A walk through family history: Riverton, NJ

Rob's paternal great-grandparents lived on Bank Ave. in Riverton NJ right along the river. Actually, his grandparents were members of the Philadelphia Biddle family and occupied the now endangered Biddle Mansion . The mansion was built in 1876 and converted to an apartment building in 1962. However, due to poor maintenance, the house is now "considered one of the most threatened historic sites in the state." Along the same row were other "seen better days" homes. I actually did NOT take a picture of the home. We weren't sure which one it was, but I thought that it would not illustrate the beauty of area near the Riverton Yacht Club.

When you drive down Main St. in Riverton towards the river, you are surrounded by historically preserved homes and tree-lined sidewalks. The Riverton Yacht club's stick-style is a nice complement to the history of Riverton and its architecture.

Riverton was established in 1851 by a group of Quakers, including the Biddle's, who wanted summer homes for their families. The appeal of the country with access to the city was most appealing. Some summer dwellers were Joseph Campbell (yes, the soup) and Isaac Clothier(Strawbridges). The group commissioned Samuel Sloan to design and build the village. One of the most influential groups formed in Riverton was the Porch Club. A club for women, the porch club was involved in social improvements but as was instrumental in establishing the first Kindergarten in the country. Today, Riverton is home to about 3,000 people and is neighbor to Palmyra and Cinnaminson. It is a real pedestrian town, but also has a railway giving commuters access to Trenton and Camden.