WHEREAS it is the intention of the Mayor and Council of Cherry Hill Township to focus attention on noteworthy occasions and events; and
WHEREAS the year 2016 marks the 200th anniversary of the historic Barclay Farmstead in Cherry Hill Township, and the municipality has planned a year full of events and activities to commemorate the occasion; and
WHEREAS now listed on both the National and New Jersey Registers of Historic Places, Barclay Farmstead was built by Quaker farmer Joseph Thorn built in 1816, and remained in the Thorn family’s possession until 1826, when it was acquired by Joseph W. Cooper of Camden, whose descendants owned and maintained the property through to Helen Barclay in the mid-1900s; and
WHEREAS in 1954, Helen sold a portion of the farm to developer Bob Scarborough, and in 1974, the remaining acreage was sold to Cherry Hill Township for use as a public park and recreation center; and
WHEREAS in the years since, the Friends of Barclay Farmstead have worked closely with the Township to lead the restoration and preservation of the Farmstead and its surrounding property, which has become a symbol of our community’s living history, culture and heritage, offering public tours, educational programs and community events to our residents and visitors alike throughout the year.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, CHUCK CAHN, by virtue of the authority vested in me as Mayor of the Township of Cherry Hill, County of Camden, State of New Jersey, do hereby wish to commemorate and celebrate the
Historic Barclay Farmstead
1816-2016
in the Township of Cherry Hill, and do urge all citizens to join with me and Council in celebrating two centuries of the Barclay Farmstead, a beloved piece of our community’s history and heritage, and to participate in the various events and activities planned to commemorate this milestone in the year ahead.