Mantua Township, New Jersey

Template:Short description Template:Use American English Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox settlement Mantua Township (pronounced man-CHEW-uh<ref>Berkery, Sheri. "Do you know how to pronounce these S.J. town names?", Courier-Post, September 5, 2019. Accessed January 26, 2022, via Newspapers.com. "Mantua: Man-Chew-uh - This township in Gloucester County is not pronounced with a hard 'T.'"</ref>) is a township within Gloucester County in the U.S. state of New Jersey, within the Philadelphia metropolitan area. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 15,235,<ref name=Census2020/><ref name=LWD2020/> its highest decennial count ever and an increase of 18 (+0.1%) from the 15,217 recorded at the 2010 census,<ref name=Census2010/><ref name=LWD2010/> which in turn reflected an increase of 1,000 (+7.0%) from the 14,217 counted in the 2000 census.<ref>Table 7. Population for the Counties and Municipalities in New Jersey: 1990, 2000 and 2010, New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development, February 2011. Accessed May 1, 2023.</ref> Mantua and surrounding Gloucester County constitute part of South Jersey.

History

File:ThomasCarpenterHouseNJ.jpg

Thomas Carpenter House in Mantua Township, Template:Circa

Mantua Township was formed as a township by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 23, 1853, from portions of Greenwich Township. Portions of the township were taken to form East Greenwich Township (February 10, 1881) and Pitman (May 24, 1905).<ref name=Story>Snyder, John P. The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 139. Accessed May 29, 2024.</ref> The township is named after Mantua, Italy<ref>Gannett, Henry. The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States, p. 198. United States Government Printing Office, 1905. Accessed August 19, 2015.</ref> or for a Mantua sub-tribe of the Lenape Native Americans.<ref>Hutchinson, Viola L. The Origin of New Jersey Place Names, New Jersey Public Library Commission, May 1945. Accessed September 4, 2015.</ref><ref>Roncace, Kelly. "What's in a name: Mantua", South Jersey Times, December 12, 2011. Accessed September 4, 2015.</ref>

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 16.09 square miles (41.67 km²), including 16.01 square miles (41.45 km²) of land and 0.09 square miles (0.22 km²) of water (0.53%).<ref name=CensusArea/><ref name=GR1 />

Richwood is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) located within portions of both Harrison Township and Mantua Township. The CDP had a 2010 population of 3,459, of which 3,400 were in Harrison Township and 59 in Mantua Township.<ref>DP-1 - Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data for Richwood CDP, New Jersey Template:Webarchive, United States Census Bureau. Accessed November 11, 2012.</ref><ref>New Jersey: 2010 - Population and Housing Unit Counts - 2010 Census of Population and Housing (CPH-2-32), United States Census Bureau, August 2012. Accessed November 11, 2012.</ref> Other unincorporated communities, localities, and places located partially or completely within the township include Barnsboro, Boodys Mills, Carpenter's Landing,<ref>Beck, Henry Charlton. More Forgotten Towns of Southern New Jersey, p. 299. Rutgers University Press, 1963. Template:ISBN. Accessed December 21, 2021.</ref> Centre City, Eastlack Corner, Jessups, Manunkachunk, Sewell, and West Landing.<ref>Locality Search, State of New Jersey. Accessed April 6, 2015.</ref>

The township borders Deptford Township, East Greenwich Township, Glassboro, Harrison Township, Pitman, Washington Township, Wenonah, and West Deptford Township.<ref>Municipalities within Gloucester County, NJ, Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission. Accessed November 7, 2019.</ref><ref>New Jersey Municipal Boundaries, New Jersey Department of Transportation. Accessed November 7, 2019.</ref>

Demographics

2010 census

The 2010 United States census counted 15,217 people, 5,719 households, and 4,169 families in the township. The population density was Template:Convert. There were 5,980 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. The racial makeup was 94.24% (14,340) White, 2.50% (380) Black or African American, 0.20% (31) Native American, 1.10% (168) Asian, 0.01% (1) Pacific Islander, 0.66% (100) from other races, and 1.29% (197) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.95% (449) of the population.<ref name=Census2010/>

Of the 5,719 households, 33.4% had children under the age of 18; 57.3% were married couples living together; 11.1% had a female householder with no husband present and 27.1% were non-families. Of all households, 22.2% were made up of individuals and 8.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.66 and the average family size was 3.13.<ref name=Census2010/>

