More Forgotten Towns of Southern New Jersey Quotes

“This was Alec Yarr, who, many years ago, used to pilot a Haddon Avenue trolley from Camden to Haddonfield. Now there are no cars. Buses have answered demands for speed, at the cost of fuming the air and filling it with squeals and droning sounds.”
― Henry Charlton Beck, More Forgotten Towns of Southern New Jersey

“But the town was Shelltown and Shelltown is now Ellisdale, a crossroads village near by with old houses of its own. Close by, too, is Arneytown, sinking among memories of the past, its Quaker meeting-house taken down and its red brick smithy closed. But Waln's Mill was apart from even these.”
― Henry Charlton Beck, More Forgotten Towns of Southern New Jersey

“The owner when we were there was Mrs. R. W. Meirs, of 2048 Locust Street, in Philadelphia, who naturally spent all the time she could away from the city.”
― Henry Charlton Beck, More Forgotten Towns of Southern New Jersey

“What is a forgotten town? Well, there are a number of answers to that one, too. From our standpoint a forgotten town is one whose earlier days have seen a part, however small, in the developing life of the nation, one whose present contradicts its past and whose future may lose all contact with its birthright. A forgotten town is one that shrugged its shoulders and smiled, contented that a relative should be honored, when the spotlight centered on its more important neighbors. Most of the towns mentioned in this book will be revealed as those that were on the edge, but not in the midst, of the big doings. Sometimes these were a year or
two ahead of the times; sometimes they gave up just a little too soon.”
― Henry Charlton Beck, More Forgotten Towns of Southern New Jersey

“To have a part in helping the new New Jerseyan see the New Jersey it was given to me to find thirty years ago is a very special honor all by itself.
HENRY CHARLTON BECK
Hillcrest Farm, Robbinsville, New Jersey February, 1963
FOREWORD
THE appearance of Forgotten Towns of Southern New Jersey was rewarded by a generous and somewhat surprising response. From the time of its publication and during the research for and preparation of More Forgotten Towns my letter-box has guarded, until my returning, friendly messages from all parts of New Jersey, as well as from a number of other States-some far away-bearing encouragement, suggestion, and additional information.
Although so many of the old villages seemed destined to die unmourned, many who were born in or near them, or whose forebears called them home, have shown they were not utterly forgotten and that the memories refreshed concerning them make the exciting task worth while. I say "exciting" and I mean just that, for although the work was first begun and continued with the author convinced that he, and a few others, were a bit-potty, shall I say?-on the subject, these letters have shown that our quirkiness is not so exclusive.
I have attempted, insofar as I have been able, to reply to all those who have revealed their interest in the romance of decadent things which, whether they call it that or something else, makes us friends. I hope I have shown my appreciation as best I may in this new book and in others that, Deo Volente, I hope to write. As long as there are places and people in danger of being forgotten, when they ought not to be, in spite of whatever change and chance may come, there will be a job to do.
Many have asked, and perhaps will continue to ask, why this town or that has not been included among those recalled in this or the previous book. Such a question has required a variety of answers. Some towns are important today, even”
― Henry Charlton Beck, More Forgotten Towns of Southern New Jersey