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.

Last Chance for Tickets to Colonial Haddonfield Walking Tour

Only a few more days to get your tickets for the Society’s new Colonial Haddonfield walking tour to be held Saturday June 2 from 10 am to 12 noon — just before the Indian King’s annual “Skirmish on the Highway.”

Tickets are only $25 per person, and space is limited to no more than 40 participants (in two groups of 20).

The walking tour will be led by Joe Haro, who has for many years led architectural walking tours in Philadelphia and Haddonfield, and Co-Borough Historian Kathy Tassini. The tour will depart from Greenfield Hall, 343 Kings Highway East, Haddonfield, and continue to Haddon Avenue and back. Participants will have a chance to view the inside of the Guard House / Timothy Matlack house on Kings Highway, opposite the Indian King Tavern. Light refreshments will be available at Greenfield Hall after the tour.

All proceeds to benefit the Historical Society. Contact the office at 856-429-7375 or by email at info@haddonfieldhistory.org to get your tickets today.

Closed Monday for Memorial Day

The Historical Society will be closed on Monday May 28 in observance of Memorial Day. Please contact us at 856-429-7375 or info@haddonfieldhistory.org if you’d like to schedule another time for a visit.

We’ll be open for our usual First Sunday hours on Sunday June 3, 2018, from 12:30-3 pm.

Historical Society Receives Matching Grant to Recognize Contributions of Past President Pat Lennon

The Historical Society of Haddonfield has received a new challenge grant in support of its planned new Archives Center building: starting in May, 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.

Now 96 years old, Pat was a long-time resident of Haddonfield before moving to New Hampshire to live with family. She is an active supporter of the Historical Society, and served as president for three separate terms in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s. Pat was named Haddonfield Citizen of the Year in 1978, and has also been deeply involved with Symphony in C, Christ the King Catholic Church, and the Durand Academy, among others.

“Pat says she doesn’t deserve any recognition because she was just doing what needed to be done, but we’re delighted that this challenge grant was made in her honor,” said Doug Rauschenberger, president of the Historical Society of Haddonfield. “And we are so grateful that this challenge has been crafted in a way that encourages others to deepen their support.”

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

To date, the Historical Society has raised more than $712,000 for a new archival center to be built on its property on Kings Highway East in Haddonfield. The Society is now more than three-quarters of the way toward its fundraising goal of $900,000, and expects to break ground later this year. A separate restricted endowment already in place allows the Society to employ a professional archivist and covers other expenses of the archives center as well.

Pat Lennon helps out at a Society event in 1992.