To the Camden County Board of Commissioners and Stratford Borough,

A recent article of the Philadelphia Inquirer has brought the public’s attention to the plight of the historic Quaker Store of Stratford, New Jersey. The Quaker Store has been a regional landmark along the White Horse Pike since the 1800s. It is the last remaining building from the village of White Horse. Though the property is privately owned, Stratford Borough leases the building as a history museum and meeting space. Since the early 2000s the Quaker Store has received about $200,000 in County grants for its rehabilitation. It is our understanding that the property may be sold in the near future. If the property is sold, there isn’t anything to prevent the building from being lost in the future. As much as this is an issue between the property owner and Stratford Borough, the grant investment makes the taxpayers of Camden County vested parties as well. We are asking the Board of Commissioners to act as liaisons between County taxpayers, the Borough of Stratford, and the property owner. We ask that the County act and advocate to protect the $200,000 investment Camden County has made on this property. We also ask that the County offer any knowledge or assistance they deem suitable to help the property owners and Borough find a way to protect the building from harm.

Similarly, we ask that Stratford Borough also act to protect the County’s investment. For example, the Borough could negotiate the terms of any possible tax abatements based on how the Quaker Store could be protected. This could include having future or current property owners lease the property back to the Borough, sell to the County or Borough, and or have the property added to the State and National Registers of Historic Places.

At a recent Stratford Council meeting, Councilwoman Linda Hall asked for the Stratford Historic Commission, the Borough, and the property owners to meet. We ask that Stratford Borough extend an invitation to the County Commissioners to attend this meeting. Absent an invitation to this meeting, the County should extend an offer of assistance to Stratford Borough. We think that the inclusion of the County Commissioners could be helpful in brainstorming solutions to protect Stratford’s landmark along the White Horse Pike. We ask all parties to act quickly to reduce the likelihood of losing another regional landmark in Camden County.