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Gloucester County, NJ

Log Cabin

This log cabin was built by Morton Mortonson, the grandfather of John Morton, who signed the Declaration of Independence.

Of Swedish-type construction, the structure consists of one small room with no windows and a single door.

Morton Mortonson, arrived in the Delaware Valley in May, 1654. Prior to and during the Civil War, the Mortonson-Schorn Cabin was used as a station for the Underground Railroad and has been often referred to since as the Slave House, It is one of the oldest original log cabins of early Swedish-Finnish architecture in the United States.  (Privately Owned).  Off U.S. 322, two miles east of Bridgeport. Between Swedesboro and Repaupo on Raccoon Creek.

Adams Meeting House

Built in 1793, when Joseph and Elizabeth Adams deeded the ground “for a consideration of five shillings.”

The oldest Methodist Church building in Gloucester County is also known as the Old Stone Church or the Oak Grove Church.  Swedesboro Methodist Church.  Northeast corner of Oak Grove Road and Stone Meeting House Road, halfway between Bridgeport and Swedesboro, Woolwich Township

Barnsboro Hotel

The original section of this old hotel was built of cedar logs twelve by sixteen inches squared, and was standing as early as 1720, then owned by John Budd. John Barnes, from whom Barnsboro takes its name, was issued the first license for an inn March 19th, 1778.

Four old fireplaces were made of one inch bricks. The added sections of the building make it now of three levels.  (Privately Owned).  Located in center of Barnsboro, intersection of Pitman-Sewell Roads.

Candor Hall or Ladd’s Castle

This Colonial Manor is the oldest brick house in the county. It was built ca. 1688 by John Ladd, who lived there until his death.  He is said to have helped William Penn lay out the streets of Philadelphia.

Four chimneys enhance its staunch, sturdy appearance, and although it has been shorn of one of its hewn-log wings, the main building, made of native brick, stands proudly on its firm foundations.  (Privately Owned).  1337 LaFayette Avenue, Colonial Manor, West Deptford Township

Death of the Fox Inn

The inn was built in the early 1700’s. This was in the early days a rendezvous of a famous sporting club with membership from Philadelphia and Gloucester County. It got its name because the hunters of the Gloucester Fox Hunting Club (1766 to 1818) often gathered at the inn after the chase. This was the first such hunt club in America. Here the Philadelphia members served a delightful repast and the Gloucester County members could promise good sport with horses, dogs and a fox. The chase even led the sportsmen as far as Salem. During the Revolution it was used for recruiting and as a military headquarters.  (Privately Owned) In Mount Royal, north of the railroad crossing on County Road 561 (Old Kings Highway).

Fort Billings

A granite monument marks the location of Fort Billings, which was built during the Revolution to prevent the British fleet from communicating with Philadelphia.

It has the distinction of being purchased by Continental Congress July 4, 1776, the first land purchase of the U.S. government, and was deeded to the Thirteen United Colonies on July 5, 1776, the day after the adoption of the Declaration of Independence.

The monument was erected by the Esso Oil Company, now known as the Humble Oil and Refining Company, to mark the site of the fort used during the Revolutionary War and again fortified for the War with Great Britain 1812-1815.  Humble Oil and Refining Company.  Northwestern section of Paulsboro on Delaware River

Red Bank Battlefield

The Pennsylvania Council of Safety (Revolutionary War) erected Fort Mercer here to guard the river approach to Philadelphia from the British. The Hessians under Count von Donop attacked in 1777, but were defeated.

The battlefield monument was erected in 1906 by the State. During the excavations two ancient cannons, a large number of grape shot, an iron camp stove and other relics were uncovered.  The monument was dedicated June 21, 1906.  County Board of Chosen Freeholders.  On Delaware River northwest of Woodbury and near the junction of U.S. 295, U.S. 130, and N.J. 44

The Nothnagle Log Cabin

This one-room cabin is believed to have been built by Benjamin Braman in the mid-1600’s and is the oldest standing wooden structure on the North American continent.

Constructed of square-hewn logs which were interlocking at the ends and did not require any nails, with a low-beamed ceiling, it has a large corner fireplace in a rear corner. Some historians believe this type of log cabin construction was introduced in America by the Finns rather than the Swedes, since many of the 17th century settlers were Finnish.  (Privately Owned).  Near the intersection of Broad Street, Paulsboro and the Paulsboro-Swedesboro Road, Greenwich Township

http://www.co.gloucester.nj.us/about/historical/mortonsonschorn.asp

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