Hancocks Bridge in Salem County, New Jersey — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
Swedish Cabin
Hancock House Historic Site
Known as stugas, which translates to “room inside.” These cabins were built in small clusters or stood alone, depending on the size of the farm. Swedish settlers established small communities throughout Salem, clearing only enough land to farm.
This cabin was rebuilt in 1913 using lumber that is over 400 years old. It was salvaged from the property of John J. Tyler in Salem. The cabin’s construction follows the traditional building techniques of the seventeenth-century, with four-inch thick side planks, dovetailed corners, a fireplace and wooden pins instead of nails.
Erected by State of New Jersey Division of Parks and Forestry.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Colonial Era. A significant historical year for this entry is 1913.
Location. 39° 30.497′ N, 75° 27.598′ W. Marker has been reported damaged. Marker is in Hancocks Bridge, New Jersey, in Salem County. Marker is on Locust Island Road (County Route 658), on the right when traveling south. Marker is located near the historic Hancock House. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Hancocks Bridge NJ 08038, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 4 miles of this location, measured as the crow flies. Patriots Massacred in the Hancock House (within shouting distance of this marker); Hancock House (within shouting distance of this marker); Patterned Brick Houses (within shouting distance of this marker); Hancock House Massacre (within shouting distance of this marker); Old Bridges at this Location (within shouting distance of this marker); The Alloway Creek Watershed (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Waving Acres of Grass (about 300 feet away); Veterans Memorial (approx. 3.6 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Hancocks Bridge.
More about this marker. Several photos appear on the marker, including an “Historic photo of the Swedish Cabin,” a picture of the “Cabin Interior 1934. The woodwork on either side of the fireplace came from two local houses, the Abel Nicholson House (1722) and the John Oakford House (1764), when the cabin was built as an interpretive project by the CWA (Civil Works Administration),” a photo of the “Tyler Cabin from which the lumber was obtained to build the Swedish cabin,” and a picture of settlers raising or mining buried cedar timber, which has a caption of “White cedar was ‘mined’ from the swamp by teams of men excavating the logs. Originally, cedar trees grew in freshwater marshes. When salt water intruded hundreds of years ago, they died. Salt, lack of oxygen and a coating of silt, preserved the fallen trees. This wood, recognized for its quality and durability, was also used for shingles and staves.”
Also see . . . Hancock House. New Jersey Division of Parks and Forestry webpage. (Submitted on August 16, 2009, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey.)
Credits. This page was last revised on December 26, 2018. It was originally submitted on August 16, 2009, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey. This page has been viewed 1,330 times since then and 43 times this year. Last updated on December 24, 2018, by Carl Gordon Moore Jr. of North East, Maryland. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on August 16, 2009, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.