This past summer, the entire country spent the month of July celebrating the 250th anniversary of the United States of America. However, for the greater Philadelphia area, Independence Day was not the only celebration on the docket.
The Benjamin Franklin Bridge first opened to the public on the first of July in 1926, marking 100 years of connecting Camden, New Jersey with Philadelphia, Pennsylvania this past July. While most of the festivities took place during the summer, the celebration is not over yet.
On Wednesday, October 14th, the Cherry Hill Historical Commission organized an informative presentation that explored the significance and impact this bridge had on Cherry Hill itself.
Led by local historian Mike Mathis and author Michael Howard, “Bridging History – 100 Years of the Ben Franklin Bridge: Shaping Cherry Hill,” enlightened attendees on the bridge construction process and how its completion revolutionized the development of southern New Jersey in its entirety.
Prior to the bridge’s creation, what is now Camden County was primarily made up of rural farmland. The only way to cross the Delaware River into Philadelphia for farmers to sell their wares was by ferry boat, which became more difficult to access over time as the growing population bred heavy traffic.
After deeming the bridge necessary, it only took about four and a half years to construct. Following the opening, the development of neighboring towns skyrocketed; especially Cherry Hill.
The ease of travel between South Jersey and a major city such as Philadelphia quickly revolutionized the sale of farmed goods and heavily stimulated the local economy. However, local farmers were not the only ones who benefitted.
Cherry Hill saw a steady boom of housing construction and business expansion up until the Great Depression. Along with the rest of the country, growth resumed following World War II, which led to the opening of the famed Garden State Park Racetrack, and eventually, the Cherry Hill Mall, which also recently celebrated a historic milestone.
As time went on and Cherry Hill further developed, the uptick of travel and the popularity of the area increased traffic immensely. There was a growing need for another bridge to be built. Originally named the Delaware River Bridge, the plan for another bridge contributed to its renaming after the famous Philadelphian, Benjamin Franklin. The Walt Whitman Bridge, named after the famous New Jersey poet, then opened in 1957 and offered yet another avenue of travel between states.
With the Walt Whitman Bridge came Interstate 295 and other notable highways that further connected not only New Jersey to Philadelphia, but New Jersey together as a whole. Prior to this boom of Ben Franklin Bridge-induced development, there had not even been one traffic light from Camden to Long Beach Island.
Now, the next time that you are looking out over the Delaware River as you drive over the Ben Franklin Bridge, or are sitting in standstill traffic on the Walt Whitman Bridge on your way to a sporting event, try to think of a time where none of this would have been possible.
Interested in attending their next presentation? Keep up to date with the Cherry Hill Historical Commission at www.chnj.gov/111/Historical-Commission
