Charles K. Landis
Encyclopedia
Charles Kline Landis was a property developer in South Jersey
, who was the founder and developer of Vineland
and Sea Isle City
.
Landis was born in Philadelphia to Michael G. and Mary L. Landis and was educated as a lawyer. His first foray as a developer began with the development of Hammonton, New Jersey
in 1857. Landis and his partner, a lawyer named Byrnes, purchased 5000 acres (20 km²) of land along the Camden and Atlantic Railroad, connecting Camden
and Atlantic City
. By 1860, Hammonton had over 2,000 inhabitants, and was a successful agricultural community.
After this experience, Landis began dreaming of a utopia
n city. He purchased 20000 acres (81 km²) of land in 1861, near Millville, New Jersey
and along an existing railroad line with service to Philadelphia. The first houses were built in 1862, and train service was established to Philadelphia and New York City
, with the population reaching 5,500 by 1865.
In addition to banning the sale of alcohol, Landis required that purchasers of land in Vineland had to build a house on the purchased property within a year of purchase, that 2½ acres of the often-heavily wooded land had to be cleared and farmed each year, and that adequate space be placed between houses and roads to allow for planting of flowers and shade trees along the routes through town. The added space between houses helped ensure that if a family were to contract a disease, it would have a significantly less chance of becoming an outbreak than if they were closer together. Landis Avenue was constructed as a 100 feet (30.5 m) wide and about 1 miles (2 km) long road running east-west through the center of the community, with other, narrower roads connecting at right angles to each other.
After determining that the Vineland soil was well-suited for growing grapes (where he got the name), Landis started advertising to attract Italian
grape growers to Vineland, offering 20 acres (80,937.2 m²) of land that had to be cleared and used to grow grapes. Thomas Bramwell Welch
founded Welch's Grape Juice
, and purchased the locally-grown grapes to make "unfermented wine
" (or grape juice).
After articles were published in the Vineland Independent questioning the sanity of Landis' wife, Landis calmly walked into the office and shot Uri Carruth, the paper's editor, in the back of the head. Carruth lingered for months, but when he died Landis was charged with murder. Landis was found not guilty based on temporary insanity in a sensational 1876 trial. This was the first time in Judicial history where a person claimed insanity as a reason for being not guilty. Carruth had moved from Wisconsin
to Vineland after reading of Vineland's "healthful climate" in one of Landis' promotional advertisements for the city.
In 1880, Landis purchased Ludlam Island
, a barrier island
on the Atlantic Ocean
shorefront, with the intention of building a city like Venice
, Italy
, to include canals, fountains and other public art. While the Venice aspect of the project was less than successful, his Sea Isle City Improvement Company brought residents to the area, which separated from Dennis Township
, and was incorporated as Sea Isle City, New Jersey
on May 22, 1882, based on the results of a referendum held six days earlier. The main street today is called Landis Avenue.
Landis also had a hand in establishing other small towns, including Landisville
. He planned to make it county seat of a new county called Landis County, which would incorporate land from the surrounding counties. However, the locals were against this, and began calling him "King Landis". Landisville has never eclipsed Vineland in importance.
Charles Landis died on June 12, 1900 at the age of 67 and is buried in Siloam Cemetery
in Vineland, a cemetery that was established on land donated by him in 1864.
South Jersey
South Jersey comprises the southern portions of the U.S. state of New Jersey between the lower Delaware River and the Atlantic Ocean. The designation is a colloquial one, reflecting not only geographical but perceived cultural differences from the northern part of the state, with no official...
, who was the founder and developer of Vineland
Vineland, New Jersey
Vineland is a city in Cumberland County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 60,724...
and Sea Isle City
Sea Isle City, New Jersey
Sea Isle City is a city in Cape May County, New Jersey, United States. It is part of the Ocean City Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 2,114. Visitors raise the population to as much as 40,000 during the peak summer season from Memorial Day...
.
Landis was born in Philadelphia to Michael G. and Mary L. Landis and was educated as a lawyer. His first foray as a developer began with the development of Hammonton, New Jersey
Hammonton, New Jersey
Hammonton is a town in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the town population was 14,791. It is located directly between Philadelphia and the resort town of Atlantic City, along a former route of the Pennsylvania Railroad currently used by New Jersey...
in 1857. Landis and his partner, a lawyer named Byrnes, purchased 5000 acres (20 km²) of land along the Camden and Atlantic Railroad, connecting Camden
Camden, New Jersey
The city of Camden is the county seat of Camden County, New Jersey. It is located across the Delaware River from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 77,344...
and Atlantic City
Atlantic City, New Jersey
Atlantic City is a city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States, and a nationally renowned resort city for gambling, shopping and fine dining. The city also served as the inspiration for the American version of the board game Monopoly. Atlantic City is located on Absecon Island on the coast...
. By 1860, Hammonton had over 2,000 inhabitants, and was a successful agricultural community.
