Two&Counting Centuries

Pitman Grove Auditorium continues to host spring and summer events

BY DANTE LONG

Every town has a past. When admiring the present, it’s worth stepping back in time to learn the origin of various landmarks that help shape the community you call home. Residents of Pitman interested in learning fascinating stories have the New Jersey Register of Historic Places to thank for the preservation of its richest history. The Pitman Grove Auditorium is one of the main structures of the historic district known as the Pitman Grove and shares the same importance to history buffs as it did when it was first constructed.

Before exploring the Pitman Grove Auditorium, one must understand the significance of the trapezoid-shaped area that surrounds it known as the Pitman Grove. A large square with four blocks on a side comprises the central portion of the district. The center of the square has 12 pedestrian pathways with small, wood frame cottages of one, one and a half, and two stories. In the southwestern corner of the square, there is one intrusion among many demolished buildingsa two-story fire house.

please see HISTORY, page 18