Without leaving your home, take a visual tour of Pitman with a mix of video and photos throughout the town. Many of the photos have been featured throughout the months that I have been keeping up the blog.

All video and photos were done by me as well as the editing and voiceovers. I apologize for the shaky video work in several spots, due to wind factors and my hand not being very sturdy. Enjoy!

Getting into the Christmas spirit, I looked on Flickr and discovered a yearly tradition in Pitman for children of all ages. A block off South Broadway, in the Grove section, there is a holiday display with lights and decorations, hosted by the Hagertys. 

The following two sites show photos and give a good representation of why people should visit the display. I will likely be doing more this week when I go and visit it myself. 

Links courtesy of city-data.com forum:

Hagerty’s Christmas Display photos on Flickr
Christmas Display, Pitman, NJ 2004

21-X          Carr, George W.           Lumber & Mill Work
21-Y          Carr, Joseph                 Livery Stable, Broadway
21-W         Clark, S.P.                    Department Store, Pay Station,
                                                        Broadway & Holly Ave.
22-L          Dilks, Harmon jr.          Druggist, Broadway & Pitman Ave.
22-Y          Fox, W.C                      Liveryman, Pitman & Railroad Ave.
21-L          Kersey, Chas. W.          Butcher, Broadway
33-Y          Kuhn, J.L.                    N. Broad., Pitman Grove
23-A          Lodge, Jos.                  Gen’l Store, Pay Station
26-W         N.J. Southern               Office
                 Gas & Election Co.       Works
26-R         (ditto)
33-W        Nicholson, Chas. H.       Contractor & Builder, Evergreen Ave.
21-W        Phillips, Cyrus B.           Physician, Pitman & Summit
33-L         Seeds, C.W.                   Undertaker, S. Broadway
21-M       Simpson, Wesley B.        Electrical Contractor, Woodlyn Ave.
                                                             nr. Pitman Ave.
33-X        Slaughter, L. N., MD      Residence, 1 S. Broadway
23-D       West Jersey and             Pay Station.
                Seashore Railroad
                Station

The store which is located at 5 South Broadway in Pitman sells imports, gifts and food native to Ireland

green once they stepped inside. The small store called Kelly’s A Touch of Ireland brings the old country to the tiny town. Recently I visited the corner of Broadway and Holly Ave and took a trip to Ireland during my interview with the owner, Lorraine Kelly. Kelly talked to me while in the process of organizing the front window for Christmas and described the history of the store and her views of the town.

Q: How long have you had the store here in Pitman?
A: Well it wasn’t our shop since 1997. I bought it in 2000. It was a Touch of Ireland then and now. I kept the name.

Q: Do you think there’s a big Irish presence in Pitman?
A: We have-We have a lot of Pitman people, a lot of customers but its basically people come from all over because we are a kinda specialty thing, you know so it’s more or less now that we are established people come from Philly its not that far. I mean we get people from all over.

Q: Now do you see a lot of business come in because you are a specialty store?
A: I say we are luckier than most shops that we, because we are specialty we have to still get just as much traffic as usual. From the town, not that much. But we’ve been hanging in there pretty good. Can’t complain.

Q: Do you think Ireland plays a part in the history of the town at all?
A: I’d have to say no. Not really. This is more Methodist religion founders, so I think the actual history of the town would revolve around that. We don’t really, none of that would have to do with Ireland.

Q: What do you think of the town itself?
A: I think it’s great. It’s a great little quaint kinda old fashioned town. Which is great. I think people are more and more stearing away from, I’d say their steering away from the mall but cause I could never get off the Deptford (laughs) exit. I think they like the alternative of having small town business rather than having to rely on the mall. They can get things in this store and quite a few stores in town that they can’t get in the mall which is nice. Everybody has their own little specialty thing they try to offer to get business in, which I think that you know, they don’ t really have to do at the mall. They don’t have to make the extra effort to get people in.

If you want to find used and new vinyls, the Bus Stop Music Cafe is your best place, especially on Wednesdays. Wednesday is vinyl night at the Bus Stop from 6 p.m – 8 p.m, where you can get great records for 15% off.

Photos of the store will be online soon. Until then check out the stores myspace, The Bus Stop Music Cafe, or visit their online record store at http://busstopmusic.gemm.com or http://myworld.ebay.com/busstoprecords

    Henry Lake Gilmour was born on Jan. 19, 1836 in Londerry, North Ireland. The author of a song, which tells us about the rest that we can have through Jesus Christ is “The Haven of Rest” (#365 in Hymns for Worship Revised and #496 in Sacred Selections for the Church).
     He came on a boat to Philadelphia, PA  and helped paint the lighthouse in Cape May, NJ. For forty years, he directed the singing at Pitman Grove Camp Meeting.  He died on May 20, 1920 and is buried in Wenonah.

THE HAVEN OF REST

by Henry L. Gilmour and George D. Moore   Midi Tune   Score (PDF)

My soul in sad exile was out on life’s sea,
So burdened with sin and distressed,
Till I heard a sweet voice, saying,
“Make Me your choice”;
And I entered the “Haven of Rest”!

Refrain

I’ve anchored my soul in the “Haven of Rest,”
I’ll sail the wide seas no more;
The tempest may sweep over wild, stormy, deep,
In Jesus I’m safe evermore.

I yielded myself to His tender embrace,
In faith taking hold of the Word,
My fetters fell off, and I anchored my soul;
The “Haven of Rest” is my Lord.

Refrain

The song of my soul, since the Lord made me whole,
Has been the old story so blest,
Of Jesus, Who’ll save whosoever will have
A home in the “Haven of Rest.”

Refrain

How precious the thought that we all may recline,
Like John, the belovèd so blest,
On Jesus’ strong arm, where no tempest can harm,
Secure in the “Haven of Rest.”

Refrain

O come to the Savior, He patiently waits
To save by His power divine;
Come, anchor your soul in the “Haven of Rest,”
And say, “My Belovèd is mine.”

Refrain

– from jesus-is-the-bridge.org

Also keep Nov. 26th on your calendar. It is the annual Pitman Holiday Parade, starting at 6:30 pm. Come see the marching bands, fire engines, and Santa, ending with a tree lighting. Visit Greater Pitman Chamber of Commerce for the trolley schedule and more information.

Next week I will be having a full entry devoted to the parade so keep a look out for that as well as photos from the parade.