An Act to Incorporate the Boro of Stratford

1.     Corporate Name

2. Territorial Limits

Beginning at a corner in the northeasterly edge of the public road ieadin~ from Kirkwood to Lindenwold in the line of lands of Anna Hunt and the Lindenwold tract No. 1; thence (1) along the line of the Lindenwold tract No. 1 south 17^o 30" east 1517.85 feet to a stone corner to said tract and Jacob S. Martin; thence (2) along his line south 5^o 33" west 264.5 feet to a stone in said line corner to Laurel Springs tract No. 3; thence (3) along the line of said tract crossing White Horse Pike and along the line of Laurel Springs Borough north 76^o 30" west 2828.5 feet to a stone in an old gum stump; thence (4) still along the line of Laurel Springs Borough north 54^o 28" west 681.12 feet to a stone corner to Richard Kaighns estate; thence (5) still along the line of Laurel Springs Borough south 33^o 30" west 873.38 feet to the middle of Quaker run; thence (6) down the said run in a southwesterly direction the several courses and distances thereof about 1470 feet more or less to the middle of Laurel Ave.; thence (7) along the middle of Laurel Ave. south 26^o 44" west 1325 feet to angle thereof; thence (8) still along the middle of Laurel Ave. south 19^o 52" west 549.8 feet more or less to the middle of Timber Creek; thence (9) down the said creek the several courses and distances thereof westerly 3960 feet more or less to the junction of Mason run; thence (10) still down the said creek the several courses and distances thereof northwesterly 3587 feet more or less to the junction of Signey run; thence (11) up the said run the several courses and distances thereof in a northeasterly direction 4220 feet more or less to the middle of Warrick road; thence (12) along the middle of Warrick Road south 32^o 10" east 282.5 feet to an angle of said road; thence (13) still along the middle of said road south 75^o 55" east 1152.5 feet to a corner in the middle of said road, in the line of the Stratford tract; thence (14) along the line of said tract north 15^o 38" east 820.26 feet to a stone corner to the Stratford tract; thence (15) along the Walter Hunt line north no degrees 47" east 1866.85 feet to a hickory tree in said line corner to Edward Ogg; thence (16) along Ogg’s line north 74^o 15" east 1064.7 feet to the middle of the White Horse Pike; thence (17) along the middle of the White Horse Pike south 37^o 22" east 3301.8 feet to an angle thereof; thence (18) still along the middle of said turnpike south 1^o 9" west 170 feet to the intersection of the easterly edge of the Lindenwold road; thence (19) along the easterly edge of said Lindenwold road south 47^o 45" east 3700 feet to the place of beginning.

3. Referendum within 60 days from approval of act. (1 P. M. to 3 P. M. fixed by clerk of Clementon Township set up in 5 public places within territory described in 2).

4. Conduct of special election.

5. Duplicate statement of election results to (a) Clerk of Clementon Township and (b) Clerk of Camden County.

6. Special election to choose officers within 10 days after copy election returns filed with Clerk of Camden County, said Clerk to call another special election, to be held within 30 days from filing date of election returns, for Purpose of electing a Mayor, 6 Councilmen, an Assessor, a Collector and 1 Justice of Peace to hold office until following January 1.

—Approved February 13, 1925

The Referendum was held March 17, 1925, and the results, 292 Ayes to 5 Noes, filed March 18, 1925, by Elmer H. Hunt, Wm. F. Marley, Ella L. Allen and Charles C. Arentzen.

In 1888 or ‘89 the late Charles S. King saw the possibility of creating a pleasant and ideal community out of the farmland owned by Mr. Jacob Lippincott. He, with Messrs. Zimmerman, Twitchell, Smith and Rogers, formed the Rural Land Improvement Company. The Development was roughly triangular in shape.

The name chosen for the Community was in honor of Stratford-on-Avon, England.

It was advertised as being 9 miles from the City of Camden on the Atlantic City Railroad, Double Track, and two squares from Kirk-wood and Lakeside Park (now Kirkwood Lake), the latter being on the Camden & Atlantic Railroad. There were 20 trains daily. Fare equal to city carfare. Accessible from Shackamaxon, Vine, Market, Chestnut and South Streets, Philadelphia. There was also a Trolley later on that extended from Camden to Clementon. It was replaced by Buses which made their first run September 1, 1935.

They advertised that the Deeds covered the following: Prohibited sale of Liquors; dwellings to cost at least $1,000.: were to be built 25 feet back from the street-line; and cesspools 3 feet deep, cemented and made water-tight.

The Original School was a sheep barn; converted to a Meeting Hall; then remodeled for the "Village School". One Room, one Teacher, 8 Grades. The first year it was operated as a "pay" school with just a few pupils — 25c each per week. And each had to buy their own supplies. Thereafter it was made a Public School with forty-odd pupils. In 1902 a new two-room School was built on Princeton Avenue (present site) which was replaced by a four-room school in 1925. A second floor was added in 1930.

The two-room school building was purchased by the local American Legion for $1.00 and moved over to Harvard Avenue, now No. 320. It was used for awhile by Boro Council for their meetings. It is now a dwelling.

The one and only Church in the Boro was organized May 26, 1892. The Church Building was constructed in 1895, now being reconstructed. It is Methodist in denomination but Community in Spirit.

The original sidewalks, if any, were wooden planks and all the streets were unimproved. Street lights existed only where the residents provided them outside their own homes. Electricity was manufactured in Laurel Springs. The first telephones (6) were installed in 1902. The switch-board was located in a corner of William D. Youker’s grocery store, Atlantic and Washington Avenues, Laurel Springs.

Kirkwood Lake used to be an amusement park named Lakeside Park. There were ice-houses near the lake, which, in winter, froze sufficiently for ice-cutting. The ice was stored in these houses for shipment to various points in the summer.

As a result of a fire which destroyed several of the ice-houses and nearby homes the Stratford Fire Company was organized in 1908. The original members were — Raymond Ellis, Fred Hamilton, Ralph P. Jones, Sr., Richard Kaighn, William Kleinschmidt, Royden K. Lippincott, A. W. Martin, Walter Martin and Samuel T. Simpkins who was the first Chief.

The original equipment was a 2 wheeled cart, built by Mr. Kleinschmidt, on which were carried some garden hose and a few buckets. About 1915 a Chemical Wagon was purchased from the Wildwood Fire Department. When an alarm was received horses were "borrowed" to haul it. When Mr. H. R. Nicholson bought a truck for his business it was fitted with a special tow-bar replacing the need of horses.

In 1911 the original one-story Fire House was built. In 1922, a second story and basement were added. Last year it was replaced by a beautifully modern 4 bay building.

The Company’s Motto— "Fire PREVENTION is more important than Fire-Fighting".

Also — TO CONSERVE WATER PRESSURE — when the Sirens blow —CEASE WATERING LAWNS!

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