Introduction
Turner Hall was the name given to two buildings in Camden, one at South 5th Street and Taylor Avenue, the other at 516–520 Pine Street, between Cammer’s Court and Welsh Street. They were sponsored by the German-American social clubs that were part of the “Turner” movement.
Many Germans immigrated to the United States following the failure of an 1848 revolution designed to introduce democratic reforms into the governments of the German states. Among these immigrants were members of the Turners, an athletic and political organization founded in Germany during the second decade of the nineteenth century. Turners quickly established societies (known as Turnverein or Turngemeinde) in the American cities in which they settled. These societies served as athletic, political, and social centers for German communities in the United States. The Turners’ most important contribution to American life in their communities has been their advocacy of physical education and fitness. Turners successfully lobbied local school boards in many cities for the inclusion of physical education classes in the curriculum, and Turner instructors served as the directors of physical education programs in many school systems in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Frederick Finkeldey, who brought his family to Camden in the 1890s when he was placed in charge of the second Turner Hall, at 520 Pine Street, was a member of the Turnverein. He was instrumental in establishing Camden’s playground system and later served as the school system’s Director of Physical Education.
The first Turner Hall kept the name for only two years. It was a building at the southeast corner of South 5th Street and Taylor Avenue that had been built in 1859 as the Church of the Immaculate Conception. The building only served as a church for a few years, when the present church building was erected. The Turn Verein got hold of the building and remodeled it, but were only able to keep it going into the following year. By mid-1882 the Thomas M.K. Lee Post No. 5 of the G.A.R. was utilizing the building, eventually owned it, sold it to the City of Camden around 1914 and still met there as late as 1924.
In 1890 the Turners completed their new hall at 516–520 Pine Street, and as stated above, brought Frederick Finkeldey in to run the athletics programs. This project was quite successful and there were many events held in this building for the better part of 28 years. The building was sold to the Hurley’s chain of department stores in 1918. Whether this sale was a result of falling membership on the part of the Turn Verein as a result of anti-German propaganda foisted on the American public by the Woodrow Wilson administration during World War I, or that the club that owned the building had received an offer from Hurley that was too good to pass up, is a matter that one can only speculate on. The Hurley stores went out of business in 1956, and the building was eventually used as warehouse space by the House of Ruttenberg store on Kaighn Avenue. The old Turner Hall was still in use as late as 1968.
Grand Inauguration Ball
Camden Post-Telegram —
GRAND INAUGURATION BALL AND GYMNASTIC EXHIBITION OF THE CAMDEN TURN VEREIN, TO BE GIVEN AT TURNER HALL, (S. E. Cor. Fifth Street and Taylor Avenue,) Monday, January 19th, 1880.
N. B. — Over ONE HUNDRED PHILADELPHIA GYMNASTS will participate in the exercises.
TICKETS, Admitting one gentleman and lady, 50 CENTS, To be had of H. T. FUCHS, 518 Federal St., F. MESTER, S. W. Cor. Fourth and Arch Sts., or at the door on the evening of the Ball.
The Turn Verein
Camden Post-Telegram —
The old Catholic Church at the S. E. corner of Fifth street and Taylor avenue, has lately been thoroughly overhauled and turned into a gymnasium by the Camden Turn Verein, a German organization for the purpose of physical education for men and boys, by which “a long felt want” has been filled. The development and education of the body through systematic training by competent teachers is entirely too much neglected by American parents. There is hardly a city, town or village in the United States where there are a dozen German families, that has not its Turner Hall. Our Camden Turn Verein has so far met with more encouragement than was expected. The classes already number nearly one hundred pupils, and a drawing school is also talked of. Also a swimming school for next summer.
The officers are — President, H. T. Fuchs; Vice-President, P. Michel; Secretary, F. Mester; Treasurer, J. Schumacher; Teachers, W. Hoesch and C. Schwab.
First Turner Hall, 1905
Photo from 1905 of the building that served as Turner Hall in 1880 and 1881. This building had been built in 1864 as the Church of the Immaculate Conception, and served in that capacity from 1859 to 1864, when the present church at Broadway and Market Street was put into use. From 1882 until 1924 the Thomas M.K. Lee Post No. 5 of the G.A.R. met at this building.
