Join us for a fascinating evening of history and community!
Thursday, September 17, 2026
Canoe Club at Hammonton Lake Park
Free and open to the public – no membership or RSVP required!
6 PM – Monthly Membership Meeting
6:45 PM – Refreshments
7 PM – Speaker Series The Historical Society of Hammonton is pleased to invite the public to its next FREE Speaker Series presentation on Thursday, September 17, 2026, at 7 PM, at the Canoe Club, Hammonton Lake Park. The evening begins with the Society’s monthly membership meeting at 6 PM, also open to everyone for free. No membership or RSVP is required—just stop by, enjoy an engaging evening, and discover fascinating insights into our local history.
The September program will feature Noe and Maria Castaneda, founders of Fiesta Mexicana Restaurant, and Rev. Alberto Torres, pastor of Pentecostal Assembly of God. Through their personal stories, they will share perspectives on the growth of Hammonton’s Hispanic community and the roles of family, faith, tradition, entrepreneurship, and service. Their individual journeys also reflect the broader story of Hammonton, a community shaped over generations by people who came seeking opportunity, established roots, and contributed to the town they made home.
Originally from Chiltepec, Estado de México, Noe and Maria Castaneda came to Hammonton with a dream of sharing the flavors, traditions, and hospitality of their Mexican heritage. On November 14, 1998, they opened Fiesta Mexicana Restaurant. Nearly three decades later, Fiesta Mexicana remains a familiar gathering place in Hammonton, built through hard work, family, enduring traditions, and a commitment to bringing people together. For Noe and Maria, Fiesta Mexicana has always been more than a restaurant. It’s a place where community, connection, and culture come together.
Pastor Alberto Torres’ connection to Hammonton began in the late 1970s, when, as a young man from Vineland, he worked in the area’s blueberry fields. In March 1991, he and his wife, Aurea, came to Hammonton with their two children to minister to a small congregation meeting at 18 Front Street.
As the congregation grew, Pentecostal Assembly of God built a new church at 100 French Street in 2003. Today, the bilingual church serves a multigenerational and multicultural congregation and has extended its ministry throughout South Jersey. Pastor Torres has also served as principal of the Hammonton AG Bible Institute since 1994, where more than 130 students have studied, and serves as South Jersey Section Presbyter for the Spanish Eastern District of the Assemblies of God.
The program is part of the Historical Society of Hammonton’s ongoing Speaker Series exploring the people, places, organizations, and events that have shaped the community’s history.
Come connect, learn, and celebrate Hammonton’s history with us!
The Historical Society of Hammonton is dedicated to preserving and celebrating the rich, multi-cultural social, economic, and political heritage of our town and its people. Our mission is to increase awareness of Hammonton’s rich history and to establish public access by collecting, conserving, interpreting, and promoting it to the widest possible audience.
Our Museum, built in 1887, is a treasure in itself. Formerly the Hammonton Town Hall, it also served as a Town Library and Kindergarten. Located in Hammonton Veterans Memorial Park, it is open to the public on Saturdays from 11 AM to 2 PM. We’re open other days by appointment or happenstance. If you see the OPEN flag flying, come on in!
If you can’t attend the presentation, you can find them on our YouTube channel, or you can come in and play back recordings of this and dozens of other past presentations. Monthly meetings and presentations are typically held on the first Thursday of each month.
Funding has been made possible in part by the New Jersey Historical Commission, a division of Cultural Affairs within the Department of State, through funds administered by the Atlantic County Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs.