Marlton Village in the 1880s



As we near day 30 of our 'Stay At Home' order, people have been thinking back to the olden days, before cars, before traffic, before stores on every street corner, to an imagined simpler time.  It seemed oddly appropriate that I came across a description of Marlton from 1882:  a listing of all the 'non-residential structures' in town.  Bear in mind that while Marlton and Evesham are used interchangeably now, this description is only for the village of Marlton.  There were separate descriptions of Milford (which became Kresson) and Evesboro.  Oddly though, a few buildings from the Cropwell section of town are included, while the Marlton Post Office on Main Street was omitted. 

The village of Marlton was described as:

The business-places and public buildings of Marlton in March, 1882, were as follows: Methodist Episcopal Church, Baptist Church, "Friends' Meeting at Cropwell," public school (brick building), a drug-store, by William S. Zelly; two general stores, by H. & J. M. Brick and William R. Lord; hotel, by U. Bareford; three wheelwright's and blacksmith's shops, — Benjamin S. Kain & Son, Charles Jones, and John I. Brick ; barber-shop, ice-cream and confectionery store, three doctors, — E. B. Woolston, J. L. Downs, and P. V. B. Stroud ; two shoemakers, — Samuel Bowker and Jacob Kremp; one railroad station. The population of the village, according to the census of 1880, was three hundred and thirty-nine souls. (2)

From the description above, we know what was located in town.  But where exactly was everything located?  Luckily there are maps available from 1876.  The first two maps below are from the same map, with the first being a closeup of Main Street.  The 3rd map is a wider view of Marlton, and also includes Cropwell.  Combining the maps, with the description above, along with another 1881 book listing the 'industries' of Marlton, a portrait can be drawn of Marlton Village in the 1880s.





According to the description above, the following businesses and public places populated Marlton Village in 1882:

Methodist Episcopal Church.  This church had been on Main Street at 43 East Main Street since 1859.  It suffered a catastrophic fire in 1898.  A new church was built on the same spot and reopened in 1899.  The new church was demolished in 1967. 

Painting of the original Methodist Church

Baptist Church.  The Evesham Baptist Church was built in 1839 and changed its name to the Marlton Baptist Church in 1845.  The church is still on Main Street today, now the home of Calvary Chapel.


Friend's Meeting at Cropwell - This building still exists, on the corner of Cropwell Road and Old Marlton Pike.  This church is on the 3rd map.

Friend's Meetinghouse at Cropwell


Public School (brick Building) -  The map and the descriptions diverge a bit here, as this building did not exist when the map was drawn in 1876.  The map shows the Old Union Schoolhouse on the west side of South Maple in the 1830s, which was in use until 1876 .  A new school was opened in 1878 and still stands today, the current Evesham Township School District Administration building, formerly known as the Marlton School.

Marlton School
Hotel, by U. Bareford
The Bareford Hotel was located at Main and Maple, where 7-11 is now.  Mr Bareford died in 1885.  The hotel was demolished in 1965.

"It is now over a period of seventeen years since Mr Bareford took the management and proprietorship of the old hotel, which is now closing on a century since it was first founded, it having been in existence over ninety years.  It is a leading and popular house and is the only hotel of the town.  It has twenty-three good rooms and the house is superiorly, nicely and comfortably furnished, and is located in the very centre of town.  It has a good bar and well appointed dining-hall; its rates are very moderate.  Mr Bareford is a native of Burlington County and a prominent citizen of Marlton."

Bareford Hotel, Main & Maple, Marlton

A drug-store, by William S Zelly (sic): Marked on the map as 'Drugstore Jno Lyman' on the northwest corner of Main and Maple.  Jonathan Lyman was the prior owner.

"W. H. Zelley, Druggist, Paints, Oils, Hardware, Glass, Toilet, Fancy Articles, etc., Main Street. — Five years ago Mr. Zelley, who is a native of Burlington County and a practical druggist and pharmacist under the State laws of New Jersey, founded the only drug store in Marlton, and is one of the best compounders of prescriptions in the whole county. The store building is a neat frame structure of two stories high, and measures 30x30 feet in extent and is located in the best business section of the town. The stock carried is valued at $2,000 and is composed of a full line of drugs and medicines, fancy toilet articles, paints, oils, glass, hardware, patent medicines, etc. Sales are estimated at about $10,000 per annum, the trade done covering a large section of the entire country surrounding, and demands the united aid of two skilled employees. Prescriptions are carefully compounded, and none but the very best medicines are used. Mr. Zelley is agent for Lucas' Paints. " (1)

Zelley's Drugstore

Two general stores, by H. & J. M. Brick and William R. Lord - The Lord Store is shown on the first map, on the southeast corner of Maple and Main, labeled W R Lord Store and PO.  The store was originally opened by Isaac Stokes,  The Brick General Store was located at 1 East Main Street, the southeast corner of Main & Maple.

