History of Pitman Grove

BY CHRIS ISAAC

THE HISTORY OF

Near the center of Pitman, New Jersey you will find Pitman Grove, a part of the town so full of history that in 1977 it was added to the National Register of Historic Places. All of Pitman Grove converges at the auditorium, a structure that was created as a hub for religious meetings in 1871 and became the foundation for the formation of Pitman as a whole. When it comes to describing what makes the area special, the mayor of Pitman, Michael Razze, has a lot to praise. He has been mayor of the town since 2020, and part of what makes Pitman unique is that their politicians operate on a purely volunteer basis. Though it is uncommon for politicians to not be compensated for their positions, Razze speaks to how his history with the Pitman Grove Grove town is what makes him glad to take on the responsibility. “I actually grew up in Pitman, I’ve lived there all my life,” he said. And it didn’t take him long to realize he wanted to be mayor, laughingly saying that goal started when he was just in elementary school. “It was a

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dream of mine to be the mayor. It didn’t matter whether it was paid or not, I’m sure I didn’t even contemplate that at that time.” Though it is the auditorium that is at the physical center of Pitman Grove, Razze considers the Broadway Theater of Pitman to be the core that has allowed the area to flourish. Just a short walk from the auditorium, the theater opened in 1926, originally being used primarily to show movies. However, over time it came to feature all manner of entertainers for performances and musicals. Though it eventually fell into disuse for a time, Razze explains what a big moment it was when the theater reopened.

“When the Broadway Theater was purchased by Peter Slack back in 2006 at Sheriff’s sale,” he recollected. “Peter had wonderful plans for bringing live theater to Pitman and that’s what he’s done.” The theater currently features local performances of musicals like Chicago, and Jimi Hendrix and Van Halen cover bands. However, historically it has also featured quite a few celebrities performing there, including George Carlin, Bing Crosby and Abbott & Costello.

“In the early years of the theater, it was a who’s who of actors and actresses of the time period,” said Razze, who, while in college, saw George Carlin perform at the theater. Razze considers the theater reopening in 2006 to have started the revitalization of the area, and the catalyst for a lot of restaurants opening nearby in the last decade.

For those interested in learning more about the history while visiting the area, the Pitman Historical Museum is also a crucial visit. The museum building itself is even an homage to Pitman Grove’s history, as it was designed to resemble the many older historic homes in the region despite only being built within the last two decades. The staff at the location rotate out the exhibits inside to focus on whatever is most relevant to the area at the time. Currently, that means focusing on the area high school, which is celebrating a century in operation. Last year, the exhibits focused on celebrating the 150th anniversary of the auditorium and the first Pitman Grove camp meeting.

Providing more context to the significance of the camp grove, Razze spoke on its founding, saying, “Folks would come to the community, they would summer there, they would spend two or three weeks there, whatever it might be, in tents in the area that is now the grove. And they would hear from a variety of preachers that traveled the area.” The auditorium became a hub for the Methodists in the area who helped the area grow into what it has become.

The auditorium is now also used to hold events throughout the year, such as Pitman Grove’s Memorial Day service, weddings and concerts. And when the building has needed to be renovated, the town strives to ensure it is restored in its original 1871 style. However, additions are also made to enhance the surrounding area, such as the adjacent community garden.

Pitman Grove is an area big on its history and people being willing to lend each other a hand, which is why Razze has no problem serving in his duties as a volunteer. He said he wouldn’t feel right taking a salary when so many others in the community have long served as volunteers, such as the area fire fighters.

“It is a very close-knit community,” said Razze. “When someone is in need in one of our neighborhoods, the neighbors come to their aid. When something needs to be done around town, we have volunteers who are willing to step up and do it.”

He said that was especially evident during COVID, when the community rallied around supporting their small local busi-

HISTORY continued from page 14 nesses. It is a point of pride for the area that they have continued to grow even through hardships. Razze recalls how full the stores were when he was a kid, but how that dwindled over the years as malls put a lot of stores out of business. But since that time, it has bounced back again with new life from local restaurants and a variety of niche and specialty stores. Razze believes one of his predecessors, Mike Batten, deserves a lot of credit for that as well. Batten was elected in 2007 and served until 2011, during which time Razze says he assisted with the economic development committee to plant the seeds for helping the business community thrive. Pitman Grove’s aesthetic does, in many ways, feel like it is preserved from a different era. But sometimes leaving history untouched can be part of the charm, as Razze alludes to. “Really just kind of an America in miniature, if you will,” said Razze about Pitman as a whole. “We have a lot of people who refer to us as a Mayberry [from The Andy Griffith Show]. I don’t know if I like that,” he said with a chuckle, “I’m not sure. But it is that quaint little town.” 

Photos by Jamie Giambrone

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