Memories of Gloucester City: The Buena Vista

photo and caption submitted by Joe Hargesheimer 

MEMORIES OF GLOUCESTER CITY (NJ)–The building in the foreground is the Buena Vista Hotel. It once stood near the river at the intersection of King and Water Streets. If you look to the left of this building you will see the Mansion House as it appeared in it\’s hey day. When Billy Thompson, The Duke of Gloucester, came to town, after he married a Gloucester girl from Middlesex Street by the name of Sarah Sweeny, he leased the Buena Vista Hotel and started serving the famous planked Shad Dinners. After his lease was not renewed, he built his own, Thompson Hotel, on the River Front at the end of 3rd. Street.