A pair of photographs offers a glimpse into how much the Central Avenue corridor connecting Bargaintown and Linwood has changed over the last century.
According to local historical accounts, Central Avenue was constructed over Patcong Creek to connect the east and west sides of Great Egg Harbor. Local lore states that James Somers, a mill owner, promised enslaved workers their freedom if they helped build a path across the creek.
The historic image, believed to date to around 1900, shows a narrow dirt roadway used by horse-drawn wagons crossing the creek. On one side stood a grist mill where local farmers brought grain to be ground into flour. Across from it was an ice house that stored blocks of ice cut from Bargaintown Mill Pond before refrigeration became common.
Neither structure remains today.
Modern improvements have transformed the roadway over the years, with Central Avenue now widened, paved and lined with barriers to accommodate modern traffic.
Information courtesy of “Journey Through Time in Egg Harbor Township, NJ” by June Sheridan and Lynn Wood.
