Maurice River Township, New Jersey
Encyclopedia
Maurice River Township is a township
Township (New Jersey)
A township, in the context of New Jersey local government, refers to one of five types and one of eleven forms of municipal government. As a political entity, a township is a full-fledged municipality, on par with any town, city, borough, or village, collecting property taxes and providing...

 in Cumberland County
Cumberland County, New Jersey
Cumberland County is a county located in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2010 Census, the population is 156,898. Its county seat is Bridgeton. Cumberland County is named for Prince William, Duke of Cumberland....

, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...

, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

. It is part of the Vineland
Vineland, New Jersey
Vineland is a city in Cumberland County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 60,724...

-Millville
Millville, New Jersey
Millville is a city in Cumberland County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2000 United States Census, the city population was 26,847. Millville, Bridgeton and Vineland are the three principal New Jersey cities of the Vineland-Millville-Bridgeton Primary Metropolitan Statistical Area which...

- Bridgeton
Bridgeton, New Jersey
Bridgeton is a city in Cumberland County, New Jersey, United States, in the south part of the state, on the Cohansey River, near Delaware Bay. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 25,349. It is the county seat of Cumberland County...

 Primary Metropolitan Statistical Area for statistical purposes. As of the United States 2000 Census, the township population was 6,928.

Maurice River Township was first formed as a precinct on January 19, 1748, and was incorporated as one of New Jersey's initial 104 townships by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature
New Jersey Legislature
The New Jersey Legislature is the legislative branch of the government of the U.S. state of New Jersey. In its current form, as defined by the New Jersey Constitution of 1947, the Legislature consists of two houses: the General Assembly and the Senate...

 on February 21, 1798. Portions of the township were taken to form Millville
Millville, New Jersey
Millville is a city in Cumberland County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2000 United States Census, the city population was 26,847. Millville, Bridgeton and Vineland are the three principal New Jersey cities of the Vineland-Millville-Bridgeton Primary Metropolitan Statistical Area which...

 on March 1, 1866.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...

, the township has a total area of 95.7 square miles (247.9 km²), of which, 93.4 square miles (241.9 km²) of it is land and 2.3 square miles (6.0 km²) of it (2.41%) is water.

Maurice River Township borders Commercial Township
Commercial Township, New Jersey
Commercial Township is a township in Cumberland County, New Jersey, United States. It is part of the Vineland-Millville- Bridgeton Primary Metropolitan Statistical Area for statistical purposes...

, Millville
Millville, New Jersey
Millville is a city in Cumberland County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2000 United States Census, the city population was 26,847. Millville, Bridgeton and Vineland are the three principal New Jersey cities of the Vineland-Millville-Bridgeton Primary Metropolitan Statistical Area which...

, and Vineland
Vineland, New Jersey
Vineland is a city in Cumberland County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 60,724...

. Maurice River Township also borders Cape May County
Cape May County, New Jersey
-Climate:Being the southernmost point in New Jersey, Cape May has fairly mild wintertime temperatures. Contrary to that, the summertime has lower temperatures than most places in the state, making the county a popular place to escape the heat. It is in zone 7a/7b, which is the same as parts of...

, Atlantic County
Atlantic County, New Jersey
-National protected areas:* Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge * Great Egg Harbor Scenic and Recreational River -Demographics:...

, and the Delaware Bay
Delaware Bay
Delaware Bay is a major estuary outlet of the Delaware River on the Northeast seaboard of the United States whose fresh water mixes for many miles with the waters of the Atlantic Ocean. It is in area. The bay is bordered by the State of New Jersey and the State of Delaware...

. The Maurice River
Maurice River
The Maurice River is a river that empties into the Delaware Bay in southern New Jersey in the United States.The Maurice River, pronounced "Morris", is approximately long and is the second longest and largest tributary to Delaware Bay. Its watershed includes an extensive southern portion of the...

 forms the western boundary between Maurice River Township and Commercial Township.

