Alloway Township History Museum
49 Greenwich Street (Room 216)
Alloway, NJ 08001
(856) 981-9388
Admission: Free
My review on TripAdvisor:
The front of the museum building. The museum is located on the second floor
History of Alloway Township History Museum:
(from the museum website)
Dating back to our origins in 1767, Alloway Township is rich in history and heritage. Ocean going vessels were built in our shipyards. The Wistarburg Glassworks’ was the first successful glassworks of the early colonies. Patterned brick houses can still be spotted around town.
Our museum is filled with a collection of interesting artifacts from our past including: class plaques, the original bell from Alloway High School, early glass, a miniature recreation of the area back in the 1700’s Lenni Lenape Indian Arrowheads and much more. Everything in the museum has been donated by visitors also interested in preserving Alloways history. Our latest project is recreating an early classroom including a collection of historic school desks.
The Alloway Township Senior Building at 49 South Greenwich Street
The history of the Alloway Municipal Building
The town Christmas tree in the front yard
Our Mission:
(from the museum website)
The Alloway Township History Museum’s mission is to preserve the history and memories of Alloway, NJ. What is now Alloway was originally inhabited by Lenni Lenape Native Americans and its name is thought to be derived from Allowas, a local Lenni Lenape Chief. Located in Salem County, NJ, Alloway Township was formally incorporated as Upper Alloways Creek Township by a Royal Charter granted on June 1767.
The public is invited to come in and enjoy or collections, share your stories, photos, objects and ephemera to help maintain the history of Alloway. We welcome researchers and provide them with any available material.
The main gallery of the museum
The main gallery of the museum
When you enter the museum, it showcases the rich history of this small community. Each of the show cases tell the story of the small New Jersey community.
As you enter the museum, the displays describe the rich history of the building
The local businesses of the town are emphized
The museum displays many aspects from the community from its Native American past to its prominence in ship building, farming and agriculture and then localized manufacturing and glassworks.
Some of the businesses noted in the community
The Train display and the advent of changes this community saw with the rail system in New Jersey
The Train display
The museum displays lots of interesting artifacts from the community past from Military items to school related artifacts
The contributions of the communities Military past. The case offers so many interesting items to see
The local glass works display with glass and dish ware items
Glass works items
The Military drum
The interesting collection of toys that the museum displays
Tools and equipment from the communities agrarian past where farming made up a big part of the economy
The museum has an extensive collection of buttons, pins, pens and other artifacts from local business and community functions
The Glass works and dish ware display at the museum
The museum has an extensive collection of the first residents of Alloway which is the Native American Lenape tribe who farming and ship building set the tone for the first community. They trained those who came after them and built a system of trading and business.
The display case of Native American artifacts
The Native American past of the Lenape Indians
A closer look at the artifacts of local tribes
A closer look at the artifact
The Educational and Town display
An old bell surrounded by town artifacts
Artifacts from around the town
ld lard containers manufactured in town
Painted rocks in the museum
Office equipment and old signs from the town buildings
Funeral dress from the past
Military items that were donated to the museum
Glass works and other artifacts
The other room of the museum across the hall was geared to education and the classroom with artifacts used in schools over the last 100 years. It shows the progression of the school system in Alloway, NJ and for the rest of the State of New Jersey from an agricultural community to a cosmopolitan community.
The history of the building over the years was on displa
The sign of the schools of the area
The class room set up with desks used in schools from the past
The classroom display with lessons from the past and present
Examples of desks used in the classroom over the years
Lunch boxes from the 1970’s
Pictures of the classroom over the years
A map of the region from the past
After the museum, I explored around Alloway and you realize what a small community it is. Most of the businesses in the small downtown have been shuttered but you can see have lots of potential. Alloway, NJ is such a pretty community and so beautifully decorated for the holidays, both Halloween and Christmas.
The old General Store that closed in the 1990’s
What looked like an old hotel in the area
The sign for the old Alloway Tavern
The old Alloway Tavern
The make up of Downtown Alloway, NJ
Homes decorated for Christmas in Downtown Alloway
A house the was on the Salem Christmas walking tour
There is a lot of potential for cottage industries in this small town for restaurants and retail. The are such unique buildings dotting this small farming town rich in history. I saw this when touring the town the after visiting the museum.
House decorated for Halloween
House decorated for Halloween in Alloway, NJ
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This little gem is rarely open but you can arrange an private tour. Just call them. It is really a nice little museum.
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