When the Spanish Influenza struck in 1918, Delmarva’s essential workers paid a heavy toll serving on the front line of the struggle during the weeks the illness ripped across the Peninsula. That autumn the nation already grappled with the burden of World War I, when the first contagious cases broke out here. As the virus…
Dixon Reappointed to the Historic District Commission
As a charter member of the Cecil County Historic District Commission, I have served on the panel since it was created in 1999. As my current term expires this month, I was just notified that the county executive reappointed me to serve until March 2023. The commission’s duties include making recommendations on applications for historic…
Salem County Shutdown During Flu Epidemic of 1918
One hundred two years ago, a mysterious killer came calling in Salem County about the time World War I was winding down. It started in remote corners of the county, in places such as Fort Mott, as a global pandemic, the “so-called Spanish Influenza,” spread throughout New Jersey. The epidemic hit Fort Mott hard. Of…
When Death Came Calling Salem County Needed a Hospital
Continued from Part I – The Flu of 1918 Shutdown Salem County Now is the time for a hospital. That is what the Salem Sunbeam pointed out as life returned to normal. The suffering and the tragedies which visited the county had demonstrated the need for a well-equipped local hospital. “We have been shown that…