Atsion: Old and Renewed

[Jerseyman]

George, Guy and Mike:

I love your idea of starting a new thread on the restoration of the Atsion Mansion featuring photos of its restoration along with historic images of the mansion and the village. I’ve decided to kick the thread off with some period shots of the railroad and the icehouse as well as the floorplan of the mansion from the fire insurance survey. Please feel free to add to other images to the thread—I hope it grows into a robust and frequently appended thread!

Central Railroad of New Jersey’s Atsion Station, c. 1920

Atsion residents and railroad employees pose for the photographer on the station platform, c. 1915

Atsion Water Tank for Replenishing Locomotive Tenders, c. 1920

The Atsion Lake Icehouse, c. 1915. Notice the Central Railroad of New Jersey boxcar, providing scale for the building’s massing

THE BLUE COMET rolling through the Pines near Atsion, c. 1935

For more information on the fire insurance survey, please review this thread:

http://forums.njpinebarrens.com/showthread.php?t=4313&highlight=Patterson

Best regards,
Jerseyman

 

[MarkBNJ]

Wow, great photos, Jerseyman, and a great kick-off to what should be an interesting thread. I will make sure to grab some pics every time I pass by the mansion.

 

[Jerseyman]

Atsion Schools

Here are two historic images of Atsion’s schools:

Sorry for the poor image quality, but the original was not great to start with.

Best regards,
Jerseyman
__________________
scriptor rerum Nova Caesarea
Dei memor, gratus amicus

 

[Jerseyman]

Atsion Map: 1876

Rather than assume that all reading this thread are aware of Atsion’s physical layout, I thought I would post the Atsion map from the 1876 Burlington County atlas:

Best regards,
Jerseyman
__________________
scriptor rerum Nova Caesarea
Dei memor, gratus amicus

 

[LARGO]

That was a great help, and something I would not have thought of.
Good perspective of the layout! It would really be great if the state would take on the whole of the town, but the mansion is a good start.
g.

 

[woodjin]

Great photos Jerseyman! Such a difference from today. It is often difficult to get a perspective from old photos compared to modern day, the reference point is hard to determine. It is amazing how cleared everything was in the past.

Jeff

 

[Ben Ruset]

Maybe it's me, but I don't see the mansion on that map. It should be right to the right of the "store" which is now the rangers office.

 

[Jerseyman]

Maybe it's me, but I don't see the mansion on that map. It should be right to the right of the "store" which is now the rangers office.

Ben:

I think you’ll find the cartographer did not compose his map with the utmost accuracy; the mansion is the large red square to the south south-east of the store. Obviously, the ironmaster's house should be depicted closer to the store building.

Best regards,
Jerseyman
__________________
scriptor rerum Nova Caesarea
Dei memor, gratus amicus

 

[bobpbx]

The Blue Comet Photo is the BOSS!

 

[Teegate]

There is also a nice one in "The Trail of The Blue Comet" on page 261 that shows a train passing the station with the Atsion spur in view.

Guy

 

[Jerseyman]

There is also a nice one in "The Trail of The Blue Comet" on page 261 that shows a train passing the station with the Atsion spur in view.

Guy

You are correct, Guy—although the photo predates THE BLUE COMET, showing instead a regular train to Atlantic City. I think you mean the Atco spur, not the Atsion spur. If I find the print of that photo, I will add it to the mix here. I was searching for it earlier, but I came up empty-handed.

Best regards,
Jerseyman
__________________
scriptor rerum Nova Caesarea
Dei memor, gratus amicus

 

[Teegate]

Yes, I meant the Atco Spur. Again, too many things going on at once.

Guy

 

[Teegate]

I am never sure if the members who have been here for a while appreciate me posting my photo’s again for the new members, so here is one that I am certain that nobody here has viewed. This map which I only photographed a portion of, shows the buildings in Atsion on 9/21/1955.

And if you want the two larger maps merged and full size, here they are.


http://teegate.njpinebarrens.com/Atsion/atsion.jpg


Guy

 

[Teegate]

If you notice in the bottom map, at the very bottom along the tracks, there is a small road leading to what looks like two or three buildings. That was the property of Hugh J. Phillips and was .2196 acres. Also, the houses above his lot are most likely the homes shown in the photo with the large piece of slag discussed in previous posts.

Guy

 

[Jerseyman]

Very nice addition to this thread, Guy! The 1955 map represents one important element of this thread: the past. Now for all of you who have more recent images of the mansion, store, decaying buildings, etc., please don’t hesitate to post them here. Your photos are just as important to this discussion as is the historical material.

Keep it coming, people!!

Best regards,
Jerseyman
__________________
scriptor rerum Nova Caesarea
Dei memor, gratus amicus

 

[MikeBickerson]

I don't have any historical photos, but here's what I have...

Richards Mansion at Atsion being worked on - January 12, 2008



I have more images of the workers standing around looking lost, but I need to find where I filed them...

Richards Mansion - February 20, 2004

 

[Jerseyman]

Very nice, Mike—this is exactly what we need to fill in the modern age for this thread. If you take more digital images at Atsion, please select the better ones and continue posting them here.

Best regards,
Jerseyman

 

[BEHR655]

I am never sure if the members who have been here for a while appreciate me posting my photo’s again for the new members........
Guy

If you think they are relevant to the thread, please post them.

Steve

 

[MikeBickerson]

Very nice, Mike—this is exactly what we need to fill in the modern age for this thread. If you take more digital images at Atsion, please select the better ones and continue posting them here.

Best regards,
Jerseyman

No worries

This is my favorite building to take pictures of at Atsion, although I really have no idea why. It sits behind the poured concrete barn and is slowly collapsing like something that collapses slowly...

February 20, 2004:





May 1, 2005:



June 20, 2007:



November 9, 2007:



All of these maps of Atsion are great!

 

[MikeBickerson]

Perhaps after this thread has run it's course over a couple of weeks (and I'm excited to see others pictures/maps/maybe reposts of some important Atsion info or the old Bailey House story link), there should be threads for other towns/landmarks. I know when I was first getting into local history, I was fascinated by all of the different pictures in books/on the Internet of two places: Joe Mulliner's grave and Asbury Park. Those pictures made me want to go out and take pictures myself, so I could have my own little moments in time.

One more I found that I like, the sign from the Bailey house after it's recent collapse (November 2007):