After this experience, Landis began dreaming of a utopia
Utopia
Utopia is an ideal community or society possessing a perfect socio-politico-legal system. The word was imported from Greek by Sir Thomas More for his 1516 book Utopia, describing a fictional island in the Atlantic Ocean. The term has been used to describe both intentional communities that attempt...
n city. He purchased 20000 acres (81 km²) of land in 1861, near Millville, New Jersey
Millville, New Jersey
Millville is a city in Cumberland County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2000 United States Census, the city population was 26,847. Millville, Bridgeton and Vineland are the three principal New Jersey cities of the Vineland-Millville-Bridgeton Primary Metropolitan Statistical Area which...
and along an existing railroad line with service to Philadelphia. The first houses were built in 1862, and train service was established to Philadelphia and New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, with the population reaching 5,500 by 1865.
In addition to banning the sale of alcohol, Landis required that purchasers of land in Vineland had to build a house on the purchased property within a year of purchase, that 2½ acres of the often-heavily wooded land had to be cleared and farmed each year, and that adequate space be placed between houses and roads to allow for planting of flowers and shade trees along the routes through town. The added space between houses helped ensure that if a family were to contract a disease, it would have a significantly less chance of becoming an outbreak than if they were closer together. Landis Avenue was constructed as a 100 feet (30.5 m) wide and about 1 miles (2 km) long road running east-west through the center of the community, with other, narrower roads connecting at right angles to each other.
After determining that the Vineland soil was well-suited for growing grapes (where he got the name), Landis started advertising to attract Italian
Italian people
The Italian people are an ethnic group that share a common Italian culture, ancestry and speak the Italian language as a mother tongue. Within Italy, Italians are defined by citizenship, regardless of ancestry or country of residence , and are distinguished from people...
grape growers to Vineland, offering 20 acres (80,937.2 m²) of land that had to be cleared and used to grow grapes. Thomas Bramwell Welch
Thomas Bramwell Welch
Thomas Bramwell Welch was the inventor of the pasteurization process to prevent the fermentation of grape juice.-Birth and emigration:...
founded Welch's Grape Juice
Welch's
Welch Foods Inc. is an American company, headquartered in Concord, Massachusetts. It is owned by the National Grape Cooperative Association, a co-op of grape growers....
, and purchased the locally-grown grapes to make "unfermented wine
Grape juice
Grape juice is obtained from crushing and blending grapes into a liquid. The juice is often sold in stores or fermented and made into wine, brandy, or vinegar. In the wine industry, grape juice that contains 7-23 percent of pulp, skins, stems and seeds is often referred to as "must"...
" (or grape juice).
After articles were published in the Vineland Independent questioning the sanity of Landis' wife, Landis calmly walked into the office and shot Uri Carruth, the paper's editor, in the back of the head. Carruth lingered for months, but when he died Landis was charged with murder. Landis was found not guilty based on temporary insanity in a sensational 1876 trial. This was the first time in Judicial history where a person claimed insanity as a reason for being not guilty. Carruth had moved from Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
to Vineland after reading of Vineland's "healthful climate" in one of Landis' promotional advertisements for the city.
In 1880, Landis purchased Ludlam Island
Ludlam Island
Ludlam Island is a barrier island in southern New Jersey, on which Sea Isle City, and Strathmere, a part of Upper Township are located.Joseph Ludlam purchased the island in the late 17th century, and grazed cows and sheep on it. In the 1880s, developer Charles K. Landis founded the City of Sea...
, a barrier island
Barrier island
Barrier islands, a coastal landform and a type of barrier system, are relatively narrow strips of sand that parallel the mainland coast. They usually occur in chains, consisting of anything from a few islands to more than a dozen...
on the Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
shorefront, with the intention of building a city like Venice
Venice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, to include canals, fountains and other public art. While the Venice aspect of the project was less than successful, his Sea Isle City Improvement Company brought residents to the area, which separated from Dennis Township
Dennis Township, New Jersey
Dennis Township is a township in Cape May County, New Jersey, United States. It is part of the Ocean City Metropolitan Statistical Area. The township population was 6,492 as of the United States 2000 Census...
, and was incorporated as Sea Isle City, New Jersey
Sea Isle City, New Jersey
Sea Isle City is a city in Cape May County, New Jersey, United States. It is part of the Ocean City Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 2,114. Visitors raise the population to as much as 40,000 during the peak summer season from Memorial Day...
on May 22, 1882, based on the results of a referendum held six days earlier. The main street today is called Landis Avenue.
Landis also had a hand in establishing other small towns, including Landisville
Landisville, New Jersey
Landisville is a neighborhood within Buena borough in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States. The area is served as United States Postal Service ZIP code 08326....
. He planned to make it county seat of a new county called Landis County, which would incorporate land from the surrounding counties. However, the locals were against this, and began calling him "King Landis". Landisville has never eclipsed Vineland in importance.
Charles Landis died on June 12, 1900 at the age of 67 and is buried in Siloam Cemetery
Siloam Cemetery
Siloam Cemetery is a cemetery in Vineland, in the U.S. state of New Jersey.The cemetery was established in 1864 on a plot of land donated by Charles K. Landis, founder of Vineland. A chapel was constructed in 1918, and is located in the center of one of the original sections of the cemetery...
in Vineland, a cemetery that was established on land donated by him in 1864.
External links
- THE FOUNDING OF VINELAND AND ITS GROWTH AS AN AGRICULTURAL CENTER, West Jersey and South Jersey Heritage.
- The Vineland Historical and Antiquarian Society
- Friends of Historic Vineland