I am pleased to be at the Avalon Library on Saturday, September 16, 2023, at 3:00 p.m. to explore the fascinating subject of temperance and prohibition in New Jersey. This talk, part of the Avalon History Center’s speakers series, will shed light on the region’s unique perspective on the centuries-long effort to control and regulate alcohol consumption while placing it in a national context.
During the lecture, we will delve into compelling stories of rumrunners, moonshiners, bathtub gin, Coast Guard rum patrols, and the intriguing personalities that emerged during this era. We will also navigate the intricate landscape of Garden State politics, organized crime, and the influential role of the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union.
Understanding the growing interest in this captivating period, I am excited to discuss these matters with particular consideration for the New Jersey context.
The program will be held at the Tennis Building at 250 39th St., Avalon, NJ. Remember to mark your calendar for Saturday, September 16, 2023, at 3:00 p.m.
For more information on this free program, please visit the History Center link on the Visit Avalon NJ website. I look forward to this engaging discussion as we examine and consider intriguing insights into the prohibition in New Jersey.
1932 beer parade in Detroit, Michigan (Detroit News Photo, Walter P. Reuther Library, Archives of Labor and Urban Affairs, Wayne State University)
Wilmington University Adjunct History Professor Michael Dixon is deeply committed to studying local and regional history. His passion, he says, is ignited when he shares his knowledge with students and the community.
Fortified by graduate degrees in History and Behavioral Sciences, Dixon brings his extensive research and love of history to the classroom. He’s also a visiting scholar for several humanities councils and other organizations.
As my students engage in active learning activities in these practical lessons, it helps them understand how the past connects with the present,”
Professor Michael Dixon
His research focuses mainly on Mid-Atlantic regional and local history. He has worked extensively over three decades to encourage public interest and participation in preserving the area’s past and creating an understanding between earlier eras and the present. His work also focused on African American history, with topics such as the role of African American physicians before the Civil Rights Movement, the struggle for social justice that took place mainly during the 1950s, and a current examination of health care before the passage of the Civil Rights Acts of the 1960s. He also has offered a discussion about the Jim Crow era and the Spanish Influenza of 1918, which swept the country and devastated America’s Black communities.
Ed Ryan, Jr. on duty on the New Castle Pennsville Ferry route in April 1950.
Last week, I delivered a talk titled “From Here to There: Ferries and Bridges Cross the Delaware” at the New Castle Court House Museum. Despite the stormy weather on a Thursday afternoon, an enthusiastic and sizeable crowd gathered in the historic courtroom to attend the program.
Crossing the Delaware River presented a formidable challenge in the early days, with ferryboats serving as the primary mode of conveyance for centuries. It wasn’t until August 16, 1951, with the opening of the Delaware Memorial Bridge, that the ferry era ended at New Castle.
As a speaker, I engage the audience by encouraging active conversations during a talk. Therefore, I invited the audience to share their stories, memorabilia, and recollections of the past while also asking questions.
Memories of the Ferries
At one point, two gentlemen seated together revealed that their grandfather and uncle had worked on the ferryboats. As the conversation unfolded, others chimed in, mentioning their relatives’ involvement with the ferry company.
Charlie Cobb shared that one of his family members, Captain Jack T. Wilson, commanded the DuPont Company ferry boat, Atlantic City, on its last run on Aug. 17, 1951. The Atlantic City made one round trip a day from Wilmington, taking Delaware residents to their jobs at the Chambers Works. The Morning News reported that Captain Wilson had worked the waters for thirty years.
The DuPont Company Ferry, The Atlantic City (Source: Morning News, Aug. 18, 1951)
Meanwhile, a group of ladies from Salem County offered their perspectives, reminiscing about riding the ferryboat to New Castle for Saturday matinees. This prompted a New Castle resident to remark that Delaware youngsters would also travel to Pennsville to enjoy the Riverview Beach Amusement Park. One of the courthouse guests had extensively researched the travels of one of the old New Castle ferryboats after its retirement on the Delaware.
The Conversation Continued
The conversation extended beyond the formal program as more people gathered to share stories and show photos and memorabilia they had brought along. These interactions added a lot to the program. Engaging in conversations about history creates a more fulfilling and informative experience for everyone involved.
I want to thank all the participants who generously shared their family stories and memorabilia during the program. The New Castle Court House Museum, a part of Delaware Historical and Cultural Affairs, sponsored the program.
Charles and James Cobb had two relatives working on the Delaware River ferries. One of them was a radar operator on the ferry when that was a new innovation.Ed Ryan, the son of the captain, holds the photo of his father working on the ferry at New Castle.
Chronicling America at the Library of Congress has updated its digital newspaper database with the inclusion of two historic Salem County newspapers: The Monitor and the Monitor-Register. These Woodstown, NJ papers, spanning 1884 to 1925, are now digitally accessible for historical and family history research.
The publications were successfully added through the New Jersey Digital Newspaper Project (NJDNP), a partnership involving Rutgers University Libraries, New Jersey State Archives, and New Jersey State Library. These institutions worked together to ensure this valuable resource was accessible to the public for free through a text-searchable database.
This collaboration followed their previous contribution to the online resources for Salem County when they added the Penns Grove Record in 2021. The record, which started publishing in 1865, covers 1882 to 1923.
Researchers now have an invaluable, free tool to explore various aspects of South Jersey history. The Salem County periodicals provide a window into politics, culture, business, religion, and daily events that shaped everyday life over the generations.
The comprehensive access provided by Chronicling America at the Library of Congress makes it easier than ever before for historians, genealogists, students, and anyone to delve into the rich history of South Jersey and unlock a treasure trove of information about family and local history.
One of the Salem County newspapers, the Monitor Register, available at Chronicling America at the Library of Congress.
