History of Kramer Hall

an old shoe factory photo transitioning into a modern school building with the words "from textiles to textbooks."

Upon Kramer Hall's opening,  Assistant Director of South Jersey Culture and History Center Paul Schopp performed extensive research about our historic building in the heart of Downtown Hammonton.

 

His findings are highlighted in the timeline below. However, we encourage you to read his complete history of not only the building, but also of the Hammonton Shoe Company in South Jersey.

Paul Schopp's Complete History of Kramer Hall

  1. Pre-1900

     

    Cyrus F. Osgood arrived in Hammonton in 1872. Born in Auburn, Maine in 1841, Osgood became well-versed in all phases of shoemaking by the time he arrived in Hammonton. Though he utilized several locations around Hammonton for shoemaking, by 1885, Osgood & Company had a permanent home on Front Street, across from the Camden & Atlantic Railroad Station. The company expanded into a building next door as the Hammonton Shoe Company in 1899.

    original Hammonton Shoe Company

    The pre-1909 Hammonton Shoe Company building.

  2. 1900-1910

    By 1901, the factory employed 75 people. With production needs rapidly expanding, it was determined that running the operation out of 2 factory buildings with separate names was not optimal for production. In January 1909, plans were made to construct a new 3-story factory building next to the 2 factory buildings in operation, and construction had begun by February. Osgood Shoe Company operated under the Hammonton Shoe Company at their new location.

    This location, with updated signage, was optimal because it provided free advertising for passers-by on the train. In addition, this factory was sought after due to the large windows that were uncommon for factories at the time. This is what would later become Kramer Hall.

    The Federal Immigration Commission produced a survey around this time that highlighted the Italian migration to Southern New Jersey. The report stated that the first Italians arrived in Hammonton around 1870, and that Italian-Americans made up 40% of the workforce at the Hammonton Shoe Company. At the time, the total workforce was 78 males and 23 females.

    A grayscale photograph of a moustached man looking to the side of the photograph.

    Cyrus F. Osgood, c. 1880s.

  3. 1910-1929

    By 1915, Osgood Shoe Co. and Hammonton Shoe Co. had a combined total of 210 employees, aided by an increase in demand, influx of new Italian immigrants, and a desire of agricultural laborers to leave farms. By 1918, however, the workforce decreased, likely as a result of the First World War. Osgood Shoe Co. halted manufacturing by 1923. The downward employment trend continued until the stock market crash of October 1929, which caused the Hammonton Shoe Company to cease operation, as well. 

    Grayscale photo depicting factory workers in the 1920s.

    Osgood Shoe Company Employees c. 1915.

  4. 1929-1959

    By 1930, the former Hammonton Shoe Company building became the Hammonton Auction House. Bet