Haddonfield, New Jersey

Haddonfield is a borough located in Camden County, New Jersey. As of the 2000 census, the borough had a total population of 11,659.

History

Haddonfield was founded by Elizabeth Haddon (1680-1762), whose Quaker father, John Haddon, bought a 500 acre (2 km²) tract of land in the English colony of West Jersey to escape religious persecution. Elizabeth set sail alone from Southwark, England to the New World in 1701. Shortly after her arrival, she made a marriage proposal to John Estaugh, a Quaker minister, and they were married in 1702.

Related Topics:
Elizabeth Haddon - Quaker - West Jersey - Southwark - England

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In 1838, William Estaugh Hopkins was digging in a marl pit when he uncovered large bones. He had the bones on display at his home, Birdwood. In 1858 these bones sparked the interest of a visitor, William Foulke. Hadrosaurus foulkii, the first full skeleton of a dinosaur found in North America, was dug out from the marl pit in 1858 by Foulke. The entire skeleton was completely assembled in 1868 and was put on display at Philadelphia Academy of Natural Sciences, where it remains available for public viewing.

Related Topics:
William Foulke - Hadrosaurus - Dinosaur - Philadelphia Academy of Natural Sciences

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The Jersey Devil allegedly terrorized Haddonfield in 1859.

Related Topics:
Jersey Devil - 1859

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Haddonfield native Debra Hill was the co-writer & producer for the film Halloween which is set in the fictional place of Haddonfield, Illinois. Steven Spielberg grew up in Haddonfield, and there are references to Haddonfield in many of his movies (This is a myth. Steven Spielberg lived for a couple of years in nearby Haddon Township, during which time his father worked for a division of RCA. Though he claimed in interviews at the time that his time in Haddon Township--which uses Haddonfield as its post office--as a Jewish kid in fairly non-Jewish surroundings inspired him to direct "Schindler's List," there are no references to Haddonfield in the film--Robert Strauss). In A.I., when the boy and the robots are fleeing, they mention being near the border of Haddonfield. Billy Crystal's character, Harry, is from Haddonfield in the movie "When Harry Met Sally."

Related Topics:
Debra Hill - Halloween - Haddonfield, Illinois - Steven Spielberg - A.I.

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Aside from having one of the world's most significant paleontology sites, Haddonfield is also famous for its historic homes, quaint shops and legions of lawyers. A major legal center for the southern half of the state, the town houses the offices of more than 390 attorneys.

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