Editing Hammonton, New Jersey (section)

==History==
Little is known about the area of Hammonton prior to European contact. Archaeological evidence, including stone tools likely dating back to the Woodland period, suggests some form of prehistoric habitation, though the details remain unclear. At the time of European contact, the region was inhabited by the [[Unalachtigo Lenape]] people.

As European settlement progressed, the Lenape population in the area declined due to disease, loss of land to European settlers, and emigration. In 1748, the West Jersey Society was granted rights over a large tract of land within the English [[Province of New Jersey]], which included the territory that would later become Hammonton. In 1805, the Society sold a parcel of what would eventually become Hammonton, with the land passing through several owners.

In 1812, William Coffin and his family migrated to the area, building a home and managing a sawmill for John R. Coates. Coffin purchased the land and the mill in 1814. The sawmill was situated adjacent to Hammonton Lake and extended north and east of the present-day town, rather than being located within the current downtown. Originally named "Hammondton" after Coffin's son, John Hammond Coffin, the name was later simplified to Hammonton.<ref>[http://www.townofhammonton.org/AtAGlance/HistoryOfHammonton/GeneralHistory.aspx General History] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120805175534/http://www.townofhammonton.org/AtAGlance/HistoryOfHammonton/GeneralHistory.aspx|date=August 5, 2012}}, Town of Hammonton. Accessed July 17, 2012. "Hammonton is named for one of Coffin's sons, John Hammond Coffin. What began as 'Hammondton' later evolved into what we have today, minus the "d". (FYI: Coffin's other son Edward Winslow Coffin went on to found, you guessed it: Winslow!)"</ref><ref>[[Henry Gannett|Gannett, Henry]]. [https://books.google.com/books?id=9V1IAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA138 ''The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States''], p. 138. [[United States Government Printing Office]], 1905. Accessed August 31, 2015.</ref>

In 1817, Coffin established a glass factory in the area, taking advantage of the abundance of cheap timber and bog iron that supported South Jersey's glass industry at the time. Finished products were transported via the [[Mullica River]] before the advent of railroads, with trading stores and workers' housing established nearby.<ref name="storyofhammonton" />

The early settlement of Old Hammonton was small and experienced a shift from glass production to farming, particularly the cultivation of strawberries and blueberries. The arrival of the [[Camden and Atlantic Railroad]] in 1854, which ran to the west of Old Hammonton, prompted further development. In 1856, developer [[Charles K. Landis]] and Philadelphia banker Richard Byrnes formed Landis & Byrnes, acquiring large plots of land near the newly constructed railroad. They promoted and sold smaller parcels for development, moving the settlement closer to the railway. The Hammonton Railroad Station was established in 1858.

In 1861, Landis and Byrnes had a falling-out; Byrnes remained in Hammonton, while Landis went on to establish [[Vineland, New Jersey|Vineland]] and [[Sea Isle City]]. In 1866, Hammonton's leaders petitioned the [[New Jersey Legislature]] to separate from [[Mullica Township, New Jersey|Mullica Township]] and [[Hamilton Township, Atlantic County, New Jersey|Hamilton Township]], and Hammonton was officially incorporated as a [[Town (New Jersey)|town]] on March 5, 1866. At the time of incorporation, the population was recorded as 1,422.<ref name="Story">Snyder, John P. [https://nj.gov/dep/njgs/enviroed/oldpubs/bulletin67.pdf ''The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968''], Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 69. Accessed May 28, 2024.</ref><ref name="storyofhammonton" />

A significant development in Hammonton's history following incorporation was a wave of [[Italian immigration to the United States|Italian immigration]]. Salvador Calabrasce, an Italian immigrant and former Union Navy serviceman, moved to Hammonton after marrying a New Jersey native. He corresponded with friends in Gesso,[[Sicily]], which attracted more immigrants to Hammonton. Through the efforts of Calabrasce and others, the town saw a growing population of [[Italian-American]]s, who would eventually make up a substantial portion of the town's overall population.<ref name="storyofhammonton">{{cite book |last=McMahon |first=William |author-link= |date=1966 |title=The Story of Hammonton |location= |publisher=The Historical Society of Hammonton, New Jersey |page=1&ndash;25; 213&ndash;215 |isbn=}}</ref>

Hammonton briefly featured a major racing track, the [[Atlantic City Speedway]]. Races were held from 1926 to 1928 on the wooden track that was built, complete with a direct rail connection. The owners had hoped to compete with the major racetracks of the era, but were unable to continue. The track served as a test track for [[Studebaker]] from 1928 to 1933 before it was demolished, and the timber used in its construction was repurposed for other buildings.

The first Hammonton Blueberry Festival was held in 1953, embracing the area's identity as a major producer of blueberries.<ref name="storyofhammonton" />