Rare Photo: Cooper Street West from Railroad

Thanks to an anonymous tip, I recently came into possession of an extremely rare personal photo of Woodbury. On the back of the photo written in pencil is: "West from Rail Road Woodberry New Jersey." The photo clearly shows the 1881 Green Castle Hotel and across from that, an empty lot which would later in 1909 become the site of the Saint Patrick's Roman Catholic Church. The photo is estimated to be circa 1900.

Also notice the Vanneman residence (Cooper Street Greenhouse) across from the empty lot on the opposite (NW) corner of Cooper and Euclid before the construction of the Daniel Steelman residence replaced it circa 1907. In 1964, 94-year-old I. Hampton Williams recalled the Vanneman Greenhouses had an actual banana tree growing inside (Hoelle, 1964). The Steelman residence, which still stands today became the rectory of St. Patrick's Church in 1957.

I will be donating the image to the Gloucester County Historical Society shortly so that they may properly preserve the photograph and so that members may enjoy the original.


Circa 1900 Cooper Street West from Railroad. Click for larger.

 

1880 ad for Cooper Street Greenhouse
 



October 14th, 1903 WDT article announcing the sale of the  long empty lot which would later become the site for St. Patrick's Church across from the Green Hotel

 

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Hoelle, E. (Ed.). (2005). Vignettes of "historic Woodbury". Woodbury, NJ: Gloucester County Historical Society.