On Thursday, May 25, at 7 pm at the Union Public Library, Tom Beisler and Tom Haggerty, trustees of the Union Township Historical Society, will present “The Self Master Colony: One Man’s Solution to Homelessness.”
The Self Master Colony, also known as Floyd’s Self Master Village, was a residence for men in need of help. It existed from 1908 to 1938, and was founded by Andress and Lillian Floyd and financed by Charles H. Ingersoll–famous for his Ingersoll Watch Company and his cement houses designed by Thomas Edison on Ingersoll Terrace in Union.
The colony consisted of about 50 acres on Morris Avenue, the present site of the Township of Union’s municipal building, public library, and Friberger Park. The only original building that remains from the colony is now the Girl Scout House. The colony’s main building was the Hoyt Mansion, which fell into disrepair and was razed
Andress Floyd is remembered for developing homes near Kawameeh Park in Union and giving some streets significant names: Andress Terrace and Floyd Terrace (for himself), Lillian Terrace (for his wife), Olive Terrace (for his estranged daughter), Crawford Terrace (for his business partner) and Self Master Parkway (for the colony). He allegedly named other streets after his favorite authors–Thoreau, Homer, and Carlyle.
Admission is free. Refreshments will be served. For more information, please call 908-851-5450.
(above) Residents of the Self Master Colony in the early part of the 20th century learned trades, such as rug-weaving shown here, to become self-sufficient members of society.