24.1% of the population were under the age of 18, 8.1% from 18 to 24, 25.4% from 25 to 44, 29.5% from 45 to 64, and 12.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40.3 years. For every 100 females, the population had 92.9 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 88.8 males.<ref name=Census2010/>

The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $80,743 (with a margin of error of +/− $4,473) and the median family income was $88,586 (+/− $5,058). Males had a median income of $66,993 (+/− $4,279) versus $49,500 (+/− $7,015) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $35,073 (+/− $2,942). About 2.7% of families and 4.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.1% of those under age 18 and 3.6% of those age 65 or over.<ref>DP03: Selected Economic Characteristics from the 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates for Mantua township, Gloucester County, New Jersey Template:Webarchive, United States Census Bureau. Accessed November 7, 2012.</ref>

2000 census

As of the 2000 census,<ref name="GR2" /> there were 14,217 people, 5,265 households, and 3,948 families residing in the township. The population density was Template:Convert. There were 5,411 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. The racial makeup of the township was 95.81% White, 2.07% African American, 0.20% Native American, 0.86% Asian, 0.28% from other races, and 0.78% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.26% of the population.<ref name=Census2000>Census 2000 Profiles of Demographic / Social / Economic / Housing Characteristics for Mantua township, Gloucester County, New Jersey Template:Webarchive, United States Census Bureau. Accessed November 7, 2012.</ref><ref name=Census2000SF1>DP-1: Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2000 - Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data for Mantua township, Gloucester County, New Jersey Template:Webarchive, United States Census Bureau. Accessed November 7, 2012.</ref>

There were 5,265 households, out of which 36.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.1% were married couples living together, 9.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.0% were non-families. 21.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.69 and the average family size was 3.14.<ref name=Census2000/>

In the township, the population was spread out, with 26.7% under the age of 18, 6.3% from 18 to 24, 33.6% from 25 to 44, 22.3% from 45 to 64, and 11.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.5 males.<ref name=Census2000/>

The median income for a household in the township was $58,256, and the median income for a family was $63,391. Males had a median income of $46,984 versus $32,495 for females. The per capita income for the township was $24,147. About 2.8% of families and 3.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.3% of those under age 18 and 2.1% of those age 65 or over.<ref name=Census2000/>

Arts and culture

Musical groups from the township include pop punk band Major League.<ref>Roncace, Kelly. "Warped Tour: 4 bands from N.J. and 2 from Philly to check out", NJ.com, July 9, 2015. Accessed August 30, 2015. "Major League, a punk rock quartet from Mantua will perform on the Hard Rock Kevin Says Stage."</ref>

Parks and recreation

Tall Pines State Preserve is a Template:Convert nature preserve that opened in November 2015 as Gloucester County's first state park and is located along the border of Deptford Township and Mantua Township. Originally a forest that was turned into an asparagus field and then a golf course, the land was preserved through efforts of South Jersey Land and Water Trust, the Friends of Tall Pines, Gloucester County Nature Club, and the New Jersey Green Acres Program.<ref name=NA>"Tall Pines State Preserve; Gloucester County's First State Park" Template:Webarchive, Natural Awakenings: South Jersey Edition. Accessed May 19, 2016. "This 111-acre parcel of land that straddles Mantua and Deptford townships was originally forested woodlands, then an asparagus field before it became a golf course named Tall Pines in the early 1950s."</ref>

Government

Local government

Mantua Township is governed under the Township form of New Jersey municipal government, one of 141 municipalities (of the 564) statewide that use this form, the second-most commonly used form of government in the state.<ref>Inventory of Municipal Forms of Government in New Jersey, Rutgers University Center for Government Studies, July 1, 2011. Accessed June 1, 2023.</ref> The Township Committee is comprised of five members, who are elected directly by the voters at-large in partisan elections to serve three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with either one or two seats coming up for election each year as part of the November general election in a three-year cycle.<ref name=DataBook>2012 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book, Rutgers University Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, March 2013, p. 19.</ref><ref>"Forms of Municipal Government in New Jersey", p. 7. Rutgers University Center for Government Studies. Accessed June 1, 2023.</ref><ref>Cerra, Michael F. "Forms of Government: Everything You've Always Wanted to Know, But Were Afraid to Ask", New Jersey State League of Municipalities, March 2007. Accessed January 1, 2025.</ref> At an annual reorganization meeting, the Township Committee selects one of its members to serve as Mayor and another as Deputy Mayor.<ref name=Committee/>

