Mount Laurel in the 1800's
|At the beginning of the 1800's, Mount
Laurel was made up of several small villages with much land in between
each village. Goods such as vegetables, wheat and lumber were transported
to market by several means.
The Rancocas Creek was used for transportation by the Indians
who traveled in birchbark or dugout
canoes. The first settlers also tried the Indian's method. After
a while, the canoe was replaced by a scow
or flat-bottomed boat. The scow had square ends. A rudder on the
back end was used to steer and push the boat down the creek.
or flat-bottomed boat
Later on, the Rancocas was
dredged out so that larger boats
could travel in its waters. In 1824, the steamboat
"Lafayette" was used to carry goods and passengers between
Mount Holly and Philadelphia. The fare
| Another means of transportation
was the Moorestown-Mount Holly Turnpike. People traveled by foot,
horse, wagon, buggy and stagecoach.
See a picture of a stagecoach.
This was the original tollhouse where travelers stopped and payed
a fee for traveling on the turnpike. Quite often, they were greeted
favorite treat of the travelers.
on Moorestown-Mt. Laurel Road
| The Camden-Burlington Railroad
Line was running through the village of Masonville by 1863 where
there was a small passenger and freight station. This view shows
the present tracks which are across the street from Rancocas Woods.
| The Lenni Lenape Indians sent
messages from the mount by means of smoke signals. After 1800,
a stockbroker operated a signal code system on the mount. Signals
were sent from New York to Philadelphia about stock
market information. Operators at stations on high points across
New Jersey signaled to each other using flags by day and light
flashes by night. In 1844, after Samual Morse invented his code,
the mount became a signal tower for Wall Street reports.
of the mount from Hillside School
The Philadelphia Stock Exchange had its
start in the London Coffee House
located in Philadelphia (1754-1790).
At the top of the mount there is a tall
metal tower with disks. This is the Western Union Microwave
Radio Relay Station. This how messages are sent today.
Western Union Radio Tower
The Black Doctor of the Pines
Jacob's Chapel on
| James Still was a famous African-American
who lived in this area from 1812-1825. He was the son of former
slaves who traveled throughout Burlington
County helping people who were sick. He became known as "The
Black Doctor of the Pines." He had no real training in medical
school but he was able to make medicines using herbs
and plants. With his help, many people got well. People from Philadelphia
and from other parts of New Jersey began to learn of Still's cures.
Even medical doctors began to ask his advice about cures.
Mount Laurel During the Civil War
| Abraham Lincoln was elected
president of our country in 1860. At that time, the northern states
hoped that he would end slavery in our country. Many southern
people wished to own slaves to work on their farms. People on
both sides strongly believed that they were right so they fought
each other in a battle called the civil war.
| In 1846 the state of
New Jersey outlawed slavery.
Since the Quakers believed that no man should own another, they
were very happy with this decision. The Quakers decided to expel
all members who refused to free their slaves. The Friends (Quakers)
helped at least 40,000 slaves escape to freedom.
to see images from the 19th Century
to travel on the National Geographic Undergound Railroad!
|There is a story told about slavetraders,
who kidnapped a family of African American people and hiding them
near the mount. The slavetraders wanted to sell them to southern
farmers. The Friends raised $1000 to buy the family's freedom.
Home | The
Lenni-Lenape Indians | The Settlement by
Friends (Quakers) 1688
The American Revolutionary War 1775-1781
| Mount Laurel in the 1800's
Education in Mount Laurel 1850 - Present
| Mount Laurel Historic Places
Mount Laurel Today | Maps
| Glossary | Bibliography
This page is maintained according to Mount Laurel Township School
Web Publishing Standards and Guidelines by
District Web Manager Marie F. Reynolds. ©2010 Mount Laurel Public
Schools. All rights reserved.
Kristen Vassos 4/10/10