Introduction
Stockton Rifle Range & Stockton Park — May 1879 Program
More or less the equivalent of the modern golf course and country club, The Stockton Rifle Range Association was organized by Samuel H. French and a group of Civil War veteran officers including General William Joyce Sewell in 1866. When first established it was laid out on 43 and one half acres in the Wrightsville section of old Stockton Township, more or less in the vicinity of the present-day John F. Kennedy Towers senior citizen apartment building at South 20th Street and Watson Street in East Camden.
In 1885 George Reeder Prowell wrote in his History of Camden County, New Jersey the following:
The range proper is provided with the best improved batteries and firing grounds in the United States. As originally built, it contained ranges up to one thousand yards; but as this was seldom used, it was deemed advisable to reduce it to six hundred yards. The New Jersey and Pennsylvania Rifle Clubs and teams, the Pennsylvania National Guards, and other national military companies meet at this place, and the range is provided with magazines and closets for the exclusive use of the different State organizations.
Soon after the rifle range was started an additional forty six and one-half acres of ground was laid out in connection with the grounds of the range, as a park and pleasure resort, making the park ninety acres in extent.
The park was known as Stockton Park, and in time the entire ninety acre complex was known by that name. It fell into disuse after Stockton Township merged with the City of Camden. Old Stockton Park’s last recreational use was by Camden naturalist Warren E. Buck. Raised at 1902 Stockton Park, he operated a zoo on the grounds during the late 1920s and on into the 1930s before relocating his operation to a site along Marlton Pike (State Highway 70), east of the rail line that crossed that thoroughfare, in what was then Delaware Township (present day Cherry Hill) NJ. The site was also used during the depression by local gardeners to grow vegetables, and most likely also was used for that purpose during World War II.
1879 Invitation
Stockton Rifle Range — 1879 Invitation
May 1879 Program
Stockton Rifle Range — May 1879 Program
At the Rifle Range
Philadelphia Inquirer —
At the Rifle Range. — The managers of the Stockton Rifle Range have arranged for several additional important matches, the first of which is to come off on the 13th proximo, consisting of a regimental rifle team of seven, and the prize a set of silver, distance 200 and 500 yards. Also a company team match, with teams of four, prize, a set of silverware, distance, 200 and 500 yards. A Stockton Range match for all comers, prize, silver trophy; 200 yards. National Guard match, open to members of the National Guard of any State, prize, a gold scarf pin; 200 yards. All comers’ match, five prizes, 200 yards. Everybody’s match, four prizes; 200 yards. An increased interest has been taken in the Stockton Range, and it is reported that it will be made the official range in the State of New Jersey.
Philadelphia Inquirer — April 27, 1880
Philadelphia Inquirer — May 17, 1883
Owing to the failure of the Legislature of New Jersey to make an appropriation to pay the rent of the Stockton rifle range, near Camden, the Board of Directors, on Friday, decided to surrender its lease to the owner, Capt. Emmor French. Early on Saturday morning Captain French took possession of the range and immediately set a force of men at work tearing down the fence. The abandonment of the range will interfere with several events that had been arranged for the militia of the city at the Stockton grounds.
Captain Emmor French
Philadelphia Inquirer — August 3, 1883
The Stockton Rifle Range is to be sold on the 1st of September by Sheriff Gibbs, of Camden county, on foreclosure, to satisfy a claim held by John B. Lee.
Theodore Gibbs — John S. Lee
Bicycle Races at Camden
New York Times —
Good Races, Although the Track Was in Poor Condition.
Camden, N. J., Oct. 24. — The bicycle races of the Camden wheelmen were run yesterday afternoon on their new track at Stockton Park in the presence of 1,000 spectators. The track, owing to the continued drought, was in poor condition, which accounts for the slow time made.
New York Times — October 25, 1886
Camden Notes
Philadelphia Inquirer —
James Ware, of the Board of Education, has announced himself as a candidate for Councils from the Eighth ward.
The Democrats of Camden elect delegates to the State Convention at Stockton Park. The convention will be held on the 18th proximo.
