10 Things About South Jersey History That Will Surprise You
From Gotham City to the First Dinosaur — South Jersey History Is Stranger Than You Think
South Jersey gets dismissed as Philadelphia's backyard. South Jersey homes, history, and landscape hold some of the most surprising stories in the entire country. Here are 10 verified facts from the Garden State that sound made up — but are not.
1. The World's First Drive-In Movie Theater Was Born in Camden, NJ
On June 6, 1933, Richard Hollingshead Jr. opened the world's first drive-in theater on Admiral Wilson Boulevard in Pennsauken. He developed the concept in his own driveway — mounting a projector on the hood of his car and testing the screen against a tree. The opening film was a British comedy called Wives Beware. Tickets were 25 cents per car and 25 cents per person.
Within two decades, more than 4,000 drive-ins had opened across North America. The concept originated in a Camden County driveway.
We inspect every roof the same way Hollingshead built his invention — carefully, from the ground up, before recommending anything.
2. According to DC Comics, Gotham City Is in South Jersey
According to the 1990 DC Comics Atlas of the DC Universe, Gotham City is officially placed in southern New Jersey, near Cumberland County. Metropolis sits across the Delaware River in Delaware.
Gotham City — fictional home to Batman — is technically a South Jersey address.
Gotham's biggest problem was storm damage and structures in constant disrepair. South Jersey homes face similar threats from real storm systems, aging asphalt shingle roofs, and deferred roof repair. We handle the real version.
3. The Pine Barrens Float on 17 Trillion Gallons of Water
The Pine Barrens stretch across Burlington, Ocean, Atlantic, Cape May, and Cumberland counties in the state of New Jersey. The surface is sandy, acidic, and supports stunted trees, carnivorous plants, and tea-colored rivers. Beneath it sits the Kirkwood-Cohansey Aquifer — holding an estimated 17 trillion gallons of some of the purest water in the country.
The nation's first National Reserve, designated in 1978, covers more than one million acres. It is larger than the city of Los Angeles. Native Americans inhabited this region for thousands of years before European settlement. Long before West Jersey was established as a Quaker province in 1677, the Lenape people had made this landscape home.
What is on the surface rarely tells the full story. The same principle applies to residential roofing — a roof that looks intact from the driveway can have serious underlying moisture damage. Free roof inspections with photo documentation reveal what is actually happening beneath the surface.
4. Walt Whitman Lived and Died in Camden
Walt Whitman — author of Leaves of Grass, one of the most celebrated works in American literary history — spent the final 20 years of his life in Camden, NJ. He moved there in 1873 after suffering a stroke and never left. He wrote the final edition of Leaves of Grass from his home on Mickle Street, now a National Historic Landmark maintained by the state of New Jersey.
When Whitman died in 1892, he was buried in a mausoleum he designed himself at Harleigh Cemetery in Camden. America's most iconic poet is buried in South Jersey.
5. The First Dinosaur Skeleton in North America Was Discovered in Haddonfield
In 1858, William Parker Foulke uncovered the first nearly complete dinosaur skeleton ever found in North America in a marl pit in Haddonfield, NJ. The species was named Hadrosaurus foulkii. Before this 19th century discovery, scientists were uncertain whether dinosaurs walked upright. The Hadrosaurus skeleton resolved that question and became the first dinosaur ever mounted for public display — at the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia.
A full-size bronze replica stands in Haddonfield's town center today.
What is found beneath the surface changes everything. When roofing contractors replace or repair a roof in South Jersey, inspecting the decking below the asphalt shingles often reveals the real scope of the work required.
6. The Most Decorated Battleship in U.S. Navy History Is Docked in Camden
The USS New Jersey — BB-62 — earned more combat stars than any battleship in United States history. She served in World War II, Korea, Vietnam, and Lebanon, and was recommissioned four separate times. She is now permanently docked on the Camden waterfront as a museum open to the public.
She is 887 feet long, weighs 45,000 tons, and her 16-inch guns could fire a 2,700-pound shell more than 23 miles. Most decorated battleship in U.S. history — parked in South Jersey.
7. Burlington County's Courthouse Has Been Operating Since 1703
The courthouse in Mount Holly, Burlington County, has operated continuously since 1703 — predating the Declaration of Independence by 73 years. Burlington County was established as part of West Jersey in 1677, originally settled as a Quaker province. By 1700, approximately 70% of the West Jersey population were Quakers who arrived from England and Ireland along the Delaware River.
