Blaine Street

Blaine Street originally ran from 424 South 7th Street to Trenton Avenue, and through to Haddon, end at 429 Haddon Avenue, with houses on the north side between South 7th and Trenton. The south side of Blaine Street has the rear of homes fronting on New Street, which runs parallel from South 7th Street to Trenton Avenue. In recent times the exit onto Haddon Avenue has been blocked off, and no houses stand anymore on Blaine Street. Blaine Street is bisected between South 7th and Trenton by an alley known as Edmunds Street.

Blaine Street first appear in Camden's city directories in the 1888–1889 edition. The street was named for James Gillespie Blaine, who served twice as Secretary of State and was the 1884 Republican candidate for President of the United States, losing to Grover Cleveland. Although Cleveland was from New Jersey, Camden was very much a Republican town, this being the era when General William Joyce Sewell dominated local politics. The James G. Blaine School, which was located on the south-east corner of North 23rd Street at Wayne Avenue, facing North 23rd Street, in the Pavonia–Cramer Hill section of Camden, in what was then Stockton Township was also named in his honor.

Albert Karge, 20, of 705 Blaine Street was arrested by Patrolman Frank Wilmot last night charged with a statutory offense against a 15-year-old South Camden girl.

The charges were made by the girl’s father. Karge will be given a hearing in police court today.

My Grandfather was Raymond L. Thomer who lived at 713 Blaine Street, Camden City. He told me about the fire. My Father and Grandmother were walking home and saw the fire trucks go by them with no idea that the fire was at their house. My Grandfather was home alone and had to drop out of the second floor window. They lost everything they had in the fire.

My grandmother’s first cousin John O’Neil was also a firefighter at that fire. I was told he was injured when a window broke out and cut his arm.

Donna Mendelero — February 2010