Tuesday, March 30, 2004

Levinson Accepts Historical Society Donation for New Criminal Court Complex

The new Atlantic County Criminal Court Complex will do more than provide a secure, state-of-the-art facility for the the county's law enforcement and criminal court operations when it opens on May 3, 2004. It will also provide a public venue to display artwork from regional artists in addition to a variety of historic photographs, maps and educational materials, many of which have been contributed by Atlantic County's municipal historical societies.

One such donation was recently presented to County Executive Dennis Levinson by Ellen Cohen, Vice Chairman of the Longport Historical Society. The framed selection consists of remarkably preserved sea mosses dating back to 1893. The mosses were collected and pressed by Eleanor McCullough, wife of Longport's founder, M. Simpson McCullough. Mrs. McCullough was very accomplished in collecting, pressing and preserving botanical specimens. She displayed her work at the 1893 Columbus Exhibition in Chicago where it was awarded a bronze medal.

This piece and others will be on exhibit in the public areas throughout the three-story, 176,000 square foot complex located on Unami Boulevard in the Hamilton Township Industrial Park in Mays Landing.

Those who would like to donate artwork or historical items may contact the Atlantic County Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs at (609) 646-8699, extension 6314.

County News