Historical Finds

Local Historical Notes:

found on the back of Corbin House Menu 

Driving through the quiet rural towns of Corbin City and Tuckahoe, It may be difficult to imagine the thriving villages they once were throughout the 1800's. But on the Tuckahoe river in those days three major industry industries flourished: a bog-iron furnace was in full operation, a factory produce prodigious amounts of window glass and schooner sailed to and from the sea.

Both sides of the river teemed, then, with the bustling activity of the building of two and three-mastered schooners weighing from 80 to 100 tons. At that time 14 such vessels were under construction at the same time. The first built on record was the "Ann M' in 1828 the last seagoing vessel the "Dakota" was built in 1883. The timber of the ships were cut from local woodlands and nearby Aetna Furnace furnished the iron.

The furnace in a Estelle Manor along with the head of the Tuckahoe River. It's in the state historical site and remains of the furnace and the extensive ditching for cooling purposes can be seen today. And the furnace was built in 1816 and was the major supplier of nails for the surrounding area.

Aetna also supplied iron for the glassworks operation on the opposite side of the river in  Tuckahoe.  Owned by Dr. Randolph Marshall, it was almost solely devoted to window glassmaking and was virtually a little village unto itself. It included a general store and post office building and succumbed to the old age and powder-post beetles about 1965. But the original leather-bound ledger still exists. The beautiful script of these accounts attest to a large quantities traded of these and countless of items: molasses rum, lamp oil, calico, jack, boots, oakum, beeswax, alum and powder and shot.

After the days of the glasswork and shipyards, Tuckahoe turned into a railroad town. Now only a few trains pass through, but in 1864 the Philadelphia and Seashore Railroad began service from Tuckahoe to Cape May, thus launching the famous excursion trains. Tuckahoe was the main junction and engine repair stations, from which the Philadelphia trains fanned out to the Cape May County resorts. Daily, literally dozens of trains, puffing huge clouds of black smoke and packed with people, chugged noisily to the shore for all-day revelry on the beaches.

Perhaps the place most indicative to day of yesteryear is the Head-of-the-River Church and Cemetery. Located at the meeting point of Aetna Drive and Route 49, it is an historical site of great charm and simple beauty. Built in 1792, the church was known then as the Methodist Episcopal Church. Today it is open once a year on the second Sunday in October for an all-day meeting. And it is here that you can easily imagine the hard working, simpler and seemingly more idyllic life of the forebears of people now living in this area.

The Corbin House is grateful to local history buffs Raymond and Doris Young for most of the above information.