Palmyra, NJ

Palmyra, New Jersey is a town located along the Delaware River across from Philadelphia. The recent introduction of the Riverline transit line provides it with a convenient link to Philadelphia's Center City business and cultural district which is certainly a major asset of this old river town. As such, housing values have risen and the area has been named a future hot spot by Philadelphia magazine.

One of the areas best kept secrets is Palmyra offers a dream commute to the Center City Philadelphia business and cultural districts yet remains a small town with its many charms. It remains a town with much potential and vision and many professionals who work in Philadelphia are making their homes here.

The town rose along the coming of the Camden Amboy railroad in the late 1800's and there are many housing styles within the town tracing its growth from the mid 1800's through the 20th century. The streets are laced with Victorian, Arts and Crafts and Cape Cods and also boasts a newer riverfront condo community.

The Palmyra Historical and Cultural Society celebrates its small town history and is currently engaged in an archival project to locate and conserve many original documents, ephemera and old photographs pertinent to the history of the town and its residents. The organization is looking for material for a planned book on the small town that will be used as a fundraiser. If you have any photographs or documents you would like to contribute please contact Donation registrar and Board Member Will Valentino at 856 303-0758. Scans can be taken if you prefer to retain your original material.

The Palmyra Historical Society is a non-profit organization dedicated to the history of this unique walkable small town called Palmyra. The organization has a community link on the Borough Of Palmyra website that offers more details about its conservation and archival of the towns history and how you can contact them if you have any historical items of interest to be added to this most important project. The local historical society was responsible for saving the Historic Spring Garden School structures upon its formation in 1991 and originally suggested the concept of Palmyra Cove which is one of the many jewels of the area and a popular environmental and nature center along the banks of the Delaware.

Palmyra has its own antique bridge spanning the Delaware that dates to 1929 and was home to Lena Blackburne, a major league baseball player who used the mud he harvested from the banks of the Delaware to rub down baseballs. The mud is still used by Major League Baseball today and is in the Hall Of Fame in Cooperstown, NY. In 1912, the commodore barber of the Titanic returned here to his home, a local hero and survivor of the sinking of the grand ship. In the 1920's William F. Morgan, one of the sons of one of the oldest pioneering families in this area was promoting his development of the "Morgan Heights" section of Palmyra. His claim to the area as being close to Philadelphia, with transit and educational resources nearby, remains true of the town today. Morgan died in 1929 but his family left a legacy behind that still resonates in the town today. Come visit Palmyra, New Jersey where its rich history meets its primed potential for a bright future, just across the riverbank from Philadelphia!

Written by Will Valentino, Palmyra Historical and Cultural Society