Shelter @ the South Jersey Gas, Electric and Traction Company Office Building - Camden, NJ
N 39° 56.644 W 075° 07.338
18S E 489551 N 4421556
The occupancy number has long since faded, but this civil defense shelter marker remains on this 100+ year old building. It has served many purposes over the years, one of those being false protection to the citizens of Camden, NJ.
Waymark Code: WM6MZQ
Location: New Jersey, United States
Date Posted: 06/23/2009
Views: 5
The metallic emblem can be found to the left of the main entrance along 200 Cooper Street in downtown Camden. There is no longer any radiation monitoring equipment (yes, I called like a fool even though I knew the answer) and the basement holds books and furniture.
The early 19th century saw this site hold the first city hall and court house. Later, at the turn of the next century, this site was rebuilt and became South Jersey Gas & Electric & finally this century, this building became a library.
Meaningless Background
(but still interesting)
The South Jersey Gas, Electric and Traction Company Office Building is just another majestic building lost in blight and decay. High atop the columns are three words carved into the facade: Gas, Electric & Railway. Very Cool. In 1829, the first city hall and courthouse stood here. Later, this building was constructed on top of the old courthouse. It was a fallout shelter in the 50s and finally in the 80's it became the Camden Free Public Library. 418 Federal Street has scene much change over the last 180 years.
There are several other of these NRHP jewels all within a few hundred feet of this one. This is a block or so away form the recognized "center of town", broadway and Federal Streets. There are two markers out front. One is the dedication plaque for the library from 1987 and the other is a historic marker placed by the Camden Centennial Committee which acknowledged this as the first site of the courthouse. Six beautiful Corinthian columns adorn the front with three large, arched bay windows on either end and in the middle. Parking was plentiful and available on the street. Feed the meter.