Resources — Harrison Township Historical Society

Collections

The Society's museum, library and archives comprise the largest single collection of materials focusing on the history and cultural heritage of Old Harrison Township, Gloucester County, NJ. The Society’s archives feature especially strong holdings of historic photography counting over 1,000 images (prints, negatives and scans) from the 19th century to the present day. Manuscript collections are equally valuable and include the first Minute Book of the Township of Spicer/Harrison.

Organizational records include Minute Books, Membership Rolls, scrapbooks, ritual objects and ephemera from Mullica Hill Grange, Minute Book and Registry for the Mullica Hill Protective Association for the Recovery of Stolen Horses, Ferrell School PTA Scrapbooks, Oak Grove Sunday School Class Record Book, Clems Run and Oak Grove School Trustee Minute Books, Mullica Hill Needlework Guild Minute Books, Richwood Academy Association Minutes and Photo Collection, and the American Legion Robert W. Mills Post Teen Club Records.

There are numerous business records including Day Books from Ewan and Harrisonville Mills, James W. Wolf Funeral Home Burial Registers, Israel Pancoast Lumber & Coal Co. Ledgers, as well as numerous small business, farm account books and receipts from the 19th and 20th centuries. Notable family collections include Senator George W. F. Gaunt Papers, and the Joseph Chard Diaries. The holdings also include scrapbooks, newspaper clippings and family files and ephemera. The Reuter-Bilewicz, Beryl Skinner and Norman Schleicher Collections are extensive and comprehensive family collections including manuscripts, photographs and artifacts.

Avis House, South Main Street, Mullica Hill, c1900.The Avis House stands at the southern end of “Quaker Row,” the group of houses south of Spicer Street, so called because they all belonged to Quaker families. [HTHS]

Bishop Bus Company, South Main Street, Mullica Hill, 1926. M.J. Bishop established the Bishop Bus Company in the early 1920s. The company’s headquarters was in the Mullica Hill Garage, which today is an antique market next to Old Town Hall. [HTHS]

Langley’s Corner, Aura Road and Ellis Mill Road, near Ewan, c1900[HTHS: Helen Grodotzke Collection]

Heritage and Brother Lumber Company, East and Earlington Avenues, Mullica Hill[HTHS: Beryl J. Skinner Collection]

Mullica Hill Station and Warehouse, South Main Street, c1900. Reading Railroad completed the Mullica Hill branch of the Williamstown line in 1889. It provided passenger service but became a major shipping point for the region’s farm produce. [HTHS: John J. McCue Collection]

Stock Certificate, Mullica Hill and Woodbury Turnpike Company, 1868Many major roads in the 19thcentury were owned and maintained by private stock companies and travelers paid tolls to use the roadway. The Mullica Hill and Woodbury Turnpike is present-day Route 45. [HTHS: Museum Purchase]

Josiah B. Chester, artist, Golddust at four-years old. Harrison Township, 1875]. Chester was a tenant farmer and basketmaker. His journal is illustrated with creative and whimsical drawings that establish him as one of Harrison Township’s important folk artists. [HTHS: Helen Grodotzke Collection]

Clowers Family Clock, Waterbury Clock Co., Waterbury, CT. c1890.Brought to Richwood when the family migrated north from Dames Crossing, GA, in the 1940s. [HTHS: Reuter-Bilewicz Collection]

Constable Badge, Mullica Hill Protective Association for the Recovery of Stolen Horses. Mullica Hill, NJ, c1900. The Association, founded in 1896, registered horses, carriages and equipment and was formed to apprehend thieves and recover stolen property. It disbanded in 1921. [HTHS: Gift of Jean White Kroh and Joan White Boarts]

Red Delicious Apple Trade Sign. Donald Streeter, Iona, NJ, maker, ca. 1940. From Mount Pleasant Orchards, Richwood. [HTHS: Gift of Major Louis Reuter, Jr.]

Top Hat. Hilborn, Philadelphia, PA, Inscribed-Trade Mark/Hilborn/218 Market St./Philadelphia, c1860. Robert Kirkbride of Burlington County wore this hat to Abraham Lincoln’s inauguration. His descendants moved to Harrison Township and brought the hat here with them as a treasured heirloom. [HTHS: Gift of Mary B. Lippincott]

Asparagus Crate Stencils, c1910-1920.Harrison Township was a major producer of asparagus in the early part of the 20thcentury. [HTHS: Johnson stencil gift of Marion J. White; Byrne, Gardiner and Hazelton stencils, Museum Purchases]

Ceremonial Gavel and Presentation Case. Inscribed- Hon. George W. F. Gaunt/President of the Senate/New Jersey/1917, 1917. As President of the Senate, Mullica Hill’s George W. F. Gaunt served as Acting Governor when the Governor was out of state. He remains the only township resident to ever serve in that office. [HTHS:Gift of Marion Gaunt]

Friendship Quilt (detail), c1840-1850. This quilt descended through the Gardiner family of Mullica Hill. Each block contains a stamped or calligraphic signature. [HTHS: Gift of Doris Broomell Gardiner]

The museum collections are especially representative of the township’s agricultural heritage with artifacts dating from the 18th to the 20th centuries. The holdings also include work by local craftsworkers such as chairmaker John Dubois, cabinetmakers Jacob, Frank and William Kier and basketmakers Harry Dilks and Jacob Porch. An extensive quilt collection represents work from the 1840s through the 20th century along with samplers, coverlets, and costume. In addition, the Society owns noteworthy examples of local fine and folk art in a variety of media. There is also an extensive collection of Paleo-Indian artifacts found largely near Ewan.

Both the Museum and archival collections are featured in our long-term and changing exhibitions.

Our collections support the Society's public services through exhibitions, programs and research.