OUR COLLECTIONS

The Avalon Free Library History Center has made a commitment to the creation of a unified and comprehensive facility devoted to the development, preservation, study and display of its permanent collection.  The History Center makes our collection available to the public through popular and scholarly, on-site and traveling exhibits.  The collection should become an important resource of knowledge and ideas for life enrichment to the region's communities and visitors.

If you have an object that you would like to donate to the Center, please call (609) 967-0090.

Below you will see a description of the items that make up our collection.

Avalon Class of 1919

Avalon's Mounted Beach Patrol, c. 1943
During WW II the Coast Guard was reactivated. Known as "sailors on horseback," these mounted patrols monitored miles of coastline and supplemented other land, sea, and air patrols already in operation.

Cowhide Trunk, 1834
This trunk is made of cowhide with wrought iron nails on iron straps and has a slightly domed top with an iron lock. In addition it has cast iron handles and is lined with an original newspaper from 1814.

Diamond Lifesaving Buoy, c. 1960's
Designed to be used by a lifeguard as an aid in a water rescue. Its connected line allows the casualty to be pulled to the rescuer and to eventual safety.

Excursion Train, circa 1920
This photograph captures the newness of photography as passengers pose in the windows.

Historic Documents
The Center's collection of historic documents includes original letters, scrapebooks and records from individuals and businesses in Avalon.

Lifeguard Exhibit

Maps
The Center's collection contains maps, blueprints and drawings of historic Avalon and the surrounding communities.

Objects
The collection contains a variety of objects that tell the history of Avalon and southern New Jersey.

Photographs
The photograph collection contains images from every era in Avalon's history - from the Beach Patrol to the Avalon Hotel.

Postcards
The postcard collection depicts Avalon's beaches and architectural history.

Scrim design in East exhibit window
A scrim is a lightweight translucent cloth that when placed in a window acts as a natural protective barrier to UV light. In addition, it can be imprinted with an image. In our case the image is of two men on the "wharf" facing west on Cornell Harbor.

Stock Certificate
Avalon Beach Improvement Company stock certificate dated Nov. 10th, 1888 for a Mr. H. Edward Hendel