Woodland Avenue

Woodland Avenue at one time ran east from Broadway, opposite the New York Shipbuilding Corporation shipyards, through to South 10th Street, north of Morgan Street. The 500 block of Woodland Avenue was one of the blocks in what was known as “The Terraces,” four blocks of row houses that included the 500 blocks of Lester Terrace, Gordon Terrace, and Fairview Street. Many of these homes had been abandoned by 1990, and were all for the most part razed by the end of the decade. The balance of the homes, perhaps a dozen or so, were acquired by local government and had been taken down by the end of 2008.

I grew up in Fairview in the 1960’s, however my grandparents lived at 551 Woodland Ave over in the Terraces. My father was a Camden Fireman and my mother a waitress, so whenever their work schedules collided (which was often) I spent time with my grandparents over on the Terraces. It was like a 2nd home to me.

My grandfather worked at the New York Shipbuilding Corporation yard, so in the early 60’s he and my grandmother moved from Fairview over to the Terraces so that he could be closer to his job. I remember him coming home for lunch everyday.

Woodland Avenue was the very last street in the Terraces. Out the backdoor of my grandparents house was an open field, then train tracks and the old Camden Brewery. Across the street from the Brewery was Cadillac Dog Food. I remember standing on my grandparents back porch and watching while they imploded the Brewery, then a few years later Cadillac Dog Food.

The trains that came out of the NYSY railyard would have to slow way down to negotiate the southern spur (curve). As kids we used to hide in the tall grass right at the curve and wait for them to slow down. Then we would jump on and ride the train down to the street crossing at Morgan Blvd. One of the worst “tannings” I ever got was when my grandmother saw me do it once. First I got it from her, then again when my parents picked me up to go home.

— Pat Cusick, November 2011

551 Woodland Avenue — Janice Fern Crossett

The first payment on one share of stock in the Kearsarge Building and Loan Association has been offered to parents of the following children born in the Fourteenth ward during the month of April: Norman Turner, 824 Bulson Street; kathryn jeanette mahoney, 709 Morgan Street; Anna Mae Hollowell, 550 Grant Avenue; Janice Fern Crossett, 551 Woodland Avenue; Thomas Joseph Dorsey, Jr., 2929 Constitution Road; June Lonkert, 1515 Collings Road; donald embley corson, 2512 Morgan Boulevard; Eileen Francis Patton, 1212 Yorkship Square; Philip Edward Gruber, Jr., 1232 America Road; Jean Marie Fanslow, 1659 Alabama Road; John Campbell, 539 Lester Terrace; William Richard Hook, 1577 Alabama Road; Carole Marie Davis, 2788 Yorkship Square, and Earl Purnell Lewin, 1228 America Road.

531 Woodland Avenue — James Ritter

680 Woodland Avenue — John Jamison

710 Woodland Avenue — Anthony Baker

728 Woodland Avenue — Mrs. Edna N. Richards McNeece

A roller-skating child bride who thought her 19 year old husband “too old” for her was well on her way to being divorced yesterday by Al Daidone, 29, of 424 Clinton street.

Advisory Master Knight recommended a decree for Daidone. His wife, Fannie, lives near Scranton, Pa., with their child, Catherine, nine. Mrs. Daidone is now 25. They were married when she was not yet 15 and he only 19, Daidone testified. But instead of settling down, he said, his wife was roller skating day and night, and complained that he was too old. She deserted him, he said, in the Fall of 1928.

Knight also advised a decree for Mrs. Clara Zoeller Wall Safford, of 1269 Atlantic avenue, from Robert H., also known as Cornelius J. Linskey. They were married Feb. 10, 1923 and he deserted her in December, 1929, she said. World war bonus papers came to him in the name of Linskey, Mrs. Safford testified, but he never explained why.

A decree was recommended for Mrs. Edna N. Richards McNeece from William G. McNeece of Baltimore. They eloped to Elkton, Md., March 9, 1935, and he deserted her less than three months later. She lives at 728 Woodland avenue.

759 Woodland Avenue — Charles Larsen

827 Woodland Avenue — Russell Bowen

830 Woodland Avenue — Elizabeth McLeish

927 Woodland Avenue — John F. Magonagle

Stricken with a heart attack while at work at the New York Shipyard, John F. Magonagle, 72, of 927 Woodland avenue, died before he could be removed to West Jersey Homeopathic Hospital.

Coroner Arthur H. Holl issued the death certificate. Magonagle is survived by his wife, Edith, two sons and a daughter.

947 Woodland Avenue — Mrs. Amelia Fisher