Courier-Post
Before she became borough clerk, Anne Levy worked in an office in the Paint Works that looked out on Gibbsboro history.
"I had a view of Silver Lake and the Lucas House," she said earlier this week outside the historic home of John Lucas, founder of the revolutionary paint company that gave the business complex its name.
Lucas Paint Co. made Gibbsboro an industrial center of South Jersey in the mid-19th century, historian and Mayor Ed Campbell said.
But the borough's history began in 1714, long before Lucas, making this year its 300th anniversary.
The town will celebrate Gibbsboro Day from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Nov. 1 at the senior center in Pole Hill Park. Activities will include a scavenger hunt lasting two weeks.
"We'll create a digital record of what the town looks like after 300 years, the people who lived here and some of the key sites," Campbell noted.
Expect to see some of the focus centered on the house Lucas built in the 1850s at 10 E. Clementon Road, so he could be close to his paint factory.
The only remnants of the factory itself are the smokestacks local officials fought hard to keep from falling to a wrecking ball during the development of the Paint Works Corporate Center in the late 1980s.
They represent the last remaining evidence of the town's industrial past. The successful fight also led to the creation of the Historic Preservation Commission in 1989.
According to the borough website, Lucas settled on Gibbsboro for his paint factory because he considered Silver Lake the best source of water east of the Mississippi.
His house is just steps from the lake, and his children skated on the frozen water come wintertime. When they finished playing, the nanny would serve hot chocolate by the fireplace in the rear den.
Life was good, so other family members built large homes nearby as well, Campbell explained.
"They painted their homes with Lucas paints like Paris Green and Prussian Blue and used them as a showcase of its products."
The lake is still a focal point in town, attracting walkers on the pathway that surrounds it and providing a stunning view for customers of the upscale Chop House restaurant.
Though off limits to fishing, the lake thrives with fish, turtles and, of course geese.
"There are some very strange fish in there," Levy noted.
Linda Locke and Kimberly Boyer, both from Gloucester Township, work in the same building where Levy worked. They enjoy the location adjacent to the lake.
"When I get aggravated, I just look outside," Boyer said.
Added Locke about Gibbsboro itself, "It's a cute little town, very tight-knit."
The borough acquired the Lucas homestead a year ago, three years after its last resident, local institution Campbell "Soupy" Johnson, died.
Gibbsboro received a $50,000 grant from the New Jersey Historic Trust to study the viability of the property after its restoration, according to Levy.
"There have been lots of suggestions, including a library, a tea room and a place for historic memorabilia," she added.
The borough also hopes to get a Camden County Open Space grant of $50,000 to restore windows, Campbell said.
"The property will be nominated to State and Federal Register of Historic Properties if it qualifies."
Relishing the serenity of a stroll around Silver Lake, Michelle Novella said it's a good idea to save the home.
"I'm all about historic preservation, keeping what's left of the olden days," the Berlin Township resident said.
Gibbsboro began when George Matlack built a mill on a branch of Cooper's Creek. In the late 1700s, the property ended up in the hands of Hannah Matlack Gibbs. Judge John Clement bought the mill from the Gibbs estate in 1812.
According to a local legend, Clement named the town Gibbsborough in honor of the Gibbs family. In 1852, Lucas bought the mill for his paint factory.
When the first post office opened in 1883, it retained the Gibbsborough name. At the time, the village was part of much larger Waterford Township. A decade later, the post office resorted to the current spelling of Gibbsboro.
From 1899 to 1924, the town belonged to Voorhees before breaking off to form its own municipality, much to Voorhees' chagrin, Campbell noted.
A visionary, Lucas came up with ready-mix paint but also helped develop Gibbsboro. A flurry of building occurred during the late 1870s and 1880s, with structures such as the Gibbsboro Hotel at the base of Pole Hill on Haddonfield-Berlin Road.
"More than 100 years ago, it was a chore to go up the hill, so people rested at the hotel," Campbell explained. "Then they used timbers to leverage wagons uphill, hence the name Pole Hill."
Lucas created Cricket Field for athletics, fairs and other outdoor happenings. Indoor events were housed in a hall that became The Lyceum and at one point served as town hall until the early 1950s. The building hosted theater, dances, meetings and even basketball games.
"It was the center of entertainment. Legend has it Harry Houdini performed there," Campbell said of what is now part of Lucas Park.
Lucas Paint Co. continued until 1930, when Sherwin-Williams purchased a controlling interest. In 1978, the factory closed for good, ending more than a century as the centerpiece of Gibbsboro's economy.
If you go
• Celebrate 300 years of Gibbsboro Nov. 1 at the Senior Center at Pole Hill Park, 250 Haddonfield-Berlin Road, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The day starts with a "Meet & Greet" for the community to meet local officials.
The borough will dedicate its bikeway at noon and have a bike rodeo for children at 12:30 p.m. The bikeway has seven miles of off-road trails.
At 11 a.m., pick up the list for the scavenger hunt at the senior center. After Saturday, the list will be available at the borough hall. Commemorative staff shirts will also be on sale on a first come, first served basis. Visit gibbsborotownhall.comfor more info.
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