Maurice River Township is one hour from both Philadelphia
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...

, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...

 and Atlantic City
Atlantic City, New Jersey
Atlantic City is a city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States, and a nationally renowned resort city for gambling, shopping and fine dining. The city also served as the inspiration for the American version of the board game Monopoly. Atlantic City is located on Absecon Island on the coast...

, situated just off of Route 47, Route 49 and Route 55. Route 347 and County Routes 548
County Route 548 (New Jersey)
County Route 548, abbreviated CR 548, is a county highway in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The highway extends from Delsea Drive County Route 548, abbreviated CR 548, is a county highway in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The highway extends from Delsea Drive County Route 548, abbreviated CR 548,...

, 550
County Route 550 (New Jersey)
County Route 550, abbreviated CR 550, is a county highway in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The highway extends from Delsea Drive in Maurice River Township to Shore Drive in Dennis Township...

 and 552
County Route 552 (New Jersey)
County Route 552, abbreviated CR 552, is a county highway in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The highway extends from Laurel Street in Bridgeton to Harding Highway in Hamilton Township.-Cumberland County:...

 all pass through the Township.

The township consists of several communities, including Bricksboro, the Cumberland
Cumberland, New Jersey
Cumberland is a small unincorporated community within Maurice River Township in Cumberland County, New Jersey, United States. Cumberland contains only a few hundred households, concentrated primarily on Route 49 and Hesstown/Port Elizabeth-Cumberland Road. The village is bordered by Millville and...

, Delmont
Delmont, New Jersey
Delmont is an unincorporated area within Maurice River Township. The area is served as United States Postal Service ZIP code 08314.As of the United States 2000 Census, the population for ZIP Code Tabulation Area 08314 was 1,986....

, Dorchester
Dorchester, New Jersey
Dorchester is an unincorporated area within Maurice River Township. The area is served as United States Postal Service ZIP code 08316.As of the United States 2000 Census, the population for ZIP Code Tabulation Area 08316 was 283....

, Heislerville, Leesburg
Leesburg, New Jersey
Leesburg is an unincorporated area within Maurice River Township in Cumberland County, New Jersey, United States. The area is served as United States Postal Service ZIP code 08327....

, Port Elizabeth
Port Elizabeth, New Jersey
Port Elizabeth is an unincorporated area within Maurice River Township, Cumberland County, New Jersey. The area is served as United States Postal Service ZIP code 08348....

 and some portions of Belleplain and Milmay. The township government is based in the community of Leesburg in the municipal complex. Maurice River Township is mostly rural in character and some of the land is covered by extensive forests of the Pine Barrens
Pine Barrens (New Jersey)
The Pine Barrens, also known as the Pinelands, is a heavily forested area of coastal plain stretching across southern New Jersey. The name "pine barrens" refers to the area's sandy, acidic, nutrient-poor soil, to which the crops originally imported by European settlers didn't take well...

.

History

Originally called Wahatquenak by the local Lenni Lenape Native Americans
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...

, the Maurice River is said to be named for a local legend
Legend
A legend is a narrative of human actions that are perceived both by teller and listeners to take place within human history and to possess certain qualities that give the tale verisimilitude...

, in which a Dutch ship on the river, the Prince Maurice, was sunk by the local Native Americans in 1657. The land was surveyed by John Worledge and Thomas Budd, and the village of Dorchester was laid out. However, it was not until 1798 on that the township itself was established.

Port Elizabeth was established as a port of delivery by an Act of Congress in 1789, and trade was done directly with the West Indies for several years, until the 1830s, when trading was done more with Philadelphia
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...

, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...

 and New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...

. Dorchester and Leesburg were known for shipbuilding industry, and the A.J. Meerwald (the State Ship of New Jersey) was built in the shipyards of Dorchester. The village of Heislerville and its surroundings were known for their oystering industry until around 1957, when a parasitic disease called MSX crippled the oyster population of the river. The oystering industry has not recovered since.