At the picnic of the Ninth Ward Club at Stockton yesterday, a nine composed of members of the latter defeated the Turn Verein in a game of ball by a score of 13 to 4.
The political fight that every one expected would be at the ward level seems to be between J. Willard Morgan’s friends, or the “young syndicate,” on one side, and the friends of General Sewell on the other.
The Republican voters of the Sixth ward will ask the County Committee to decide how many delegates they will be entitled to send to the convention. Before the lines were changed they were allowed to elect three County Committee representatives, but since the ward has been redistricted, the workers think they should have four delegates.
Philadelphia Inquirer — August 7, 1890
William Davis and George Plum, of Wrightsville, while returning home from Camden early yesterday morning, were set upon by two men near Stockton Park, and Davis was knocked down and beaten about the face and head. After the assault he missed his watch. Plum, who was struck, but escaped a beating, recognized the men as Michael J. Cleary and James Brown, of Camden, and it was learned that they had been drinking in Stockton Park and had been put out about midnight. The men have not been arrested. Brown is under bail for an assault committed in Camden about a week ago.
William Davis — George Plum — Michael J. Cleary — James Brown
Warrants for Special Officers
Philadelphia Inquirer —
Justice Schmitz, of Camden, last evening issued warrants for the arrest of Samuel Collins and Jacob Schiller, Jr., special officers at Stockton Park. They are charged by John S. Smith and Charles J. Welsh, of Camden, with assault and battery with a blackjack, at the picnic of the Volksfest Verein at Stockton Park yesterday afternoon.
Philip Schmitz — Jacob Schiller — Samuel Collins — John S. Smith — Charles J. Welsh — Turn Verein Volksfest
Philadelphia Inquirer — August 12, 1891
Friends of Julius Spoore, the Swiss picnicker, who was prostrated by the heat at Stockton Park and died in the Cooper Hospital, claimed the body yesterday. He lived at 813 Shallow street, Philadelphia.
Julius Spoore
End of the Turn Fest
Philadelphia Inquirer —
German Athletes Paraded and Some of the Prizes Were Awarded.
The three days’ session of the seventeenth turnfest of the Philadelphia District Turn Verein came to a close last evening in Camden. The various societies formed in line at 10 o’clock in front of Turner Hall and marched over the principal streets. A platoon of police under command of Lieutenant Foster, headed the line. Mayor Westcott and invited guests in carriages followed. Then came the City Band, the rifle section of the Philadelphia Turngemeinde, the Active Turners of the visiting societies, a cavalcade of Turners, ladies classes in carriages and coaches and the boys and girls classes.
The contests at Stockton Park included individual bar exercises, horse work, rope climbing, jumping, running, putting the shot, pole vaulting, dumb bells, bicycle races and wrestling.
At a late hour last night the judges had not finished awarding the prizes. Emil Lingerman and H. Doerschner, of the Camden Turn Verein, secured the first and second prizes respectively for wrestling. Emil Doerschner, of the same society, was awarded first prize for field sports. J. Scharf, of the Camden Turn Verein, won the mile bicycle race in 3:19 3-5.
The Philadelphia Turngemeinde took the first prize for team work. The Camden Turn Verein made more points, but were handicapped by having but fourteen men in the team against the winning society’s thirty-six men.
John Foster — John L. Westcott — Camden Turn Verein — Emil Lingerman — H. Doerschner — Emil Doerschner — J. Scharf
Philadelphia Inquirer — July 23, 1900
Thieves attempted to rob the residence of Charles Kleeman, in Stockton Park, Camden, early yesterday morning. The watchman fired four shots at the robbers, but they escaped.
Charles Kleeman
Philadelphia Inquirer — February 27, 1908
While skating on Stockton Park Lake, East Camden, yesterday Martin Goldsmith and Norman Wohlken, boys, narrowly escaped drowning. They ventured on thin ice and broke through. Fortunately they were close to shore and managed to scramble to safety.
Martin Goldsmith — Norman Wohlken