Little Woods Renaming Put On Hold Amid Debate In Moorestown

MOORESTOWN, NJ - Anyone passing by Little Woods on Creek Road might think the name of the trail refers to its size. It doesn’t, though, and now the name has become the center of some controversy in Moorestown.

Moorestown Council was set for a final vote on a proposal that would rename “Little Woods” as “Barbara Rich’s Little Woods” Monday night. Rich has been fighting tooth-and-nail for open space causes in Moorestown since the 1970s. She doesn’t like the spotlight, but the township has noticed her efforts and is grateful.

In December, Moorestown Council introduced a resolution to name the trail in her honor. In January, the council with two new members passed the proposed ordinance on introduction with no fanfare. However, between first and second readings, Deputy Mayor Nicole Gillespie learned something new about the trail.

“The first reading seemed innocuous, and I didn’t really think about it, but then people began reaching out,” Gillespie said.

They were calling to let her know the trail was already named after Silas Little, who is best known for his work with the Lebanon Experimental Forest in New Lisbon from 1937 to 1979. He studied the forest and helped develop solutions to problems in New Jersey that occurred as a result of the environment.

A lot of people, including members of council, were unaware that the trail in Moorestown was named after him. When Gillespie began receiving calls, she began researching the trail’s naming history and found that Little previously owned the trail.

“The calls really intensified the weekend before the meeting,” Gillespie said.

Gillespie then raised the issue during Monday night’s council meeting, sparking a debate among members of council.

“She said it could be seen as a slight to Silas Little,” Councilman Mike Locatell said. “I don’t think it would be a slight to add Barbara’s name. We think she’s very deserving of the recognition.”
“The point was, have we considered talking to (Little’s) family,” Gillespie said. “This was not about Barbara Rich’s contributions.”

In another twist, one of Rich’s contributions to the town was to save the trail. Little previously sold the property to the Pennsylvania-based development company Toll Brothers, according to both Locatell and Gillespie. The company’s intention was to develop the land, Locatell said.

Beginning around 1988, Rich worked to procure the trail for the township. In 1997, about a decade of hard work paid off when the township was able to acquire the trail from the company by donation, Locatell said.

During Monday’s meeting, Councilwoman Victoria Napolitano initially put forth a motion to approve the proposal, but when it became clear it wouldn’t pass, she withdrew it. Had the motion been defeated, council would have been forced to start the process all over again.

Instead, the proposal was tabled. The new date for the public hearing and final vote is Feb. 25.
In the interim, members of council have been in touch with Little’s family.

“We heard from three family members that it means a lot,” Gillespie said, adding that they weren’t necessarily opposed to having Barbara Rich’s name added to the trail. “The family is impressed with Barbara Rich, and they know that she is responsible for saving it.”

The township and the family are working together to resolve the issue. Gillespie acknowledged there are many ways to honor Rich, and that renaming the trail was still a possibility. Locatell said Rich is a humble person, and that renaming the trail was one thing she was comfortable with.

“We want to be sensitive to the family,” Locatell said, adding that no one anticipated the renaming of the trail would be an issue.

Noting Rich’s involvement with county and state boards, STEM and MEAC, Locatell described the decision to rename the trail “a moment of celebration.” He remains hopeful the moment can still go through.

For more on Little Woods, visit southjerseytrails.org.

Photo credit: Anthony Bellano