Template:As of, members of the Mantua Township Committee are Mayor Robert T. Zimmerman (D, term on committee December 31, 2027; term as mayor ends 2025), John Legge (D, 2026), Eileen Lukens (D, 2025), Jason Snyder (D, 2027) and Jack Steen (D, 2025; appointed to serve an unexpired term).<ref name=Committee>Township Committee, Mantua Township. Accessed January 24, 2025. "Mantua Township operates under the 'Township Committee' form of municipal government and is comprised of five members elected at-large through partisan elections. Members of township committee serve staggered three-year terms and reorganize annually during which the mayor is elected amongst members of township committee."</ref><ref>2024 Municipal Data Sheet, Mantua Township. Accessed January 24, 2025.</ref><ref name=GloucesterDirectory>Gloucester County 2024 Official Directory, Gloucester County, New Jersey. Accessed January 1, 2025.</ref><ref name=Gloucester2024>General Election November 5, 2024 Unofficial Results, Gloucester County, New Jersey, updated November 18, 2024. Accessed January 1, 2025.</ref><ref name=Gloucester2023>General Election November 7, 2023 Unofficial Results, Gloucester County, New Jersey, November 20, 2023. Accessed January 1, 2024.</ref><ref name=Gloucester2022>General Election November 8, 2022 Summary Report Unofficial Results, Gloucester County, New Jersey Clerk, November 21, 2022. Accessed January 1, 2023.</ref>

In December 2024, Jack Steen was appointed to fill the seat expiring in December 2025 that had been held by Peter Scirrotto until he resigned from office the previous month; Steen will serve on an interim basis until the November 2025 general election, when voters will choose a candidate to serve the remainder of the term of office.<ref>Metz, Joseph. "One committeeman sworn in, one bids farewell", South Jersey Local News, December 17, 2024. Accessed January 24, 2025. "The Mantua Township Committee meeting on Dec. 16 saw a temporary committeeman sworn in to serve the remainder of former committeeman Peter Scirrotto's term. John 'Jack' Steen will replace Scirrotto, who officially retired at the end of November after 33 years on the committee. Steen's name was one of three put forth by the township's Democrat Committee; he was then chosen by the full committee to serve until Dec. 31 of next year."</ref>

Federal, state, and county representation

Mantua Township is located in the 1st Congressional District<ref name=PCR2022>2022 Redistricting Plan, New Jersey Redistricting Commission, December 8, 2022.</ref> and is part of New Jersey's 3rd state legislative district.<ref>Districts by Number for 2023-2031, New Jersey Legislature. Accessed September 18, 2023.</ref>

Politics

Template:PresHead Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow |}

As of March 2011, there were a total of 10,232 registered voters in Mantua Township, of which 3,493 (34.1%) were registered as Democrats, 2,020 (19.7%) were registered as Republicans and 4,712 (46.1%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 7 voters registered as Libertarians or Greens.<ref>Voter Registration Summary - Gloucester, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, March 23, 2011. Accessed November 7, 2012.</ref>

In the 2012 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 50.3% of the vote (3,855 cast), ahead of Republican Mitt Romney with 48.2% (3,692 votes), and other candidates with 1.5% (117 votes), among the 7,731 ballots cast by the township's 10,720 registered voters (67 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 72.1%.<ref name=2012Elections>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=2012VoterReg>Template:Cite web</ref> In the 2008 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 50.0% of the vote (3,902 cast), ahead of Republican John McCain with 47.3% (3,687 votes) and other candidates with 1.6% (126 votes), among the 7,800 ballots cast by the township's 10,429 registered voters, for a turnout of 74.8%.<ref>2008 Presidential General Election Results: Gloucester County, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, December 23, 2008. Accessed November 7, 2012.</ref> In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 50.0% of the vote (3,704 ballots cast), outpolling Democrat John Kerry with 48.7% (3,604 votes) and other candidates with 0.7% (70 votes), among the 7,408 ballots cast by the township's 9,657 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 76.7.<ref>2004 Presidential Election: Gloucester County, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, December 13, 2004. Accessed November 7, 2012.</ref>

In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 66.0% of the vote (2,985 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 31.9% (1,445 votes), and other candidates with 2.1% (94 votes), among the 4,620 ballots cast by the township's 10,604 registered voters (96 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 43.6%.<ref name=2013Elections>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=2013VoterReg>Template:Cite web</ref> In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 48.1% of the vote (2,422 ballots cast), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 40.8% (2,055 votes), Independent Chris Daggett with 8.6% (435 votes) and other candidates with 0.8% (40 votes), among the 5,031 ballots cast by the township's 10,357 registered voters, yielding a 48.6% turnout.<ref>2009 Governor: Gloucester County Template:Webarchive, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, December 31, 2009. Accessed November 7, 2012.</ref>

