Tour Point O (no. 48-50) SE Corner of Central Avenue & Vine Street
Tour Point O
SE Corner of Central Avenue & Vine Street
48. Hammonton High School/St. Joseph High School
101 Central Avenue
Dedicated 1927. This two-story, flat roofed Colonial Revival style school building is built of multi-hued tan brick and has an irregular modified U-plan footprint with a center hall classroom section centrally located between the auditorium and the gym. The building was used as a high school until a new school was built and it became the Hammonton Middle School in the late 1960s. The building now houses St. Joseph’s High School.
49. Baptist Church
309 Vine Street
1862/extensive remodeling through the years. The church was located on Bellevue Avenue and moved to its present location in 1885. Gothic Revival style church with an L-shaped footprint and a large square steeple on the southeast corner. In 1954, the area under the auditorium was excavated and classroom space added.
50. Hammonton Town Clock
Third/Vine/Central Avenue
Standing about 18 feet tall, this is a 4-sided, all-metal clock with Seth Thomas works. According to J. G. Wilson, the clock was originally owned by the Peoples Bank & Trust Company and installed at that bank’s location on the northeast corner of Bellevue and Central avenues in early 1922. In 1928, the clock was struck by a car and demolished. It was replaced and put back at its original location. Town council moved the clock to its present location in 1965. Although it was damaged when it was moved, the clock was repaired and has stood at this location ever since. This Seth Thomas clock, one of two remaining in the US, still keeps time but is in need of extensive restoration. This icon is the focal point of Hammonton’s Sesquicentennial logo.
The stone fountain in front of the Town Clock was originally built by Joseph Falciani as a fishpond and fountain. It was later filled in. Dr. Leonard Streitfeld led a drive to restore the fountain. The fountain with lights was dedicated on September 17, 1989, in memory of Dr. Anthony Chiofalo, who practiced in Hammonton for 30 years and also served as the town and school district physician.