A structure standing since 1703 reflects what quality materials and consistent maintenance produce over time. South Jersey homes built in the 1950s through 1980s can achieve the same long-term performance — provided the asphalt shingle roof is properly maintained, ventilated, and replaced on schedule.
8. South Jersey Created the Suburban Model Before the Word Existed
Before "suburb" entered everyday vocabulary, South Jersey communities were already operating that way. Residents of Camden, Gloucester, and Burlington counties crossed the Delaware River to work in Philadelphia and returned to quieter communities in Cherry Hill, Haddonfield, Moorestown, and Collingswood. Railroads made that commute practical in the mid-1800s.
South Jersey homes in those established neighborhoods have been the backbone of the region's real estate market for over 150 years.
9. Benjamin Franklin Said New Jersey Was "A Barrel Tapped at Both Ends"
Benjamin Franklin described the state of New Jersey as "a barrel tapped at both ends" — Philadelphia drawing from the south, New York City drawing from the north. Today the South Jersey–Philadelphia metro area includes over 7.3 million residents and anchors one of the largest logistics corridors on the East Coast. South Jersey ranks among the top producers of cranberries, blueberries, and asparagus in the country. Franklin's assessment has not aged well.
10. South Jersey Homes Take More Storm Damage Than Most Homeowners Expect
South Jersey sits at the convergence of three major storm corridors: nor'easters from the Atlantic coast, severe thunderstorm systems from the southwest, and tropical storm remnants tracking north from the Carolinas. Burlington County recorded five significant weather events between 2023 and 2025, including a confirmed tornado, a storm system that dropped more than five inches of rain in a single day, and multiple 60-plus MPH wind events.
That storm damage cycle — combined with summer heat that expands and contracts asphalt shingles and winter freeze-thaw stress on flashing and gutters — shortens roof life faster than most South Jersey homeowners plan for. The average asphalt shingle roof lasts 20 to 30 years, but storm exposure and installation quality affect that timeline significantly.
Mighty Dog Roofing of South Jersey is an Owens Corning Platinum Preferred Contractor offering free roof inspections with full photo documentation across Cherry Hill, Moorestown, Mount Laurel, Marlton, Cinnaminson, Haddonfield, Voorhees, Medford, and all of South Jersey. Free roof inspections are available with no obligation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is South Jersey known for? South Jersey is known for the Pine Barrens, Atlantic City, the Jersey Shore, and its proximity to Philadelphia across the Delaware River. It is also the birthplace of the drive-in movie theater, the discovery site of the first dinosaur skeleton in North America, and home to the most decorated battleship in U.S. Navy history. South Jersey homes span some of the most historically significant communities in the Garden State.
Where is Gotham City located according to DC Comics? According to the 1990 DC Comics Atlas, Gotham City is placed in southern New Jersey near Cumberland County. Metropolis is shown across the Delaware River in Delaware.
What was invented or discovered in South Jersey? The drive-in movie theater was invented in Camden, NJ in 1933. The first dinosaur skeleton in North America was discovered in Haddonfield in 1858. West Jersey, established in 1677, was among the earliest organized provinces in what became the state of New Jersey.
Why do South Jersey homes need regular roof inspections? South Jersey homes face storm damage from multiple storm system types — nor'easters, severe thunderstorms, and tropical remnants — as well as summer heat and winter freeze-thaw cycles. This combination accelerates wear on asphalt shingles and roofing materials faster than many homeowners anticipate. Regular inspections by licensed roofing contractors identify damage early and often reveal qualifying insurance claims.
Does Mighty Dog Roofing of South Jersey offer free inspections? Yes. Mighty Dog Roofing of South Jersey provides free roof inspections with full photo documentation for homeowners across Camden, Burlington, and Gloucester counties. Call 856-545-0302 or schedule online to book.
Mighty Dog Roofing of South Jersey | Owens Corning Platinum Preferred | NJ HIC #13VH07765700 | (856) 545-0302| Serving Cherry Hill, Moorestown, Mount Laurel, Marlton, Cinnaminson, Haddonfield, Voorhees, Medford, and all of South Jersey.