The Little Italy district of Hammonton is home to three long-standing social organizations with origins deeply rooted in the town’s Italian-American heritage. While the facades of these buildings may be familiar to residents, the interiors of said structures are often only seen by a select few. According to the society’s website, the meeting hall was built in 1955 on a section of Tilton Street that would later be renamed Mt. Carmel Lane.

During the Feast of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel each July, the exterior of the hall is abuzz with activity as festival goers order sausage and pepper sandwiches or roast pork sandwiches, listen to live music and meet friends in the society’s beer garden. Inside the building for the remainder of the year, though, it’s a far quieter story.