In 1993, the Maurice River and its tributaries were designated as the Maurice National Scenic and Recreational River by the Congress.

Culture

The pace of life in Maurice River Township is slow, and residents enjoy outdoors activities all year long afforded by the acres of unspoiled forest and waterways. With an abundance of forests and marshlands, numerous state wildlife refuges in the area are frequented by locals for hunting, fishing, bird-watching, hiking and boating. As a result, the preservation of the unique ecosystem of the Maurice River watershed has become an important issue for some residents. One group, Citizens United to Protect the Maurice River and Its Tributaries, Inc.
Citizens United to Protect the Maurice River and Its Tributaries, Inc.
Citizens United to Protect the Maurice River and Its Tributaries, Inc., or "CU", is a 501 regional watershed organization. It was founded in 1979 and incorporated in 1986....

 formed to provide education and organize preservation efforts.

Demographics

As of the census
Census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...

of 2000, there were 6,928 people, 1,332 households, and 1,012 families residing in the township. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...

 was 74.2 people per square mile (28.6/km²). There were 1,461 housing units at an average density of 15.6 per square mile (6.0/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 98.63% White, 3.98% African American, 0.78% Native American, 0.27% Asian, 11.1% Pacific Islander, 9.43% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

, and 2.89% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 9.15% of the population.

There were 1,332 households out of which 31.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.1% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...

 living together, 10.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.0% were non-families. 19.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.68 and the average family size was 3.03.

In the township the population was spread out with 12.9% under the age of 18, 5.3% from 18 to 24, 55.1% from 25 to 44, 20.3% from 45 to 64, and 6.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 277.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 343.8 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $43,182, and the median income for a family was $46,987. Males had a median income of $37,901 versus $27,928 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...

 for the township was $17,141. About 6.4% of families and 8.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.3% of those under age 18 and 6.9% of those age 65 or over.

Local government

Maurice River Township is governed under the Township
Township (New Jersey)
A township, in the context of New Jersey local government, refers to one of five types and one of eleven forms of municipal government. As a political entity, a township is a full-fledged municipality, on par with any town, city, borough, or village, collecting property taxes and providing...

 form of government with a three-member Township Committee. The Township Committee is elected directly by the voters in partisan elections to serve three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with one seat coming up for election each year. At an annual reorganization meeting, the Township Committee selects one of its members to serve as Mayor.

Members of the Maurice River Township Committee are Mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....

 Andrew Sarclette (Term expires December 31, 2010), Deputy Mayor
Deputy Mayor
Deputy mayor is an elective or appointive office of the second-ranking official in many local governments. Many elected deputy mayors are members of the city council who are given the title and serve as acting mayor in the mayor's absence...

 Kathy Ireland (Term Expires 2011) and Committeeman Kevin Langley (Term Expires 2012).

Federal, state and county representation

Two New Jersey Department of Corrections
New Jersey Department of Corrections
The New Jersey Department of Corrections is responsible for operations and management of prison facilities in the U.S. state of New Jersey...

 prisons, the Bayside State Prison
Bayside State Prison
Bayside State Prison is a state prison for men located in Leesburg, Maurice River Township, New Jersey. It is of the New Jersey Department of Corrections. It is adjacent to Southern State Correctional Facility....

 and the Southern State Correctional Facility
Southern State Correctional Facility (New Jersey)
Southern State Correctional Facility is a prison for men located in Delmont, Maurice River Township, New Jersey. It is a part of the New Jersey Department of Corrections. It is adjacent to Bayside State Prison....

, are in the township.

Maurice River Township is in the 2nd Congressional district.

