OLD BIRMINGHAM HOTEL

[John]

Aloha All,

First I love this site! I have been visiting this site for about 2 years now and really enjoy stories as well as the pictures people share of the pines, especially whitesbog. I grew up in Pemberton Boro in the 60's and early 70's and frequently travelled back when Uncle Sam let me. I think I know more about the pines now than I ever have. There is one place that has always intrigued me and I have not seen it mentioned here. My grandfather used to take my brothers and I to Birmingham to fish the Rancocas. The location he would take was at the Ionac Chemical plant ball field at the time. In the creek on occasion we would find pieces of what I can only recall as fine china (broken white plates, cups with blue stripping and the odd utensils), all lost to history. The story was there was a Grand Hotel in what was then the ball field and the city slickers from Philly and New York would go there for a vacation in the pines. I have web searched for any reference to this hotel but have been unsuccessful. I guess what I am getting to is if anyone here has any info they like to share on this Hotel, I would greatly appreciate it.

This is my first post, so if I screwed it up or put it in the wrong place, let me know.

Mahalos
John

 

[oji]

John, In Arcadia Publishing's Images of America book on Browns Mills there is a photo of The Birmingham Inn. I have walked around the area recently and only found a few bricks. I am also a member of the Whitesbog Preservation Trust and I do volunteer work there. A lot has happened in Whitesbog, somewhere on this site are pictures of the packing house which unfortunately in falling down.

 

[John]

John, In Arcadia Publishing's Images of America book on Browns Mills there is a photo of The Birmingham Inn. I have walked around the area recently and only found a few bricks. I am also a member of the Whitesbog Preservation Trust and I do volunteer work there. A lot has happened in Whitesbog, somewhere on this site are pictures of the packing house which unfortunately in falling down.

Aloha Sir,

Appreciate the response. I had it wrong I was able to google Birmingham Inn(vice Hotel) and the info from Arcadia was there as well as actual Photos!! Outstanding! Fishing there with my brothers and grandfather is one of my fondest memories and the story about the hotel (INN). It always seemed to pop into my head at the strangest moments.

I also appreciate the info on Whitesbog. I do go to there website frequently and read the newsletters.
That is also was one of my favorite places to explore in the early 70's and I have been back several times over the years. I was able to get pictures (very distant) of Tundra Swans in the furthest bog before you get to Range Road, which no one seemed to believe passed thru the pines at the time. I think I read in one of the newsletters the Tundra Swans are regulars visitors now...will have to make a trip back to see.

Again thank you for the response and I will have more questions in the future.

Mahalos
John

 

[Boyd]

Bird ID is not my thing, so I don't know what a "Tundra Swan" is. However, if you visit the bogs/lakes at McDonald in Lebanon State Forest (aka Byrne) there are often large numbers of swans. http://maps.njpinebarrens.com/#lat=39.90377773084735&lng=-74.54356670379639&z=15&type=topo&gpx=

 

[oji]

Yes the Tundra Swans have been spending the winters at Whitesbog and several other areas in NJ. Here are some other sites for Whitesbog- Whitesbog.blogspot.com and Whitesbog2.blogspot.com

 

[RancocasRover]

My grandparents had a cabin in Ewansville on the Rancocas downstream from Birmingham. In the early & mid-70s they used to take me and my brother to a little penny candy store in Birmingham run by an a very old lady...they used to take my mother to the same store in the 40s and 50s I believe. Certainly not there anymore but I wish I could still scoop up swedish fish for a penny each today.

 

[John]

My grandparents had a cabin in Ewansville on the Rancocas downstream from Birmingham. In the early & mid-70s they used to take me and my brother to a little penny candy store in Birmingham run by an a very old lady...they used to take my mother to the same store in the 40s and 50s I believe. Certainly not there anymore but I wish I could still scoop up swedish fish for a penny each today.

Aloha Rover,

Wow....I well remember that store now. In the late 60's, early 70's my brothers and friends and I would hike along the railroad tracks from Pemberton Boro to go to the Ionac lake and would always make a point of stopping there for drinks and of course assorted sweets. I do not remember her name...but I do remember she was a very nice lady. I also remember the homes along the creek as we would occasional canoe from New Lisbon to Mt Holly. Some of the places had some real character to them. Those were some very good times and experiences and thank you for rekindling those old memories!!!

Mahalos
John