Millville

centuries,Millville was a major U.S. glass producing center. In fact,American poet, Carl Sandburg, once cel- ebrated the glass making prowess of Millville in a 1904 essay: “Down in southern New Jersey, they make glass. By day and by night, the fires burn on in Millville and bid the sand let in the light.Millville by night would have delightedWhistler,who loved gloom and mist and wild shadows. Great rafts of wood and big, brick hulks, dotted with a myriad of lights, glowing and twinkling every shade of red. Big, black flumes shooting out smoke and sparks; bottles, bottles, bottles, of every tint and hue, from a brilliant crimson to the dull green that marks the death of sand and the birth of glass.” Millville’s other claim to fame is the Millville Army Air Field,which opened in 1941, and soon became an important training and refueling site for the U.S. ArmyAir Forces duringWorldWar II.After the war, the Air Field was returned to the city of Millville and most of its buildings were converted to apartments for returning veterans.The last of these apartments MILLVILLE, NEW JERSEY Down in southern New Jersey, they make glass. By day and by night, the fires burn on in Millville and bid the sand let in the light. Millville by night would have delighted Whistler, who loved gloom and mist and wild shadows. Great rafts of wood and big, brick hulks, dotted with a myriad of lights, glowing and twinkling every shade of red. Big, black flumes shooting out smoke and sparks; bottles, bottles, bottles, of every tint and hue, from a brilliant crimson to the dull green that marks the death of sand and the birth of glass.” FROM A 1904 ESSAY BY CARL SANDBURG PHOTO BY DWAYNE LEWIS vanished in the early 1970s, and the airport soon became an aviation hub for Southern New Jersey. Today, according to Millville’s Mayor,Michael Santiago, the airport is an underutilized asset that he would like to see grow in size and usage.“We have a great airport here in the city, and we’re trying to make it bright again,”he states.“So we developed a plan for the entire city which makes it easier for businesses to come in, easier to apply to our plan- ning board and zoning board.We give them a book that says this is what you need to do–A, B, C, and D. It makes it easier for them to look at what we have to offer to become a business and a neighbor within our city.” Another project on the city’s agenda is the repur- posing of one of its major glass factories, now sitting empty and idle.“Back in the ‘60s,‘70s, and ‘80s, if you PHOTOS BY DWAYNE LEWIS