Baird Boulevard

Baird Avenue, named for Camden businessman, political leader and one-time U.S. Senator David Baird Sr., was laid out early in the 20th Century as part of the development of Camden's Parkside neighborhood. It is one of the three main roads in Parkside. It begins at Kaighn Avenue, running diagonally in a northerly direction, crossing Park Avenue at Camden High School and Farnham Park. From there Baird Avenue crosses the Cooper River and Admiral Wilson Avenue, entering East Camden, where it runs straight through across Marlton Avenue to its terminus, the intersection of Baird Avenue, Federal Street, and 27th Street— arguably the heart of East Camden.

The street was known as Baird Avenue when originally laid out in the 1900s. Homes began to appear on Baird Avenue after 1906, and there were a few empty lots in the 1500 block as late as 1924, and the Parkside blocks were referred to as Baird Avenue for many years. The East Camden side, above the Cooper River, was laid out by 1924, and from the beginning was called Baird Avenue. No homes stood on the East Camden blocks of Baird Avenue in 1924.

Baird Avenue was the home of many of Camden's most prominent citizens, from all walks of life— business, law, religion, and even organized crime!

The monthly meeting of the Parkside auxiliary to Cooper Hospital will be held tomorrow in the board rooms with Mrs. Herbert J. Schoelkopf, president, presiding. Plans will be made for a card party to be held in the near future at the home of Mrs. Hiram E. Budd, 1407 Baird avenue.

Miss Dorothy Schuler, daughter of Mrs. Joseph Brown of 1412 Baird Avenue, and Harold S. Haines, of Gibbsboro, were married at Parkside M.E. Church by Rev. Winfred A. Burch. The maid of honor was Miss Lucille Brown; bridesmaid was Miss Peggy Strecker, of New York; flower girl was Janice Ruth Haines Fitton; best man was Roland Oliver Haines. A reception was held at the bride's mother's home at 1412 Baird Avenue. The bride was a graduate of Camden High School. The bridegroom was a son of Mrs. Anna L. Haines Fitton, Haddon Avenue, Gibbsboro, and former football captain at Haddon Heights High School, 1928–1929, and was associated with Haines Brothers, cement block manufacturers.

Three persons were injured in an automobile crash at Admiral Wilson and Baird Avenues yesterday when a machine driven by a Camden man was in collision with an automobile driven by a Bridgeton man.

The most seriously injured was John Kaus, Jr., 19, of 1738 Tioga Street. He suffered a severed tendon of the right hand. Walter Connell, of 27 Marlton Avenue, driver of one machine, was cut about the head.

Anthony Batani, of Bridgeton, driver of the other car, was cut about the hands. J. R. Boston, of 718 Pearl Street, took all the injured to West Jersey Homeopathic Hospital.

Residents Protest Cooper Street Widening

Two of the Cooper Street property owners who appeared at a hearing this morning at City Hall protested assessments to be levied against them for the widening of the thoroughfare from Fourth to Ninth Streets.

The objectors declared they did not feel that it was fair that they should be taxed for improvements from which they derive no benefit. Their protests were heard by the Commissioner of Assessments in the commission chambers at the hall.

The commissioners, Charles S. Wolverton, Wilbur B. Ellis, and James F. Lennon, said after the hearing that they will give further consideration to the complaints before submitting their report to the city commission. This will be done, they said, in the case of two complaints from property owners along Baird Boulevard, who protested being taxed for the planting of trees and the grading of “islands” on that thoroughfare from Bank Street to Maplewood Avenue.

Thomas J. Daley, city engineer and clerk of the assessment commission by virtue of his position, explained after the hearing that the two Baird Boulevard property owners said they felt that the expenses of the improvement should be borne by the people who erected the properties along the highway.

Daley said that each abutting property owner on Cooper Street, from Fourth to Ninth Street, will pay an assessment of approximately $5.50 per front foot for the widening. The city taxpayers as a whole, he said, will also bear $5.50 per front foot, the other half of the cost of the improvement. The total cost of the widening, he reported, was $35,126, of which abutting property owners will pay $17,400, and the city taxpayers about $17,700.

The Baird Boulevard improvement, Daley said, cost a total of $3,020, of which the abutting property owners will pay $2,140 and the city taxpayer, as whole, $880. The cost to such property owner per lot, he explained, will be about $10, all lots being about 20 feet wide.

An assessment on both improvements, Daley reported, will be fixed by the city after the commissioners of assessment file their report. The city commission will then fix a date when property owners who may have objections may appear at a public hearing.

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