Newton Friends Meetinghouse

Newton Friends Meetinghouse. . , Newton Friends Meetinghouse (c 1828) is the oldest religious building in the city of Camden and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places., Quakers played an important role in the early development of the colony of New Jersey and their impact is a significant part of the region's history. In 1677, the colony of Burlington was established by a group of 230 Quakers, and by 1682 nearly 1,700 Quakers settled throughout West Jersey. Modern-day Camden was settled by William Cooper and his family around 1681., Newton Friends Meetinghouse was built in 1828 following a religious split that divided the Quaker community. In 1885, notable Philadelphia architect Wilson Eyre significantly renovated the building. The project introduced decorative elements as well as the addition of a library, an entrance vestibule, and a fireplace. He also removed the building's attic to draw the eye upward with cathedral ceilings. The changes introduced by Eyre stray from the Quaker principle of plainness and simplicity. Newton Friends Meetinghouse stands as a rare example of the Queen Anne Victorian architecture style applied to a Quaker place of worship., Quakers still gather here on Sunday mornings to worship in silence. Continuing the Quaker tradition of social outreach, the meetinghouse property is shared with local groups for activities that strengthen the surrounding community and serve the people of Camden City., [Captions:] , Far Left: This photo from the 1930s shows the round entrance vestibule on the left which was added during the renovation in 1885., Left: Here you can see traditional Quaker benches along with the high ceilings, embellished metal tie rods, and central fireplace with decorative details added in 1885., The construction of a school building adjacent to the Meeting House in 1850 helped educate children from the surrounding community. This photograph shows a class of students in the early 1900s., Beginning in 2005, the Meeting partnered with the Environment Community Opportunity (ECO) Charter School to empower students to realize their intellectual and social potential through environmentally focused programming. Each year, classes raise a vegetable and flower garden on the Newton grounds. The garden is used for educational purposes and provides food for the children and their families. ECO also constructed rain barrels and created a bee and butterfly garden.