THANK YOU SWEDESBORO
For all the memories

By Richard P. Apgar

Swedesboro,
A Safe place for children

The town was basically made up of two sections, Batten Town in the main part of downtown and Peal Town on the other side of the railroad tracks.

We owned this town meaning we had free reign and made the most of exploring every inch of it. In the early days it did not give parents much concern for us to leave in the morning and not come home till dusk. Most parents wanted you out of the house to preserve their sanity and keep the home neat and clean.

We found plenty to do and things to amuse us. If only they knew of our escapades. Today’s parents would be horrified and present day kids would be put in jail for some of our antics. Most were all in fun and entertainment.  I could write a book just on our exploits but will only mention a few thrills.

Since we were close to the railroad tracks the trains were a focus of many activities.

I need to mention some of the last names to help jog the memory banks and to set the stage for the stories-  Sorry for the misspellings Target, Getaskie, Rieger, McCann,  Miller, Morrison, Rapp, Kennedy, Shipman, Leonardi, Naughta, Chesney to mention just a few.

We sold everything door to door from greeting cards, Grit, ointments, Dones pills, Burpee Seeds, holly and laurel at Christmas from the woods, you name it.

We mowed grass and loaded trucks at the Swedesboro Auction Block in the summer and shoveled snow and made asparagrass crates at Casella’s in the winter.

Swedesboro was a great place to grow up in during the 1950- 1960 era.

No one in town was wealthy except for the Hurff’s but we never felt deprived. Living in a farm community we always had plenty of fresh vegetables and fruits. The Casella Brothers Apples were the best and in all my travels I have found nothing that compares to a Jersey tomato.

In my early days I lived in a beautiful three story house my grandparents built at 110 Allen Street. They were Irish immigrants that worked hard, and wanted to provide a better life for their offspring. I still use many of the sayings and pearls of wisdom passed down from them. I am very proud of my McCann heritage and fortunate to have so many relatives that helped shape Swedesboro and Glouster County. I love and miss my family.

When I was 8 we moved to 211 Helms Avenue, one of the original homes built on the street in 1902.  It amazes me that many homes built in the early days still stood the test of time. In California these houses would be razed to permit newer developments.