African American Community near Batsto Village

[Kevin]

Hey all,

I live just north of the pine barrens but have been going down there since I was little with the Scouts, canoeing and camping, and now as I am older, hunting and off roading. One question I have had for awhile but never had the nerve to ask is, who are group of African Americans that live by the municipal airport by batsto village. Do they work the farms there, is it a long established community? Does anyone know anything about them?

I am very interested in the African American history of our state and I was just shocked the first time I saw what seems to be a large community down in the Pines

Any info would be appreciated

KS

 

[Teegate]

They are migrant workers who work the farm. If you notice the vehicles have florida tags as well as other states. Some workers come in by bus from Camden or Philadelphia each day, but some seem to reside there during the peak farming period.

 

[RednekF350]

They are Haitians and they have been coming to Columbia Fruit Farms in Hammonton at that location for several years now. They live there full time for the blueberry season. In a few more weeks there will be no one there at all.

The owners of the farm were fined heavily and forced to drastically improve the facilities a few years back. Here is an interesting article:
http://bangordailynews.com/2011/06/...armer-cites-us-torment-on-workers-conditions/

The Catholic Church does an outreach program that provides masses for them each year.
http://camdenlifejustice.wordpress....or-haitian-farm-workers-june-24-in-hammonton/

 

[Kevin]

Wow guys thanks for the quick info, fascinating stuff, and what a great service the Catholic Church is providing for them

 

[Spung-Man]

It's an interesting area. Columbia (Airport) Road was laid out along an ancient trail, so named for the New Columbia Tavern in Nesco. There is a pond near the airport that sums up what the area must have once been like - Desolation Pond. I believe one of these two is the spung:

http://maps.njpinebarrens.com/#lat=39.658232405064055&lng=-74.75962527069089&z=17&type=nj1930&gpx=​

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http://maps.njpinebarrens.com/#lat=39.658232405064055&lng=-74.75962527069089&z=17&type=nj1930&gpx=​

It is one of my favorite Pine Barrens names! A little to the west is what is reputed to be an old tavern. Budd Wilson pointed it out to me, but provided few details. Does anyone have any information on the place?

There are a lot of African American settlements in the Pines, many associated with old charcoal camps (New Rome, Rattletrap, Walkers Ford (not Forge) although their current populace came later -especially just after WWI. There was even a community near Elwood settled by Blacks Jews.

Neat stuff about the Haitians, R-F350.

S-M

 

[Teegate]

How far is "a little to the west?" Do you mean this?

http://maps.njpinebarrens.com/#lat=39.657414684444&lng=-74.76418502601621&z=17&type=nj1930&gpx=

 

[Spung-Man]

Guy,

The purported tavern is out towards the Myrtle intersection. I'd have to drive by to jog the memory. There was another inn about a quarter mile east of the Atlantic/Gloucester/Camden County intersection. The survey stake for the tri-county boundary was set in a spung called Moss Pond, another one of many spungs that have disappeared due to groundwater depletion.

http://maps.njpinebarrens.com/#lat=39.67545907488418&lng=-74.80058997842309&z=17&type=nj1930&gpx=​

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S-M​