1891 Sanborn Map
1891 Sanborn Map showing Turner Hall at Pine Street.
The New Turn-Verein Hall
Camden Daily Courier —
Dedicated With Éclat and Interesting Ceremonies
Appropriate Addresses by the Officials of the Society — Sister Organizations in Attendance and Prominent People Present — Company B’s Reception
The dedicatory ceremonies of the Camden Turn-Verein, which began yesterday afternoon, did not cease until this morning. The new home of the society is only surpassed by one other organization in the city, and as a result every true German in this city is happy. The building, which is located at 516, 522 Pine street, and which was erected at a cost of $25,000 presented quite an animated appearance during the dedication. The ceiling and sides of the walls were decorated with greens, banners and the American and German colors. The afternoon programme was begun by an address and delivery of the keys by Herman T. Fuchs, president of the Building Fund Association, to the Speaker of the Turn-Verein; response and acceptance of the buildings by Theodore G. Maier, Speaker of the Turn-Verein; address by John H. Fort, Esq. Shortly before nine o’clock the strains of music were heard by those in the hall, and a few moments later the Second Regiment Band, of Philadelphia, marched in, followed by the Southwark Turn-Verein, of Philadelphia; the Germania Turn-Verein of the same city, and the Philadelphia Turngemeinde. The Sixth Regiment Band, which furnished the music for the dedication, was also in line. The clubs marched over the following route before going to the hall: Up Market street from the ferry to Third, to Federal, to Broadway and thence to the hall. All along the line the visitors were greeted with applause and saluted with red fire.
The evening’s programme consisted of an address of welcome to the guests by Louis Holler, chairman of School Committee of the Camden Turn-Verein; response by A. L. Weise, Speaker of the Philadelphia Turn-Bezirk; chorus by the singing section of the Philadelphia Turn-Gemeinde; gymnastic exhibitions by members of the Southwark Turn-Verein, Philadelphia; the Philadelphia Turn-Gemeinde, and the Germania Verein, Philadelphia; military drill by the Rifle Company of the Philadelphia Turn-Gemeinde.
Among the prominent people present were Senator M. A. Rogers, Dr. William H. Iszard, Councilmen Eugene B. Roberts, Ben Lawton and Dr. William H. Jones, Hon. William H. Cole, Judge Alfred Hugg, Fred. A. Rex, J. Wesley Sell, Thomas B. Powell, Councilman Charles Sharp, Ulie G. Lee, Everett Ackley, Howard Lee, Harry Lee, Jay Lugar, George Frazee, Chas. Lederman, Wash Campbell, Thos. Elliott, Percey Ashley U. G. Styron, T. Patterson, F. F. Patterson, Jr., William Schofield, Excise Commissioner Lewis McDowell, Coroner E. E. Jefferis, Deputy Coroner Richard W. Kerswell, Fish Warden J. Harry Neutze, C. Leonard Schneider, Jacob Neutze, E. P. Kelly, John Kelly, Dr. George Henry, Dr. Benjamin Lewis, W. Elwood Campbell, E. M. Benton, Henry Kobus and William Guthridge.
Pine Street East of South 5th Street, c. 1906
Turner Hall is on right, the two-story building with a bay window. Pine Street east of South 5th Street, circa 1906.
Special Notice — Turner Hall Sale Meeting
Camden Post-Telegram —
A special meeting of the certificate holders of the Turnhalle Baufond Gesellschaft of Camden N. J., will be held at Turner Hall, 516 Pine street, Camden, N. J., on Thursday, August 15th, 1918, at 8:30 o’clock p. m., for the purpose of authorizing the sale of the property known as Turner Hall, located at 516 to 522 Pine street, Camden, N. J. ANTHONY J. OBERST, Secretary. 809 South Fifth St., Camden, N. J.
Turner Hall Sold to Hurley Company
Camden Post-Telegram —
TURNER HALL SOLD TO HURLEY COMPANY. Another of Camden’s old landmarks has changed ownership through the sale of Turner Hall on Pine street below Broadway, to the Hurley Dry Goods Company.
The Hurley stores have been crowded for room for some time. Their large warehouses do not carry the full stock of goods and Turner Hall will be used for the storage of the accumulation of merchandise which is arriving every day. The overcrowded Hurley stores, the growth and the continued soaring of prices foresee the Hurley management far ahead for not only this year but next as well. They will have ample merchandise when the people want it and also a protection from having to pay higher prices if the competition is not abolished by the manufacturers. The buying of Turner Hall added to the vast amount of property that it has more than twenty-five years ago in a small way with only a few employees who pleased the people and by their liberal spirit of dealing in all ways. They have been growing year by year until today the Hurley stores have become the largest stores of their kind in South Jersey and one of the best in the country.
The sale of the property was handled by Edmund J. Alff. William Leonard Hurley
Former Turner Hall, October 27, 1956
The former Turner Hall being utilized by Hurley’s, October 27, 1956. Smoke is coming from the roof of the former Wildey Hall, which was destroyed by fire on this date.
Trustee’s Sale in Bankruptcy
Camden Courier-Post —
TRUSTEE’S SALE IN BANKRUPTCY — NEW FURNITURE, TELEVISIONS, STEREOS, AIR CONDITIONERS, Etc. To be Sold on the Premises at PUBLIC AUCTION.
520 PINE ST., CAMDEN, N.J. and Continuing Thereafter 419 KAIGHN AVE., CAMDEN, N.J. — TUESDAY & WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 13 & 14, 1968.