Education

Children in pre-kindergarten through sixth grade for public school are served by the Mantua Township School District.<ref>Mantua Board of Education District Policy 0110 - Identification, Mantua Township School District. Accessed March 6, 2024. "Purpose: The Board of Education exists for the purpose of providing a thorough and efficient system of free public education in grades preschool through grade 6 in the Mantua Township School District. Composition: The Mantua Township School District is comprised of all the area within the municipal boundaries of Mantua Township."</ref> As of the 2022–23 school year, the district, comprised of three schools, had an enrollment of 1,256 students and 135.5 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 9.3:1.<ref name=NCES>District information for Mantua Township School District, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed February 1, 2024.</ref> Schools in the district (with 2022–23 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics<ref>School Data for the Mantua Township School District, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed February 1, 2024.</ref>) are Sewell School<ref>Sewell School, Mantua Township School District. Accessed March 6, 2024.</ref> with 290 students in pre-kindergarten and kindergarten, Centre City School<ref>Centre City School, Mantua Township School District. Accessed March 6, 2024.</ref> with 492 students in grades 1-3 and J. Mason Tomlin School<ref>J. Mason Tomlin School, Mantua Township School District. Accessed March 6, 2024.</ref> with 473 students in grades 4-6.<ref>District Information, Mantua Township School District. Accessed March 6, 2024. "Students in our township attend one of three schools based on grade. Our Sewell School educates students in grades pre-k and kindergarten, our Centre City School educates students in grades 1 - 3, and our J. Mason Tomlin School educates all of the township's students in grades 4 - 6. As a sending district to the Clearview Regional High School District, all Mantua Township students attend Clearview Regional Middle School for grades 7 and 8, and Clearview Regional High School for grades 9 through 12."</ref><ref>2023-2024 Gloucester County Office Of Education Public School Directory, Gloucester County, New Jersey. Accessed March 6, 2024.</ref><ref>School Performance Reports for the Mantua Township School District, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed March 6, 2024.</ref><ref>New Jersey School Directory for the Mantua Township School District, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed February 1, 2024.</ref>

Public school students in seventh through twelfth grades attend the schools of the Clearview Regional High School District, which serves students from Harrison Township and Mantua Township.<ref>Clearview Regional Board of Education District Policy 0110 - Identification, Clearview Regional High School District. Accessed March 6, 2024. "Purpose: The Board of Education exists for the purpose of providing a thorough and efficient system of free public education in grades seven through twelve in the Clearview Regional High School District. Composition: The Clearview Regional High School District is comprised of all the area within the municipal boundaries of Harrison Township and Mantua Township."</ref><ref>Clearview Regional High School District 2016 Report Card Narrative, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed March 25, 2020. "The Clearview Regional High School District serves the townships of Harrison and Mantua. The district is comprised of a Middle School (7-8) and High School (9-12), educating approximately 2,450 students."</ref><ref>About Us, Clearview Regional High School District. Accessed March 6, 2024. "The Clearview Regional High School District serves the townships of Harrison and Mantua. The district is comprised of a Middle School (7-8) and High School (9-12), educating approximately 2,450 students."</ref> Schools in the high school district (with 2022–23 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics<ref>School Data for the Clearview Regional School District, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed February 1, 2024.</ref>) are Clearview Regional Middle School<ref>Clearview Regional Middle School, Clearview Regional School District. Accessed March 6, 2024.</ref> with 753 students in grades 7-8 and Clearview Regional High School<ref>Clearview Regional High School, Clearview Regional School District. Accessed March 6, 2024.</ref> with 1,431 students in grades 9-12.<ref>School Performance Reports for the Clearview Regional High School District, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed March 1, 2024.</ref><ref>New Jersey School Directory for the Clearview Regional School District, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed February 1, 2024.</ref> Seats on the high school district's nine-member board are allocated based on population, with five seats assigned to Mantua Township.<ref>Board Members, Clearview Regional High School District. Accessed March 6, 2024.</ref>

Students from across the county are eligible to apply to attend Gloucester County Institute of Technology, a four-year high school in Deptford Township that provides technical and vocational education. As a public school, students do not pay tuition to attend the school.<ref>Admissions, Gloucester County Institute of Technology. Accessed November 7, 2019. "There is no charge to attend. GCIT is a public school.... GCIT is the vocational-technical school for Gloucester County residents. You must live in Gloucester County to apply and attend."</ref>

