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Welcome to the Website of the
Smithville Conservancy
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A SMITHVILLE RETROSPECTIVE
Click on the above link for your introduction to Smithville, compliments of Will Scott, a teacher at Eastampton Community School
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The H.B. Smith Industrial Village Conservancy is a non-profit organization established to support the Burlington County Freeholders in their efforts to preserve and restore the once thriving village of Smithville, a 19th Century Company Town, and to develop the County Park at Smithville. In addition to its fund-raising activities, the Conservancy works to promote interest in Smithville as an historic, cultural, educational and recreational center.
Its headquarters are located on the grounds of Burlington County's Smithville Park in the historic Semple Cottage at 801 Smithville Road in Eastampton Township, Burlington County, NJ.
Established in 1997, the Conservancy is governed by a volunteer board of Trustees consisting of citizens of Burlington County selected because of their leadership qualities, their interest in local history and historic preservation, and their support of the recreational potential of the natural resources of this historic property. The Board functions in cooperation with the Burlington County Parks Department, the Burlington County Division of Cultural Affairs and Tourism, and the Burlington County Board of Chosen Freeholders.
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A SYMPHONY IN IRON AT SMITHVILLE - A PHOTO ESSAY
Armed with a camera and a keen eye, Mr. Laufer has created a visual essay based on the decorative iron found throughout Smithville Park. As an employer, H.B. Smith was both a pragmatist and a humanitarian, and when the demand for his woodworking equipment was slow, he would keep his employees working by creating structural and decorative iron products for use in his village. Today, in addition to being a garden spot for naturalists, Smithville is also a sculpture garden of iron artifacts gracing the buildings and grounds of the village. Laufer has gathered dozens of photos of the iron throughout the property that will provide another dimension to your next visit to Smithville.
From "Smithville, The Result of Enterprise" - William Bolger, 1980 - page 68:
"During the depression of the mid-1870s Smith maintained the village crew by reducing hours and by engaging the workers in improvements to the village. Even the foundry had contributed to the village building projects during slow times by producing custom made cast iron work for both structural and decorative purposes."
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For detailed chronology, click on the "History" tab in the menu in the left sidebar
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Here are some recent photos I took of Smithville in all its Summer glory. In addition to the natural beauty, you will see photos of Smithville landmarks from unusual vantage points that perhaps only a photographer can appreciate. I have included pictures of 8 and 9 Park Avenue, the future home of the Workers' House Museum and the Hugh Campbell Art Gallery. Also, of the future Visitor's Center, 34 Maple Avenue. There are some neat shots of the Gardner's House and the Gazebo from unique vantage points. Enjoy!
You may watch the slideshow above by clicking on the arrow or click on the link below to go to "Smithville Webshots" to see the photos individually. This first picture shown is the newly constructed "skeleton framework" of the Conservatory at Smithville shown in its original form in the photo below.
SmithvilleInBloom09
Here's a great Smithville picture we just received from Larry Tigar of the Mount Holly Historical Society. How we came upon the picture is an interesting story in itself. Mt. Holly History writer, Dennis C. Rizzo, who wrote "Mount Holly - A Hometown Reinvented" (History Press, 2007) included this picture on page 116- photographically reversed, however - calling it the greenhouses of the Ashurst Estate of Mt. Holly. Dave Potts, a Board Member of the Smithville Conservancy discovered the error and called it to our attention. We contacted Dennis concerning the source of the photo, and that led us to Larry Tigar, who is looking through the Mt. Holly archives for the original.
I am guessing that the picture dates to approximately 1890. The Conservatory was completed in 1883 - one of the last structures on the property completed under H.B. Smith's proprietership. From the look at the plant growth around it, and some discoloration of the foundation, I am guessing that it was about 8 years old at the time of the photo. H.B. Smith died in 1887. There are three other "Smithville" trademarks in the picture: the decorative iron grape arbors to the left of Conservatory and inside the Mansion garden walls and the two bicycles. Along the mansion wall you see a cyclist on the Star Bicycle, manufactured at Smithville, and in the foreground, on the sidewalk in front of the Conservatory, there's a woman on an adult tricycle -- something the Smith Company had been experimenting with. This is, in my opinion, one of the best photos of this section of the property from that period. |
