The present Township of Gloucester was one of the original townships that comprised Old Gloucester County. It became the county’s first political subdivision in 1685. The boundaries of the county extended from the Delaware River to the Atlantic Ocean until 1683, when it was divided into two townships; Egg Harbor Township and Gloucester Township. Gloucester Township, which took its name from the cathedral town of Gloucester on the banks of the Severn in England, was further subdivided into four smaller townships. On June 1, 1695 the township became one of the first New Jersey municipalities to incorporate. In 1884, the township became part of the newly-formed County of Camden.
Historic Importance of the Gabreil Daveis Tavern in Gloucester Township.
“Gabreil Daveis Tavern was built to accommodate travelers headed east and west over the Irish road and watermen moving lumber and other products by way of the Timber Creek. The building ceased being a tavern in 1768 when Sarah Daveis, the widow of Gabreil, declined to renew the license. From this point forward the building became home to some of the Township’s most important Revolutionary War figures.
Today’s visitors to the building can be certain about its date of construction because it was recorded by the bricklayer builder in the building’s western gable. Dating buildings was a common practice among the English forefathers of the West New Jersey’s earliest settlers.
To those interested in historic buildings and the early architecture of the area, “gable end” houses are a familiar sight. They range in style from the simple addition of the date to the gable end brickwork, to dates and initials of the original owners, to patterned brickwork beneath the dates and initials. Patterns include diamonds, chevrons and zigzags. In some instances, there are intricate flower and coronet patterns in the brickwork. The patterns are created by the use of vitrified headers, or bricks whose ends are burnt to a dark blue-black in the kiln.
However, when viewed in terms of American building traditions, they are quite interesting. There are about 175 such buildings in the United States and over 100 found in the historic colony of West New Jersey. There are none in what was East New Jersey and only five in Pennsylvania. Gabreil Daveis Tavern is the only gable end house in Gloucester Township. The building’s restoration has preserved a small but visible part of the region’s unique cultural heritage.”
(The History of the Township of Gloucester 1695 to 2003, by E. E. Fox III, R. Thompson, J. F. Kaitz, published by Colour Printing, Inc, in cooperation with the Historic and Scenic Preservation Committee and The Township of Gloucester, New Jersey, U.S.A.)
The Gabreil Daveis Tavern house is located on 4th Avenue and Floodgate Rd, Glendora, NJ. Visit the website calendar for tour date announcements. The tours are free and donations are gladly accepted. You will get a short history of the tavern and what life was like in those days when travel was mainly by waterway. Each of our tour guides are volunteer members of the committee who shares their time and talents so that the public may be better informed of the local history.
Gabreil Daveis Tavern Tours
You may not realize the amount of rich, colonial history that exists in your own backyard! Did you know that Gabreil Daveis Tavern, situated on 4th and Floodgate in Glendora across from the Community Gardens, is one of the 175 pre-Revolutionary War, “gable-end,” style buildings in the United States? 100 of those buildings are located in the historic colony of West Jersey, and Gloucester Township is proud to have one of them in town! Originally built in 1756 to accommodate watermen traveling by way of Timber Creek, Gabreil Daveis Tavern eventually became a home in 1768, and then was turned over to the Township when its final owned passed in 1976. There is a lot of mystery that surrounds the 3-story brick building, as it is believed to have served purposes other than an inn—including a hospital for wounded soldiers during the War.
It isn’t necessary to take a ride over the bridge to learn about the region’s vast amount of history! Spend a Sunday afternoon during the summer at the Tavern learning about the areas fascinating past. Tours of the entire first floor of the building run from 1:00pm-4:00pm two Sundays a month during the summer. Tours are completely free, kid-friendly, and given by volunteers from the Historic and Scenic Preservation Committee, who lend their time and talents to help keep the public educated on the area’s rich history. Donations are always welcomed!
Gloucester Township Historic and Scenic Preservation Committee
2017 Gabreil Daveis Tavern Museum House
Tours and Special Events Calendar
http://www.facebook.com/glotwphistory
April 22nd and 23rd Revolutionary Re-enactment, Spring Open House
April 30th, May 7th and May 21st (1-4pm, Tours only)
June 4th – Unfolding Treasures Found Archiving (1-4pm, tours only)
June 25th, July 9th, July 23rd, August 6th (1-4pm, tours only)
August 20th – Local History on the Lawn (1-4pm, tours, free ice cream)
September 3rd and 17th, October 8th (1-4pm, tours only)
October 22nd -Quilts, Messengers of the Underground Railroad (1-4pm and tours)
November 5th – Digging into the Past-Hands on Artifacts and Fossils (1-4pm and tours)
November 19th – Holiday Open House (1-4pm)
December 3rd and December 10th (1-4pm, tours only)
Located on Good Intent Road in Blenheim. One of the first settlers of Gloucester County, James Whitall, built this house in 1688. This well-preserved landmark in Blenheim is privately owned and occupied, and is listed in both the New Jersey and National Registers of Historic Places. Blenheim was referred to as Upton by the very first settlers of the area, but since the strategic location was not needed to defend against the peaceful Indians they encountered, many of the settlers left the area, and it became known to historians as the “Lost Town of Upton.” The Chew-Powell-Wallens Burying Ground, adjacent to the house, is believed to be the oldest cemetery in the township. The cemetery not only contains the remains of early settlers, but also those of Revolutionary and Civil Wars soldiers, and Leni Lenape Indians.
This home
was one of the original Brewer homes built in the area. The rear
of the house was built in the 1700s, but the front was built in 1824.
The building’s background was researched by Elmer Hill, a direct descendant of the Johnson’s. The Marquadant-Johnson Farm House is now privately owned and occupied.
Information supplied by
The Historic and Scenic Preservation Committee of Gloucester Township
4th Avenue, Glendora, NJ 08029
For more information, please click here to download our Demographics PDF (requires Acrobat Reader to view)
| Area: | 23.2 miles |
| Communities: |
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| Population: | 64,634* |
| Total Housing Units: | 24,711* |
| *2010 US CENSUS |