Maurice River Township is in the

Education

The Maurice River Township School District
Maurice River Township School District
The Maurice River Township School District is a community public school district that serves students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade, from Maurice River Township, in Cumberland County, New Jersey, United States....

 serves public school students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade. As of the 2005-06 school year Maurice River Township Elementary School had an enrollment of 406 students.
In the 2007-2008 school year, Maurice River Township Elementary School was one of only three schools in the state of New Jersey to receive the honor of being designated a School to Watch. Despite this honor, it is one of several schools targeted for closure as a result of Governor Jon Corzine's efforts to balance the state budget. Under Corzine's plan, the NJ Department of education hopes to close small schools within the next three years. Students at Maurice River Township Elementary School will be bused to a larger regional school within Cumberland County. There is currently a heated debate within the community about the future of the school. MRTE School principal John Saporito has been a vocal opponent of the plan and actively seeking alternatives to keep the school open. Meetings of concerned parents with the Board of Education and Mr. Saporito have prompted many ideas and debate. This included the suggestion Maurice River Township build a high school. However the New Jersey Department of Education indicated MRT's population does not meet the criteria to house a high school. Public school students in grades 9-12 are currently bused to the high school in Millville
Millville, New Jersey
Millville is a city in Cumberland County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2000 United States Census, the city population was 26,847. Millville, Bridgeton and Vineland are the three principal New Jersey cities of the Vineland-Millville-Bridgeton Primary Metropolitan Statistical Area which...

, as part of a sending/receiving relationship
Sending/receiving relationship
A sending/receiving relationship is one in which a public school district sends some or all of its students to attend the schools of another district. This is often done to achieve costs savings in smaller districts or continues after districts have grown as part of a historical relationship...

 with the Millville Public Schools
Millville Public Schools
Millville Public Schools is a school district that serves the city of Millville, in Cumberland County, New Jersey, United States. The district is one of 31 Abbott Districts statewide....

. Students in grade 9 and half of those in grade 10 attend Memorial High School
Memorial High School (Millville, New Jersey)
Memorial High School is a public high school in Millville, New Jersey, United States, operated as part of the Millville Public Schools. The school was built in 1925 and used as the Millville High School from 1925-1964 until the Millville Senior High School was built...

, while the other half in grade 10 and the entirety of grades 11 and 12 attend Millville Senior High School
Millville Senior High School
Millville Senior High School is a comprehensive public high school located in Millville, New Jersey, operating as part of the Millville Public Schools. The school has been accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Secondary Schools since 1943. Students from...

.

Notable residents

Notable current and former residents of Maurice River Township include:
  • Mike Lafferty
    Mike Lafferty
    Mike Lafferty is a multi-time AMA National Enduro Champion from Southern New Jersey, USA. He has been racing at the championship level since 1993 when he won the AMA Regional Championship. Lafferty has won eight AMA National Enduro Championships, which ties the record previously set by Dick...

     (1975-) Enduro
    Enduro
    Enduro is a form of motorcycle sport run on courses that are predominantly off-road. Enduro consists of many different obstacles and challenges...

     motorcycle champion.
  • Thomas Lee
    Thomas Lee
    Thomas Lee may refer to:*Hon. Thomas Lee , early Virginian colonist, and builder of "Stratford Hall Plantation*Thomas Lee , English neoclassical architect...

     (1780–1856), represented New Jersey
    New Jersey
    New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...

     at large in the United States House of Representatives
    United States House of Representatives
    The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...

     from 1833-1837.
  • Merritt Gant
    Merritt Gant
    Merritt Gant is a guitarist originally from Millville, New Jersey. Gant is most recognized for his association with the band Overkill....

     (1971-), former guitarist of heavy metal bands, Overkill (band)
    Overkill (band)
    Overkill is an American thrash metal band, formed in 1980 in New Jersey. They have gone through many line-up changes, with singer Bobby "Blitz" Ellsworth and bassist D.D. Verni remaining from the original lineup. Along with Anthrax , the band is one of the most successful East Coast thrash metal...

     and Faith or Fear.

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
x
OK