Renovation of Dr. James Still office set to resume
Tags: Headlines, Families, Burlington County, Burlington County College, Autobiography

The renovation of the Dr. James Still office, located on Church Street in Medford, has resumed.

The structure, dated to 1839, was originally purchased by the state in 2006. Renovation of the property was halted due to lack of funding.

Recently, the Medford Historical Society, donations, educational grants and volunteers have stepped up to resume restoration.

“The project is very important. The property has been sitting there,” county historian Joe Laufer said. “We were all excited when it was purchased.”

Plans for renovation include herbal gardens designed by Jeanie Francis, an herbalist “passionate about Dr. James Still,” said Janet Carlson-Giardina project manager for the renovation.

According to Carlson-Giardina, many of the professional services needed to complete the project will be donated.

Additional gardens are slated to be designed by Jack Harmon for educational purposes and will be used to grow vegetables and fruit that will be donated to local food banks.

“We believe we can do this through donations,” she said. “We’ll be working off a grant and hopefully support from Burlington County College.”

The property was recently upgraded during the Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service.

Carlson-Giardina expected 30 to 35 volunteers to come out and clean the area around the office. The organizers were pleasantly surprised when approximately 100 people showed up.

“The restoration project will take more than [the MLK Day of Service], but we’re excited about the community involvement,” said Valerie Still, the great-great granddaughter of the famed physician.

The historic site will be a destination for residents in the area and across state lines.

“It’s really very exciting to know we’re part of an activity that will have such an impact,” Laufer said.

According to Laufer, Dr. James Still is considered the first “black doctor of the pines.” He is known for practicing an unorthodox herbal method of treatment during a time when African-Americans were still fighting for their freedom.

“He was able to practice medicine and excel in a hostile environment,” Valerie said.

According to Valerie, the property is the first African-American site not directly related to the Underground Railroad the state purchased.

“To a point, it was related to the Underground Railroad with Dr. Still’s brother, William, involved in the movement, but overall the property was dedicated to Dr. Still’s practice of medicine,” Valerie said.

Dr. Still was born to former slaves in Shamong on the Saw Mill by Willow Grove Road.

His father, Levin, was a freed slave from Maryland who traveled to Shamong to create a life for himself and his wife Charity, a twice-captured slave, before her final escape to freedom and eventual arrival in Shamong, Laufer said. The couple moved to Stokes Road and had 16 children, three of whom are recognized for their accomplishments.

Currently, there are markers where the house was in Shamong.

In June, students from the Shamong school district dedicated the previously unmarked graves of Levin and Charity.

In addition to marking and honoring the Still gravesites, students from Lenape Regional High School District created a documentary on Dr. James Still and the family.

“The fact that it’s coming from young people makes me believe there is hope to continue teaching the history of the area,” Laufer said. “It’s important to show the history right in our backyard in Burlington County.”

Dr. Still was a self-taught professional, overcoming lack of education, race and going against the norms in his field.

According to Valerie, he only received a few weeks of schooling, and she often references his autobiography for inspiration and guidance.

“His autobiography is awesome. His book is really an empowerment guide,” she said. “For me, it meant that no matter what the circumstance you find yourself in, if you have a dream and the drive, you can achieve anything.”

Valerie expressed the importance of education for children on Dr. Still.

“This isn’t about some old guy from the 1800s, this is about everybody,” Valerie said. “It crosses age, race, gender and economic lines. It breaks all the socially constructed boxes people create. That’s what it’s all about.”

A symposium will be held Feb. 23 to benefit the restoration project at Medford Leas. Valerie will be a featured speaker at the event, in addition to Laufer’s presence on the panel.

Valerie’s company, Still Publications, recently released Dr. Still’s autobiography. It is available for purchase for $20 on stillpublications.com and Amazon.

The book will be sold at the symposium. For more information on the symposium and to buy tickets, visit medfordhistory.com. For questions on Dr. Still, email Valerie Still at ValerieStill1@gmail. com.