About Merchantville
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Nestled in the South Jersey suburbs, Merchantville, NJ, is the small town with BIG heart. Here one finds stately Victorian homes, tree filled parks, nature trails and a walkable downtown boasting eateries and shops for every taste and need.
Once made up of sprawling farmland, Merchantville was developed by a group of merchants and incorporated in 1874 to reflect the town’s evolution into a community of stores and homes folks visited to get away from the bustle of the city and delight in a relaxing country setting while still enjoying amenities that made life easy and enjoyable.
Visitors were welcomed to Merchantville at the train station, a local landmark now reimagined into a café and art destination in the center of town. Surrounded by the splendid homes of merchants, businesspeople and some of the Philadelphia area’s most famous architects, the train station was a common meeting spot and the entry to Merchantville. This tradition continues today at the reimagined and beautifully restored Station with Merchantville’s iconic gazebo located close by. Residents now enjoy leisurely strolls on the reimagined train tracks, once the gateway for visitors and goods to enter town, now a walking path affectionately named the Merchantville Mile.
Merchantville’s Victorian backdrop presents the perfect setting for the town’s affinity for Halloween. Transforming into Monsterville each October, Merchantville embraces its haunting charm with elaborate Halloween displays and events to celebrate the season. Each year residents challenge each other for the most creative décor in the Haunts of Merchantville contest. The entries draw friends and neighbors from across the region and culminates with a night of trick or treating hosting thousands of participants young and old.
Whether living, working or visiting, Merchantville presents a glimpse into the past with lovingly maintained homes and historic storefronts while offering modern amenities, a vibrant restaurant and brewery scene and an experience that will bring you back time and again.
History of Merchantville
Merchantville was primarily farmland until about 1851. Rumors of the coming railroad were the impetus for land acquisition. Although the town was originally part of Stockton Township, the citizens of Merchantville petitioned the state to become an incorporated Borough. This became effective May 18, 1874.
The second growth occurred in the automobile age when feasible studies for the building of the Benjamin Franklin Bridge began in 1914. After the First World War, lots were bought and development began anew. When the bridge opened in 1926, new streets on the southern side of Maple Avenue were cut through, individual homes built and the Borough gradually developed to its near present population.
In addition to improved means of transportation, location was important in the growth of Merchantville. Maple Avenue was on a ridge 80 feet high, the air was ‘pure’, and churches and shopping were convenient.
In 1889, Francis F. Eastlack, local author, described the Borough, “Here you have an already established town, healthy, pure air, well lighted, well governed with every convenience befitting, wide awake, prosperous town, and where the people are hospitable and will gladly welcome all who seriously think of locating with them.”
Brush up on your nostalgia at this link: http://politicalgraveyard.com/geo/NJ/CA.html
Read more about Merchantville in the Images of America book by resident Maureen McLoone.
Wellwood Memorial Park
Just a few blocks east of Route 130 on Maple Avenue, between Linden and Hamilton Avenues, in Wellwood Memorial Park. The park has acres of improved green space and includes two tennis courts, a ball field, a playground, gazebo and snack stand.
There is also a WWI monument there and a stone dedicated to two members of The Sons And Daughters Of The Pilgrims who were serving in armed forces during WWII.
The Shade Tree Commission volunteers work to keep borough trees plentiful. Last year the sixth grade at Merchantville School planted seven Eastern Redbud trees at Wellwood Park. The trees were carefully transplanted from our nursery on West Chestnut.
A LITTLE BIT MORE HISTORY IN MERCHANTVILLE (from Camden County Heritage Volume2, No. 2 Spring 2018)
