FIRST -- "Cinder Block" Office Building in the World - Camden, NJ - Superlatives on Waymarking.com

The lumber building has now been converted and will be opening as a new restaurant/bar in a few days. The outside, with the exception of the concrete blocks, has been augmented several times since the 60s. There is a brick facade now covering the concrete blocks, but they are still there. The outside has been merely updated, not changed,

When I visited the inside, the owner was actually conducting interviews for the wait staff. The entire place is made of endless planks of wood. It is so beautiful on the inside and many of the original aspects of the lumber site have been preserved. They even won an award for their preservation efforts. When you walk into the building, look to the right and the NRHP acceptance letters can be seen on the wall, framed for display. They are very aware of their NRHP status and were very accommodating when I came in to visit, to share the history of this site. This part of Camden is really empty. The former lumber yard is surrounded by acres of empty parking lots.

Volney Bennett started his lumber business in 1876. His sons Killam and Volney G. Bennett Jr. also became involved in his business. The lumberyard remained in business on 2nd Street in Camden NJ for over 100 years. The remaining buildings and property of the Lumber Company eventually became a State (June 28) and National Historic Place (August 5) in 1998. This urban lumber yard (definitely a strange place for one of these) stands alone as the only yard to be recognized as an historic site.

The lumber office was the first "Cinder Block" office building in the world. The Stable, right, housed twenty teams of horses and two "Walking Mules". There is also a cool website HERE which is about the property when it was for sale in 2001.