Centennial Mirror 1828-1928

The year was 1927 and the future had hardly ever looked brighter for the City of Camden. Times were prosperous, business and industry were booming, and the city was full of recently constructed public buildings, civic improvements, schools, the new Delaware River bridge and its new highway to the suburbs. The stock market crash of 1929 and the Depression that followed were in the unimagined future.

It was in these times that Camden prepare for its 100th anniversary, and in this spirit of optimism that the city fathers under the direction of Mayor Winfield S. Price commissioned the booklet whose text you will find below.

Read more about the first 100 years of Camden and more articles from the Centennial Mirror

Centennial Mirror of the City of Camden, NJ

Published in the interest of a growing city, nineteen twenty-eight.

THE City Commissioners of Camden extend their Greetings to all citizens of the City, State and Nation who may visualize the Camden of Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow, through this volume which is dedicated to the Cause of Civic Progress.

MAYOR WINFIELD S. PRICE,
T. YORKE SMITH,
DR. DAVID S. RHONE,
WILLIAM D. SAYRS, JR.,
CLAY W. REESMAN,
Commissioners

INTRODUCTION

A Citizen of Camden, N.J., was in conversation recently at Washington, D.C. with a man who is a national figure in business and politics.

Of course the conversation turned on Camden.

“You have one of the finest cities in the country from the standpoint of opportunity,” said the national figure.

“I know it,” responded the Camden citizen, and then he continued, “You are a man who meets with the leaders of the nation. You are prominent throughout the country. Do you ever tell anybody who is not from Camden, that Camden is a city of real opportunity?”

“Well, of course you understand,” replied Mr. National Figure, “It would hardly do for me to preach Camden’s virtues to the people of my home city. What I say to you is in the nature of a confidence from a resident of one city to a resident of another, but you know· how I feel toward Camden when I speak of the opportunities for growth among growing cities.”

That’s the story.

If Camden doesn’t tell the rest of the country about Camden, the other fellow isn’t going to.

Camden this year completed its first hundred years as an incorporated city. A fitting and conservative celebration was conducted by the city. Thousands of Camdenites learned more about their city.

But celebrations soon cake their place on the shelf with the records of things past. Something permanent should remain. Thus this Centennial Mirror devoted chiefly to telling the things about Camden that the other fellow wouldn’t tell for us.

ALBERT A. HAUGH