Gloucester Township Buries Time Capsule At Gabreil Daveis Tavern

GLOUCESTER TOWNSHIP, NJ — Late last month, Gloucester Township officials sent a piece of history into the ground at the historical Gabreil Daveis Tavern in the Glendora section of the township.

Township officials buried a time capsule that included items of significance and pictures donated by township organizations in honor of the township’s 325th anniversary. When the time capsule is dug up in 2070, it will be a glimpse into the lives of Gloucester Township’s residents of 2021.

“Today we are joined at this wonderful celebration of Gloucester Township’s past, present and future,” Gloucester Township Council President Orlando Mercado said. “When the time capsule is open 50 years from now, residents will be reminded that those that planned this capsule and those who placed the items in it did so because they cared about Gloucester Township. These items will have their own special meaning, but combined as a whole, the contents of this capsule will represent the past and remind that the past always shapes the future.”

“Thank you for joining us on the grounds of Gabreil Daveis Tavern to start a new chapter of our rich and vibrant history that dates back to 1600s,” Gloucester Township Mayor David Mayer said. “A history that helped shape our county, our state, and our nation. As we celebrate the 325th anniversary since the Township’s incorporation, we hope that future generations take time to look back at generations that came before them, to understand the challenges we faced and build upon those challenges with strength and innovation. This time capsule is a bridge to the future. In it is locked seeds of history that, when opened 50 years from now, will grow into living items and documents capturing this moment in the history of Gloucester Township.”

Gloucester Township and Egg Harbor Township were the two towns that made up Gloucester County as of 1683, according to the township's website. Gloucester Township derived its name from the Cathedral City of Gloucester on the banks of the River Severn in England.

It further subdivided into four smaller towns, and was one of New Jersey's first townships to incorporate, on June 1, 1695. It became part of Camden County in 1884.

It is home to the Chew-Powell House, the oldest house in Camden County and one of the oldest buildings in the state. It was built in 1688.

The site in which the time capsule was buried, at the Gabreil Daveis Tavern, also has historical significance. It was built in 1756 to accommodate travelers headed east and west over the Irish road and water men moving lumber and other products by way of the Timber Creek, according to the township's website.

Gabreil's widow Sarah Daveis declined to renew its license in 1768, and it ceased to be a tavern. After that, it served as a home to some of the township's most important Revolutionary War figures.

There are also legends that it is haunted, and was included in a list of Visit South Jersey’s 7 Spooky Places In South Jersey in 2019. Read more here: Spooky In Gloucester Township: Is Garbeil Daveis Tavern Haunted?

Township officials thanked everyone who donated items to the time capsule. They gave a special thank you to Public Works Supervisor Kevin Bucceroni who made this time capsule, all Public Works employees who set up the event, Gloucester Township Police Department, Historical Society, and the volunteers.