Camden, New Jersey

Camden is a city in New Jersey on the eastern bank of the Delaware River, across from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It covers 10.38 sq mi (26.9 sq km) and has a population of 77,000 (2011 estimate). It serves as county seat of Camden County, and is the 12th largest municipality in New Jersey.

Nipper Building, Camden, New Jersey
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:RCA_Nipper_Camden_NJ_A.jpg
Author: Smallbones


The history of Camden goes back to the 17th century, when the Dutch West India Company built Fort Nassau in the vicinity in 1626. This led to fur trading colonies and villages along the Delaware River, established mostly by Dutch and Swedish fur traders. The founding of Philadelphia in 1682 and the resulting trade spilling over from there helped propel Camden's growth.

The first few decades of the 20th century saw rapid industrialization of Camden. For a while it was the world's largest manufacturer of phonographs and phonograph records. RCA was one of the biggest employers in the city. However Camden would suffer a slump and decline as the manufacturing base relocate to cheaper labor markets. This coincided with a rise in unemployment and crime.

Today Camden remains one of the most crime-ridden cities in the United States. Even three of its mayors have been thrown behind bars for corruption. The city continues to inch its way out of urban dysfunction.

Visiting Camden

The nearest airport is the Philadelphia International Airport, just 20 minutes from downtown Camden. The city is connected to Philadephia by the Ben Franklin Bridge and Walt Whitman Bridge.

Places of Interest in Camden

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