Editing Medford, New Jersey (section)

==History==
The area now known as Medford first saw European settlement when Samuel Coles purchased {{Convert|900|acres}} of land in 1670. Shortly thereafter, families such as the Braddock, Prickett, Stratton, Branin, and Wilkins relocated to the area, many of whom have descendants residing in Medford today. Initially known as Upper Evesham, the area gradually developed from scattered homesteads into a small village. Several structures and roads built between the initial land sale and the [[American Revolutionary War]], including Oliphant's Mill, Christopher's Mill, and the Shamong Trail (now Stokes Road), still exist today.

In 1820, the area officially adopted the name Medford of Upper Evesham with the establishment of a post office. This name was proposed by Mark Reeve, a developer who had recently visited [[Medford, Massachusetts]].<ref>Tergesen, Anne. [https://web.archive.org/web/20140821083303/http://articles.philly.com/1992-11-03/news/26008832_1_signs-township-limits-celebrations "Welcome To Medford's Inexact History Its Signs Say 'Established 1692.' A Little Research Was Enough To Put A Damper On Celebrations."], ''[[The Philadelphia Inquirer]]'', November 3, 1992. Accessed June 21, 2012.</ref><ref>Hutchinson, Viola L. [http://mapmaker.rutgers.edu/356/nj_place_names_origin.pdf#page=20 ''The Origin of New Jersey Place Names''], New Jersey Public Library Commission, May 1945. Accessed August 26, 2015.</ref> On March 1, 1847, Medford Township was formally separated from [[Evesham Township, New Jersey|Evesham Township]] by an Act of the [[New Jersey Legislature]].<ref name="Story3"/> The first township meeting took place at the Cross Roads (now the intersection of [[County Route 541 (New Jersey)|County Route 541]] and Church Road) on March 9, 1847, which remained the seat of township government for several years. Over time, the boundaries of Medford Township were altered, with portions taken to form [[Shamong Township, New Jersey|Shamong Township]] in 1852 and [[Lumberton, New Jersey|Lumberton]] in 1860. The borders remained unchanged until 1939, when [[Medford Lakes, New Jersey|Medford Lakes]] was incorporated.<ref name="Story3">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. 98. Accessed May 30, 2024.</ref>

By 1825, a thriving glass-making industry had emerged in Medford, beginning with a furnace that produced window panes. By 1850, William Porter operated a glass factory on a triangular property bordered by South Main Street, Mill Street, and Trimble Street. The factory, which operated under names such as Medford Glass Works and Star Glass throughout the 1880s, employed approximately 250 workers at its peak. It fostered a "company town" atmosphere, providing housing for owners, managers, and workers, as well as a company store where workers could exchange [[Company scrip|scrip]] for food and necessities. Glass-making operations ceased around 1925, and the factory was demolished by the mid-1940s. Today, nearly 30 workers' homes are preserved on Trimble Street and Mill Street, along with the owners' and managers' residence at 126 South Main Street and the former company store at 132 South Main Street.<ref>Medford Historical Society, ''Medford: Pioneering Township'', 1975, [[Burlington County College]].</ref>

[[James Still (doctor)|Dr. James Still]] (1812–1882), a self-taught African-American physician known as "the Black Doctor of the Pines," lived and practiced in Medford. Although his home was demolished in 1932, his office building was preserved when the State of New Jersey acquired it in 2006. It now serves as the Dr. James Still Historic Office Site and Education Center.<ref>[http://www.drjamesstillcenter.org/drjamesstill/LifeDrStill.html Dr. James Still Historic Office Site and Education Center website]</ref>

Medford's location along the [[Camden and Atlantic Railroad]] facilitated trade and contributed to rapid growth in the years following the [[American Civil War]]. By the 1920s, however, the railroad line had been dismantled, and the milling industry began to decline. Despite these changes, Medford continued to grow, largely due to its proximity to [[Philadelphia]] and [[Camden County, New Jersey|Camden County]], attracting families seeking a more rural lifestyle away from urban areas.