Maurice River Township Color Logo Maurice River Township Administrative Offices
590 Main Street
P.O. Box 218
Leesburg, NJ 08327

Phone: 856-785-1120
Fax: 856-785-1974

Hours: Mon. - Fri.
9:00 am - 3:00 pm


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Maurice River Township, New Jersey
Gateway to the Wild & Scenic Rivers
Visit the Wild & Scenic Maurice River at http://mauriceriver.igc.org

Maurice River Township, bounded by its namesake to the west and gently lapped by the Delaware bay to its south, is truly unique. Of its 94.7 square miles, 66 are within New jersey's Pinelands Protection Area, home to many threatened and endangered Pine Barrens plants and animals. Its four Wild and Scenic rivers - the Maurice, the Menantico, the Manumuskin, and the Muskee Creek - boast outstanding beauty and unparalleled recreational opportunities.

Long ago, aboriginal hunters and gatherers lived by our rivers and creeks. A four to six thousand year old village site, discovered on the Maurice near Port Elizabeth, is part of our rich archaeological heritage. The Maurice River (pronounced Morris) took its present name from the Prince Maurice, a Dutch ship which was set ablaze and sunk by Indians below Mauricetown. Settled by Swedes in the early 1700's, Maurice River Township quickly developed grist and sawmills along the tributaries, as well as bog iron furnaces and forges. Riverside farms were created by diking the tidal wetlands with high earthen embankments. In the 19th century, glass making and shipbuilding became major industries, along with coastal trading and oystering.

Dorchester and Leesburg were developed in the late 1700's, with shipbuilding as their principal industry. Port Elizabeth was established in 1785 by Elizabeth Bodly. A flourishing commercial center, it was designated the port of delivery for its region by an act of Congress in 1789, and remained the hub of the West Indies trade until Philadelphia and New York surpassed it in the early 19th century. In 1830 Maurice River Township had the largest population of the county's eight municipalities, by 1865 its hayday was over.


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Currently, Maurice River Township's major industries are resource extraction and water-based activities. Marinas dot the shoreline of the Maurice from Spring Garden down to Matt's Landing. Commercial and sports fishermen together with recreational boaters share the waters of the rivers and bay, and a shipyard carries on the local boat-building tradition.


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In addition, Maurice River Township's unspoiled woods, meadows, creeks and marshes offer outstanding opportunities for passive recreation such as hiking, camping, canoeing, art, photography, and birding. The Delaware bay towns of Moore's Beach, Thompson's Beach and East Point are excellent sites to view the globally significant shore bird migration in the spring. Over 1.5 million birds, some arriving non-stop from South America, congregate to feast on the annual horseshoe crab egg banquet laid out on the sandy beaches of the Bay. In addition, the Maurice River hosts large numbers of bald eagles, in the winter as many as 16 individuals have been counted in one day. According to Birding Cumberland, the second edition of the Birding Guide to Cumberland County, many of the area's richest habitats occur in Maurice River Township, easily accessible by car.


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To celebrate our avian resources, the county has recently instituted the Winter Raptor Festival and the Purple Martin Festival, which use the areas east and west of the Mauricetown Bridge as viewing sites and also guide people to other sites to enjoy the extensive bird life in our region. (Call the Cumberland County Department of Planning and Development at 856-553-2177 for dates and locations.)

For the artist and history buff, the often-painted East Point Light, built in 1849 and the last remaining lighthouse on the Delaware Bay, is also worth seeing. With its rivers, marshes, meadows, and breathtaking sunsets, Maurice River Township offers a special environment indeed both to its residents and its visitors!

Photos by Johanna Carrara, Leslie Ficcaglia and Greg Honachefsky.

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Things to see and do in Maurice River Township, NJ


PlaqueBirding
  • Shorebird migration in May at the Delaware Bay towns of Moore's Beach, East Point, and Thompson's Beach, PSE&G public viewing platform at Thompson's Beach
  • Neotropical songbird migration, both spring and fall, around East Point

Birds Nesting
  • Autumn raptor migration around East Point/Delaware Bay
  • Wintering waterfowl and raptors with large populations of bald eagles on the Maurice River
  • Nesting bald eagles hunting the Maurice from early spring through summer
  • The osprey colony project, established by Citizens United, approximately 27 active nests along the Maurice

Sensitive Joint Vetch - Aeschynomene VirginicaWildlife Management Areas
  • Heislerville and Corson Fish and Wildlife Management Areas, near Heislerville
  • Peaslee Wildlife Management Area, containing much of the headwaters of the Manumuskin River and Muskee Creek, includes Cumberland Pond on Route 49
  • Nesting bald eagles hunting the Maurice from early spring through summer
  • Menantico Wildlife Management Area, at the head of the Menantico River
Preserves

The Manumuskin Preserve, a 3,200 acre parcel owned by The Nature Conservancy, is home to numerous threatened and endangered species. Hikes and other activities are offered by The Nature Conservancy, call 609-861-0600.

Wild and Scenic Rivers

Maurice River Township includes all four of the recently designated Wild and Scenic Rivers - the Maurice, the Menantico, the Manumuskin and the Muskee Creek. Although they contain typical Pine Barrens flora and fauna, each has its own unique characteristics. Of particular interest, the Manumuskin drainage basin harbors thirty-two rare plants, making it one of the most botanically significant areas in New Jersey. The reptile and mammal diversity is unusual and 15 of New Jersey's 25 threatened and endangered bird species breed here.

The Environmental Committee meets monthly and the public is welcome to attend. Call the town hall for dates and times.


Birds Marsh White bird

LighthouseMarinas
  • Spring Garden Marina in Port Elizabeth: 856-825-5334
  • Penny Hill Boat Yard & Marina in Dorchester: 856-785-0100
  • Boat World Marina in Leesburg: 856-785-9878
  • Four Star Marina in Leesburg: 856-785-1273
  • Berry's Driftwood marina in Heislerville: 856-785-2293
  • Andy's Marina in Heislerville: 856-785-0101
  • Anchor Marina in Heislerville: 856-785-9899
  • Haase's Marina in Heislerville: 856-785-7001

LighthouseFamily Restaurants
  • Port of Call, Port Elizabeth, 856-327-5547
  • Ike's Famous Crab Cakes, 856-825-2722
  • Pine Grove Restaurant, Leesburg, 856-785-9200
  • Maurice River Dinner, 856-327-4433
  • George's Pizzeria, 856-785-0700

Muskrat Crossing SignHistoric Villages & Structures
  • Port Elizabeth, 1785
  • Dorchester, mid 1600's (by Swedish), has been a shipbuilding town for over 200 years
  • Leesburg, late 1700's
  • Heislerville, late 1700's
  • East Point Lighthouse, built in 1849. Last remaining lighthouse on the Cumberland County Delaware bayshore. Maintained by Maurice River Historical Society and frequent subject for artists.
Photos by Johanna Carrara, Leslie Ficcaglia and Greg Honachefsky.

Red Sunset

The Environmental Committee meets monthly and the public is welcome to attend. Call the town hall for dates and times.


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