Museum of American History at Deptford

Two of my friends werelooking for a local place to visit today and I recommended The Museum of American History at Deptford is located at 138 Andaloro Way, Deptford, NJ 08093. My friends were as charmed as I always have been.

If you are looking for a fun museum to visit, this is one of my favorites. I have visited almost every year for many years, since before the museum moved to Deptford.

I first discovered the museum when I was driving home from a hike at Parvin State Park. It was, at that time, located in an old red brick neighborhood school building on the outskirts of Glassboro. At that time, the thing that was most interesting to me was the wide and varied collection of old farm implements from the days of hands and horses (or men and mules). All these farm implements were from the ancestors of the proprietor of the museum, Mr. Norcross, an archaeologist.

Each time I have visited the museum, which moved to the Andaloro Farm some years back, a different collection has caught my eye or my heart depending. For a couple of years, it was the model train platform I liked best because my heart will always ride the model train around the tracks. Some years I spent the whole fall to winter season tracking down every model train show I could find from churches and halls in Bordentown and Burlington to small towns nearby including some re-purposed train depots.

The museum has all small collections donated from family and friends and the variety of items is part of the charm. There are fishing reels and fossils, iron stove doors from the furnaces of old time Pinebarrens like Batsto, and green glass insulators from telephone poles and innumerable other collections.

My all time top favorite however is the collection of cast metal platform figures, ice skaters, sledders, people on benches, all made from melted down bullet casings from after WW2 in Germany. The idea of accessories of war and death being transformed into fanciful items of joy and fun is moving to me.

Mr. Norcross has abundant enthusiasm for his collections and is happy to answer any questions you might have. I would strongly reommend this wonderful collection of collections to anyone with an afternoon free who wants to find something interesting and different - a kaleidescope on American history. And I am sure if you go once you will return.

• Phone: 856-812-1121

• Email: sjmuseum@aol.com

• Hours: Thursday – Sunday, 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM (Closed Monday – Wednesday)

• Admission: $4 for adults, $3 for children

Happy Trails! wrightj45@yahoo.com