What's Our Town History? - Smithville Edition

Smithville is a very prominent landmark in Lumberton. Everyone in the surrounding areas has at least heard of Smithville Park and Smithville Mansion. But what makes them so special? Today, we’re going to uncover that mystery.

            Smithville was originally known as Alumhatta, a Delaware Indian village, it then went on to go by various names over the years. From 1780-1830 it was known as Parker’s Mills (for its owner, Sarah Parker), Shreveville from 1831-1865, and since then it has been known as Smithville.

            The land was bought in 1831 by Jonathan & Samuel Shreve with the intention of building a calico printing factory. This factory was very thriving. The brothers were able to build a mansion and village.

 However, later on textile import tariffs were no longer in effect, subsequently their business started to go under. Both of the brothers were deceased by 1857. It was then passed down to their other brother Benjamin Shreve. He eventually sold it to Hezekiah B. Smith.

            Hezekiah purchased Shreveville in 1865. He and his wife bought it for $20,000 and renamed it Smithville. Hezekiah was an industrialist and inventor from Massachusetts. Smith would go on to rebuild the shops in the village, as well as build a foundry for his wood-working machinery. The business conditions determined how many men were employed at the time. It was anywhere between 125-275 workers. It was then labeled as a model industrial town.

            Hezekiah’s descendants would live on in the mansion after his death. This occurred until 1962, when Grace and Louis Thomas purchased it. But thirteen years later the Burlington County Board of Chosen Freeholders would buy the mansion and property.

            Smithville Mansion is available to visit and tour every Thursday and Sunday from May to October. It’s located at 803 Smithville Rd, Eastampton, NJ.

 

 

 

"History." Smithville Mansion. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Apr. 2017.

Historic Smithville Park Official Website. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Apr. 2017.

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