Images of America: Roebling IN THE NEWS!

Roebling's history is forged into a book The 128 pages illustrate the story of the steel mill and village. Sales benefit the local Garden Club. By Lauren Mayk INQUIRER SUBURBAN STAFF September 6th, 2001 FLORENCE - More than 200 photos document the baseball teams, steel-mill workers, church congregations, and neighborhoods of a 250-acre village in Roebling, a work by local amateur historians. Part of the Images of America series from Arcadia Publishing, the book became available in May. "I think we have a treasure right here," said Michelle Scott, a lifelong resident of Florence Township and the village of Roebling who worked on the book with neighbors and relatives. The residents, who call themselves the Friends of Roebling, compiled the pictures and text for the 128-page book. The group is part of the local Garden Club, which is to receive the proceeds from the book's sales. In 1904, Charles G. Roebling, who founded the mill, designed and built the village to the south and west of the site. The 750 brick homes, general store, and public school became a self-contained community for the workers and their families. In 1953, the Roebling family sold the business to the Colorado Fuel & Iron Co., which closed the plant in 1974. Honoring the history of the mill and the neighborhoods it supported has become a passion for some locals. In the spring of 2000, Roebling resident Dan Roth bought an Arcadia book about Pennsauken from a bookstore's local-interest section, then pitched the idea to other residents. Once Arcadia editors accepted the project, the group set out to collect photos, from current and former residents, that would tell the story of life in the old mill town. "Sure, it's only 95 years old, but it has a lot of history," said Roth, a newcomer by most accounts, having moved to Roebling in 1992. Roth and the other authors laid out the pages, loaded the storyboards into a car, and drove to the publishers in New Hampshire. At least 1,300 copies have been sold, and a second printing of the book is in the works, Roth said. The Roebling Steel Co., too, has been getting renewed attention as the Florence Township Redevelopment Agency moves forward with plans to redevelop the 234-acre contaminated Superfund site.  The agency, which acquired the property last winter, is working with the Environmental Protection Agency on cleanup and with the local historical society on plans for a Roebling Main Gate Museum at the site. Now the committee of seven residents is working on a second installment of Roebling and hoping that the first book will prompt people to look in their attics and basements for pictures to contribute. Roebling, priced at $19.99, can be ordered by calling Arcadia Publishing at 1-888-313-2665 or visiting www.arcadiapublishing.com. Return to Home Page