"H. & J. M. Brick, Dry Goods, Boots and Shoes, Hardware, Coal, Flour, Feed and Fertilizers, Main Street.  These prominent merchants, who are natives of Burlington County, and the representatives of three generations of their family, have been in the business as proprietor since 1863, and are now among the most popular merchants and citizens in Marlton. The store occupied is located in the heart of the village, and is a frame building of two stories high, 38x63 feet in extent, with a fine store- room, 24x30 feet, in the rear. The stock carried is composed of a full line of fine, fancy, family groceries, flour and provisions, hardware, iron, steel, fertilizers, farming implements, paints, oils, patent medicines, etc., etc." (1)

Brick General Store

"W. R. Lord, Groceries, Flour and Provisions, Dry Goods, Boots and Shoes, etc.. Main Street. — Eleven years ago Mr. Lord, who is a native of Camden County, founded his present enterprise and has built up a popular reputation as one of the leading traders in his branch of the industries of Marlton. The store occupied is a fine two-story brick building, 15x45 feet in extent, and is well laid out and appointed for the trade. The stock carried is composed of a full line of fine, fancy, family groceries, provisions, flour, dry goods, boots and slioes, glass and queensware, and bears a representative value of $5,000, and sales are estimated at the rate of $20,000 per annum, the trade extending over ten miles of a radius of the surrounding section of Burlington County. Two experienced clerks find constant employment in the filling of orders and waiting on customers. Mr. Lord is one of the most respected and popular townsmen, and takes a leading part in the interest of the village." (1)

Three wheelwright's and blacksmith's shops, — Benjamin S. Kain & Son, Charles Jones, and John I. Brick

Benjamin S Kain & Son was located at the corner of Main and South Locust and is marked on the map as "B.S. Kain & Son W.Wright Shop".  John I Brick was at Blue Anchor and Main and Charles Jones was on South Maple towards Milford/Kresson.

Barber-shop, ice-cream and confectionery store - I don't know whether this was single store, or a separate barber and ice cream/confectionery store. The ice cream store was owned by Thomas Bareford.  (2)

Three doctors, — E. B. Woolston, J. L. Downs, and P. V. B. Stroud
Dr Woolston lived on North Locust (not pictured on the map), and played a bit part in a previous blog post of mine entitled "Self Murder in a Woods"  The other doctors rented rooms in the village.

Two shoemakers, — Samuel Bowker and Jacob Kremp.  One of the shoemakers was located on the south side of Main, just east of the intersection with Maple.  Mr Bowker lived with his wife at 109 Main Street, which would have been where Wiley House is today.  His shop may have been there as well.

One railway station - on Cooper Avenue, then called Station Avenue, opened in 1881


The "Industries of New Jersey" document cited below contained some additional information on local businesses.

J.B. Dunphey, Agricultural Implements - 

"A new establishment and one which promises to have a great infuence upon the commercial proposerity of Marlton, is the agricultural warehouse of Joseph B Dunphey.  He is the sole agent in the vacinity for the celebrated Buckeye machines which are universally conceded to be the best and most efficient in their line....  Mr Dunphey is also agent for the Pennock Road Machine and the Acme Pulverizing Harrower and Crusher.  The warehouse is a fine place and contains every article required in the cultivation of soil and the gathering of the crops."



This post may change over time, as I find additional information.  I've written about a few of these buildings over the past several years.  Here are some links if you want more information.   Thank you to the Evesham Historical Society for use of some of their photos.



List of All Blog Posts


Like my Facebook Page to get the latest posts - A View From Evesham.  You can email me at MarltonNeil@yahoo.com.

References: 
A Penny A View, an album of postcard views: Marlton, NJ, by Wayne McCabe & Kate Gordon


Quotes come from: 
(1) Industries of New Jersey Part 3: Historical, Descriptive and Biological, Cities, Towns and Business Interests, Sept, 1881

(2) History of Burlington and Mercer Counties, New Jersey, with Biological Sketches of Many of Their Pioneers and Prominent Men, by Major E.M. Woodward and John F Hageman, 1883