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Joint Alley

Camden, NJ

Joint Alley

Joint Alley runs for one block, east from South 3rd to South 4th Street, between Spruce and Walnut Streets. The street first appears in city directories in 1850, but there may not have been houses built there until 1888, as none appear in the 1887–1888 City Directory, but several are listed in the 1888–1889 edition. There were only six houses left on Joint Alley by 1947. No buildings have stood on Joint Alley for many years.

Phil Cohen

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1946 Map of Camden

1946 map of Camden between Locust Street and Broadway, Spruce and Sycamore Streets, showing Joint Alley

1946 map of Camden between Locust Street & Broadway, Spruce & Sycamore Streets, showing Joint Alley.

Joint Alley — 1906 Sanborn Map

1906 Sanborn fire insurance map of Joint Alley

1906 Sanborn fire insurance map showing Joint Alley.

Intersection of South 3rd Street and Joint Alley

Looking east on Joint Alley from South 3rd Street, December 22, 2005 Looking east on Joint Alley from South 3rd Street, December 22, 2005 Looking east on Joint Alley from South 3rd Street, September 1, 2006, photo by Enrico Doganiero

Looking east on Joint Alley from South 3rd Street. December 22, 2005 and September 1, 2006. Photos by Enrico Doganiero.

A Memory of Joint Alley

Enrico Doganiero

I walked down Joint Alley as a youth thousands of times. It was about one block from our barber shop. It was a small alley street running from 3rd to 4th Street between Cherry and Spruce. It has a very interesting history and was the residence of a popular Camden figure—Johnny Carroll—who rented horses and wagons to Camden City before Camden had its own fleet. He also had a beautiful tavern, for its time, and some beautiful girls, as I am told by my brothers.

Where the red building is used to be a candy store owned by Mr. Abbott. Most children would stop there on their way to school in the morning and after lunch for one-penny candy. The gray building across the alley on the right is where Mr. Carroll had his saloon & stables.

300 Block of Joint Alley

300 Block of Joint Alley — Occupants

City directory records.

318 Joint Alley

318 Joint Alley — 300 Block of Joint Alley — Occupants
Year Name
1888–1891Isaac Campbell
1917 Walter 'Kentucky Rosebud' Edgerton
1917Minnie Smith Edgerton
1927Unity Hall
1947Brooklyn Jones

320 Joint Alley

320 Joint Alley — 300 Block of Joint Alley — Occupants
Year Name
1888–1891Mrs. Anna Goss
1890–1891William Roselle
1947William Brown

328 Joint Alley

328 Joint Alley — 300 Block of Joint Alley — Occupants
Year Name
1888–1889Henry Weaver
1890–1891Mrs. Letetia Suders
1890–1891William Suders

330 Joint Alley

330 Joint Alley — 300 Block of Joint Alley — Occupants
Year Name
1884John W. Baynard
1890–1891Thomas White
1890–1891William Walker
1947Raymond L. Boyd

332 Joint Alley

332 Joint Alley — 300 Block of Joint Alley — Occupants
Year Name
1888–1889Mrs. Rebecca Darrah
1888–1889James Fisher
1890–1891Frederick D. White
1947Mrs. Hettie McConnell

334 Joint Alley

334 Joint Alley — 300 Block of Joint Alley — Occupants
Year Name
1888–1889Joseph Matlock
1890–1891Charles H. Bowers
1944 Zellie Ellis
1947Harold S. Daniels

345 Joint Alley

345 Joint Alley — 300 Block of Joint Alley — Occupants
Year Name
1888–1889Charles Longbeck
1890–1891Charles Langenbeck
1947Mrs. Mary Shaw

348 Joint Alley

348 Joint Alley — 300 Block of Joint Alley — Occupants
Year Name
1890–1891Andrew Fleckenstein
1947Mrs. Mary Shaw

350 Joint Alley

350 Joint Alley — 300 Block of Joint Alley — Occupants
Year Name
1888–1891Charles Lonenbeck

Policy Shop Raided on Joint Alley

Philadelphia Inquirer

Policy Shop Raided on Joint Alley — 330 Joint Alley, Philadelphia Inquirer, August 8, 1884

Yesterday afternoon information was lodged at police headquarters in Camden that a policy shop was being carried on in Joint alley, below Fourth street. The informant was told to furnish sufficient proof, when an arrest would be made. The man at once went to the place and bought six pieces, and when they were taken to police headquarters Chief of Police Matlack, Lieutenant Kelly and Officers Peterson and John Streeper made a raid on the house at about eight o’clock in the evening, when John W. Baynard, colored, the proprietor of the house; George M. Johnson, colored, the policy writer, and Benjamin Stone, white, a player, were arrested, the latter being detained as a witness. There were also taken drawings of August 7, and of several days, a manifold book, used in writing the pieces, and a small amount in cash. The men will have a hearing before the Mayor today.

Mary E. Gibbs Arrested

Philadelphia Inquirer

Mary E. Gibbs arrested — Joint Alley, Philadelphia Inquirer, December 27, 1896

Mary E. Gibbs, colored, of Joint alley, is locked up at the City Hall, charged with cutting William E. Allison, of 232 Spruce street. Both are said to have used knives during a quarrel, and Allison was also arrested, but was released on his own recognizance.

Marriage Licenses

Camden Post-Telegram

Marriage Licenses — Walter Edgerton, 318 Joint Alley, Camden Post-Telegram, November 20, 1917

The following applications for marriage licenses have been made at the office of City Clerk Brown since yesterday:

Philip Faccenda, aged 22 years, of Philadelphia, and Mary A. Cericola, aged 20 years, of 634 Ferry avenue.

Guy P. MacKenzie, aged 25 years, of Matmosotte, Ohio, and Nellie C. Jubb, aged 23 years, of 208 Walnut street.

Walter Edgerton, aged 63 years, of 318 Joint Alley, and Minnie M. Smith, aged 33 years, of same address.

Vice Squad Raids Nine Disorderly Houses

Camden Courier-Post

Vice Squad Raids Nine Disorderly Houses — Unity Hall, 318 Joint Alley, Camden Courier-Post, February 7, 1927

Starting at midnight Saturday the vice squad and other police raided nine alleged colored disorderly houses in South Camden.

The biggest raid was made at the home of Walter Edgerton, colored, 1068 Ivins street. Edgerton, a former prize fighter known many years ago as the “Kentucky Rosebud,” was held in $500 bail as the proprietor of the place. Twelve men, all said to have been rolling dice, were arrested. Several of the players had scrambled for doors and windows, but nobody escaped.

Others whose places were raided and who were held in $500 bail each as principals are Ruth Smith, 714 Locust street; Unity Hall, 318 Joint alley; Addie Johnson, 213 Pine street; Mamie Booker, 703 Baxter street; Miriam Robinson, 312 Division street; John and Mary Walker, 1133 South Second street; June Loftus, 822 Locust street, and Ethel Davis, 821 Locust street. All are colored.

Intersection of Joint Alley and South 4th Street

Looking west on Joint Alley from South 4th Street, December 22, 2005 Looking west on Joint Alley from South 4th Street, September 1, 2006, photo by Enrico Doganiero

Looking west on Joint Alley from South 4th Street. December 22, 2005 and September 1, 2006. Photos by Enrico Doganiero.

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