The Original Atlantic County Casino town

On the border of Burlington and Atlantic County Beck and his buddies found themselves travelling one day near a small town surrounded by towns of greater notoriety.  The town was known as Sweetwater, NJ.  When Beck was there the brush scratching the body of the car was very abundant.  The name of the town was Pleasant Mills for a bit of time, but has since changed back to Sweetwater, which it is known by today.

Family Business is a dangerous business to be in

                After a bitter family feud in early 1700s Scotland several families found themselves exiled and sought refuge in the Pine Barrens.  After completing a rude log cabin chapel and a few makeshift cottages form local materials the families settle din to their hometown.

                The town was further developed a few decades later by a man named Reid, who had a very attractive daughter every man was pining for, and every woman jealous of.  Her name, Honoria Reid, was changed to Kate Aylesford, as she was used in a story written by an author surnamed Peterson.  While fame and fortune came to his daughter Reid continued to watch his little town grow.   A new stage coach road was added connecting with the bigger highways which led into Hammonton.  Families, buildings, businesses, and churches soon came along and Sweetwater became filled with religious activity.  When Methodists rolled into town they would set up grand tent meetings held outside with audiences that the small houses of Sweetwater could not have contained.

Dropping Names like lead balloons

                 Sweetwater citizens of notoriety are worthy of their own section today!  Many fine folks have come from the small town, but some that New Jersey history fans might be familiar with are listed below:

Joseph Fralinger – glass blower from Atlantic City, and one of the earliest baseball promoters

Gen. St. Clair Mulholland – whose family battled at Bunker Hill also originated in Sweetwater, NJ

Captain Jack van Dyke – American Privateer (of sorts) who was proficient in profanity and in capturing British Merchant vessels in the early days of our nation’s history.

Gone, baby, Gone

                In more recent times the big claim to fame for Sweetwater was the Sweetwater Casino Bar and Restaurant.  A huge hangout for bikers and weekend road warriors the Casino had a long history of existence, and several signature dishes.  Even people who’ve never heard of the surround hamlets of Sweetwater Casino knew of the Casino itself.  While there was no gambling going on it was still called a Casino, as the original meaning of this word means a club, as in a place to hang out.

                Having lived up there for a few years myself I had frequented the Casino on more than one occasion.  My favorite food item:  Sweetwater Casino cheese, a dip cheese with a secret recipe, was a coveted prize at many parties I attended just a few short years ago.  Sadly, the Casino was lost to a raging fire which consumed the bar, restaurant, and surrounding stores.   There has been no attempt to rebuild to this day.