Photo taken about
1938-1939
John
Cephas
is standing outside house. Collins
Credit Clothing Store
is at left. |
A
Description of 919 Broadway
My
initial research on the house that was located at 919 Broadway
indicated that the property was built by one of the major
Camden house construction firms of the middle part of the 19th
century. A family with the name of "Story"
built it , and one of the Story individuals was in the
furniture business in Camden after the Civil War and into the
20th century.
The
construction of the house was all brick with white marble
inserts under each window, including the two small windows at
street level at the street level that was for the
basement. Altogether, there were four double-hung
windows at the front of the house. All the windows were
single glazed 19th century windows, with the solid-oak front
door at the top of five white marble steps (original).
The left side of the house abated the Di Mona Furniture Store
(looking directly from Broadway), the right side of the house
was all brick and had six windows along the side. There
was a small alley that extended from the street to the rear of
the house, with the house next door (917 Broadway) structurally
making up the other wall of the small alley. The
alley was part of the 919 Broadway property and trash cans
were usually placed within it with a wooden door leading to
the pavement. |
|
In
1937 the first floor of the house consisted of an entrance
foyer that led into a large front room that in traditional
19th century design was probably the "morning"
or living room, this room was about 20' x 15' had a solid
wood stair case leading up to the second floor. There was a
large clothes closet underneath the stairwell. Two
windows overlooked the alley. A solid wood door led to
the next room which was used for dining and was about 20' x
17' and had two windows overlooking the alley, and another
window, on slant, that overlooked where the alley entered the
back yard. The "kitchen," in 1937 was about
20' x 17' and had two windows. The equipment in 1937
were truly early 20th century, consisting of a large, black
metal natural gas stove (that had probably been converted
from a coal stove) with an outlet pipe. a large sink and room
for tables, chairs and a refrigerator or ice box. A rear
door of the kitchen (with a wonderful white porcelain handle
led to a rear wooden shed. It is to be noted that the
locks and hardware on all the interior doors were 19th century.
The backyard was probably 100' x 65' and was backed by a high
wooden fence.
Half
of the basement was "finished" in that on going down
the stairs into the area, the floor was concrete and there was
a large 20/25 year old coal burning hot air furnace.
Coal was received through one of the front basment windows
into an area in the front of the basement. The other
half of the basement, not finished was constructed over dirt
and rocks.
The
second floor consisted of a large front room with two windows
overlooking Broadway and was about 17' x 15.' There was
a door that led out into a little foyer area (4' x 5'), with a
closet, then another door that led out toward the stairwell
and the area around the stairwell where there were two
windows. Swinging around the stairwell and going
toward the rear of the house was a short hallway, with a
bedroom on one side (15 x 17') with three windows, then from
the hall way to the right was a small bathroom ( 15' x 8'),
consisting of a toilet, bath tub and sink. Finally,
there was a small rear bed room overlooking the rear yard and
shed roof. Altogether, there must have been 2000/2300
sq. ft making up this house in 1937. The bath room
set-up and equipment must have been added after the house was
constructed in the 19th century.
Interior
construction of this house was split solid wood floors, walls
of the house plaster on studs with wood intersections
inserted. They do not build houses like this anymore.
There were storm windows to fit in during the winter and
screens in the summer.
There
was an attic, with entrance from the one of the second floor
closets. There was an roof door to permit the exit to
the roof. I do know that there were a number of
newspapers from the 1870s and 80s found in the attic areas.
This
summarizes this antique, house as it was in 1937 when my
father, Dr. David E. Cooper (1886-1947) moved in to establish
a dental office, and later the family used for living
quarters. Afterwards, the house was changed on the
inside to reflect modern equipment such as a new hot water
heating system, new kitchen, baths, etc. This is was my
home from 1937 until I left for the United States Navy in
1944, and, finally after graduation from Duke University in
1950. My mother, Mrs. Sadie Cooper indicated that she
was very happy at this location, my father died there in 1947,
and it was a place where I was secure and happy, and
remember, most fondly.
Joseph
S. Cooper |