Guardian Angels Regional School is a K-8 school that operates under the auspices of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Camden.<ref>Schools, South Jersey Catholic Schools. Accessed February 21, 2023.</ref> Its PreK-3 campus is in Gibbstown while its 4-8 campus is in Paulsboro.<ref>Contact Information, Guardian Angels Regional School. Accessed February 22, 2023.</ref>

Transportation

Roads and highways

Template:As of, the township had a total of Template:Convert of roadways, of which Template:Convert were maintained by the municipality, Template:Convert by Gloucester County and Template:Convert by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.<ref>Gloucester County Mileage by Municipality and Jurisdiction, New Jersey Department of Transportation, May 2010. Accessed July 18, 2014.</ref>

Route 45<ref>Route 45 Straight Line Diagram, New Jersey Department of Transportation, updated March 2017. Accessed November 9, 2019.</ref> and Route 55<ref>Route 55 Straight Line Diagram, New Jersey Department of Transportation, updated March 2017. Accessed November 9, 2019.</ref> are the main highways serving Mantua Township. County Route 553<ref>County Route 553 Straight Line Diagram, New Jersey Department of Transportation, updated June 2012. Accessed November 9, 2019.</ref> and County Route 553 Alternate also traverse the township.

Public transportation

NJ Transit bus service is available in the township between Bridgeton and Philadelphia on the 410 route and between Sewell and Philadelphia on the 412 route.<ref>Gloucester County Bus / Rail Connections, NJ Transit, backed up by the Internet Archive as of July 26, 2010. Accessed November 6, 2012.</ref><ref>Gloucester County's Transit Guide, Gloucester County, New Jersey. Accessed November 7, 2019.</ref>

Notable people

Template:Category see also People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Mantua Township include:

• Thomas Carpenter (1752–1847), early American glassmaker<ref>Kephart, Bill; and Kephart, Mary. "The Kepharts: Thomas Carpenter in the Revolutionary War", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, September 11, 2011, updated January 18, 2019. Accessed December 21, 2021. "Carpenter purchased 50 acres on Mantua Creek. Here he also lived, maintained a store and shipped glass up Mantua Creek to Philadelphia. The area became known as Carpenter's Bridge, later as Carpenter's Landing and now Mantua. Thomas Carpenter died on July 7, 1847 at almost 95 years old.... The Carpenter home is still standing in Mantua."</ref>
• Mario Cerrito (born 1984), filmmaker, writer and producer known in the horror/thriller genre<ref>Berjery, Sheri. "Ghost Nation team determines source of paranormal activity at South Jersey home", Courier-Post, October 26, 2019. Accessed December 21, 2021. "Hawes and fellow investigators Steve Gonsalves and Dave Tango — all of whom starred on the SyFy channel's Ghost Hunters — responded to help the Cerrito family in Mantua. The episode was called 'The Novelist's Nightmare,' a nod to Mario Cerrito III's profession as a horror writer and filmmaker."</ref><ref>Lawrence, Ryan. "Movie Magic: Mantua filmmaker gets horror movie vet to direct his script", Mantua News, September 25, 2020. Accessed January 26, 2022. "Born and bred in South Jersey, Cerrito grew up in Audubon and went to high school in Woodstown before settling in Mantua five years ago with his wife, Charmaine, and their now 4-year-old son, Mario Cerrito IV, and his 11-year-old stepdaughter, Summer Schaefer."</ref>
• Lucinda Florio (1947–2022), teacher and advocate for education and literacy, who, as the wife of former New Jersey Governor James Florio, served as the First Lady of New Jersey<ref>Turner, Elizabeth. "Meet Lucinda Florio", Asbury Park Press, April 22, 1990. Accessed July 24, 2023, via Newspapers.com. "Florio's concentration was fully focused on motherhood and homemaking. But when their son neared school age, the couple settled down and bought a house in Barnesboro, Mantua Township, and Mrs. Florio redirected her energy."</ref>
• George W. F. Gaunt (1865–1918), politician who served as President of the New Jersey Senate<ref name=":0">Template:Cite book</ref>
• John E. Wallace Jr. (born 1942), Associate Justice of the New Jersey Supreme Court<ref>Justice John E. Wallace Jr. Template:Webarchive, New Jersey Supreme Court. Accessed July 15, 2008.</ref>

External links

• Mantua Township official website