – reserved
Narberth Ave. – reserved
Nicholson Lane– reserved
Oak Ave.– reserved
Prospect Rd. – reserved
Somerset Ave.
Springfield Terr.
Spruce St. – reserved
Stiles Ave.
W. Summit– reserved
Walnut St. – reserved
Washington Ave.– reserved
Wayne Ave.– reserved
Wellington Ave. – reserved
Windsor Ave.– reserved
Wood Lane – reserved
Woodland Ave. – reserved

Society Partnering with Haddonfield Public Library for Summer Story Times

The Historical Society is pleased to be partnering with the Haddonfield Public Library for two children’s story times for ages 5-9 this July: “History for Dessert! Story Time with the Historical Society.”

The first story time will be held on Friday July 13 from 1:30 – 2 pm at Greenfield Hall, 343 Kings Highway East, Haddonfield. Jordan Bilodeau, the children’s librarian at the Public Library, will be leading us and sharing stories and a fun activity. Reserve a space for your child here.

The second story time will be held on Monday July 23 from 11 – 11:30 am in the Children’s Program Room at the Haddonfield Public Library, 60 Haddon Ave., Haddonfield. Ms. Jordan will again be sharing stories and a fun activity. Reserve a space for your child at this second story time here.

Both events are free, but reservations are requested because space is limited. Please note that the first event will be held at the Historical Society and the second will be held at the Public Library!

Questions? Contact the Historical Society at info@haddonfieldhistory.org or email Ms. Jordan at the Public Library at jbilodeau@haddonfieldlibrary.org.

Society Closed Sunday July 1 and Wednesday July 4

Due to the holiday next week, the Historical Society is taking a break from its usual “First Sunday” hours this week and will be closed on Wednesday July 4. Please feel free to call or email the office or the Archives Center to arrange an appointment for another time to visit.

Enjoy your holiday!

New $5,000 Grant Will Support Planned Archives Center Building

The Historical Society of Haddonfield has received a new $5,000 grant from the Rotary Club of Haddonfield Foundation in support of its planned new archives center building.

With this gift, the Historical Society has raised more than $722,000 for a new archival center to be built on its property on Kings Highway East in Haddonfield. A significant restricted endowment allows the Society to employ a professional archivist and covers other expenses of the archives center as well.

“This generous gift from the Rotary Club of Haddonfield Foundation means we have now raised 80 percent of our fundraising goal,” said Doug Rauschenberger, president of the Historical Society of Haddonfield. “We are so grateful for this show of support from the foundation and the community at large.”

The Society expects to break ground for the project this summer.

The Historical Society also recently announced a challenge grant for the new building whereby all donations made in honor of past president Pat Lennon will be matched dollar-for-dollar by a donor who worked with Pat at the Historical Society and admires her greatly. The goal of the community challenge is to raise enough funds to reserve one of the new building’s naming opportunities in Pat’s honor.

Donations can be mailed to the Historical Society, and gifts can also be made online here. Donors who wish to have their gifts matched must designate that they are giving in Pat’s honor.

Summer Book Club Selection: Grant, by Ron Chernow

The Historical Society’s Book Club has chosen its summer reading selection: Grant, by Ron Chernow.

We’ll meet to discuss the book on Tuesday September 25 at 7 pm at Greenfield Hall, giving you all summer to work through Chernow’s lengthy but captivating biography of Ulysses S. Grant.

Grant was named one of the best books of 2017 by Goodreads, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal and others. Chernow “delivers a deeply researched, everything-you-ever-wanted-to-know biography, but few readers will regret the experience,” according to Kirkus Reviews.

As always, all are welcome at our discussion in September, even if you haven’t read the book. Light refreshments will be served.

Looking even further ahead, the Book Club will also meet on Tuesday November 27 to discuss It Ended Badly: Thirteen of the Worst Breakups in History, by Jennifer Wright.