Bass River Township, New Jersey facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Bass River Township, New Jersey
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Township
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Bass River State Forest Firefighters Memorial
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| Motto(s):
"A Clean Community"
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Location of Bass River Township in Burlington County highlighted in red (right). Inset map: Location of Burlington County in New Jersey highlighted in red (left).
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Census Bureau map of Bass River Township, New Jersey
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 Bass River Township, New Jersey
Location in Burlington County, New Jersey
Bass River Township, New Jersey
Location in New Jersey
Bass River Township, New Jersey
Location in the United States
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| Country |  United States |
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| State |  New Jersey |
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| County | Burlington | |
| Incorporated | March 30, 1864 | |
| Named for | Jeremiah Basse | |
| Government | ||
| • Type | Walsh Act | |
| • Body | Board of Commissioners | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 78.41 sq mi (203.09 km2) | |
| • Land | 75.12 sq mi (194.57 km2) | |
| • Water | 3.29 sq mi (8.52 km2) 4.19% | |
| Area rank | 11th of 565 in state 3rd of 40 in county |
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| Elevation | 43 ft (13 m) | |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 1,355 | |
| • Estimate
(2023)
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1,369 | |
| • Rank | 520th of 565 in state 37th of 40 in county |
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| • Density | 18.0/sq mi (6.9/km2) | |
| • Density rank | 562nd of 565 in state 38th of 40 in county |
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| Time zone | UTC−05:00 (Eastern (EST)) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−04:00 (Eastern (EDT)) | |
| ZIP Code |
08224 – New Gretna
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| Area code(s) | 609 | |
| FIPS code | 3400503370 | |
| GNIS feature ID | 0882086 | |
Bass River Township is a small community in Burlington County, New Jersey. It's located at the very southeastern tip of the county. The township gets its name from the Bass River and also touches the Great Bay.
In 2020, about 1,355 people lived here. Bass River Township is part of a larger area that includes Philadelphia, Reading, and Camden. The Garden State Parkway highway runs through the township.
Bass River became an official township on March 30, 1864. It was created from parts of Little Egg Harbor Township and Washington Township. The name comes from the Bass River, which was named after Jeremiah Basse. He was a governor in the early history of New Jersey.
Contents
Geography and Nature
_in_Bass_River_Township,_Burlington_County,_New_Jersey.jpg)
Bass River Township covers about 78 square miles (203 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, but about 3.3 square miles (8.5 square kilometers) is water.
Some of the smaller communities and places within the township include New Gretna, Harrisville, and Bass River State Forest.
The township shares its borders with several other towns. These include Washington Township and Woodland Township in Burlington County. It also borders Galloway Township and Port Republic in Atlantic County. In Ocean County, it borders Barnegat Township and Little Egg Harbor Township.
The Pinelands National Reserve
Bass River Township is entirely located within the New Jersey Pinelands National Reserve. This is a special natural area that covers over a million acres. It's known for its unique plants and animals. The Pinelands was made a protected area by Congress in 1978. It was the first "National Reserve" in the United States.
Population Over Time
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1870 | 807 | — | |
| 1880 | 1,006 | 24.7% | |
| 1890 | 853 | −15.2% | |
| 1900 | 800 | −6.2% | |
| 1910 | 685 | −14.4% | |
| 1920 | 612 | −10.7% | |
| 1930 | 700 | 14.4% | |
| 1940 | 599 | −14.4% | |
| 1950 | 688 | 14.9% | |
| 1960 | 737 | 7.1% | |
| 1970 | 815 | 10.6% | |
| 1980 | 1,344 | 64.9% | |
| 1990 | 1,580 | 17.6% | |
| 2000 | 1,510 | −4.4% | |
| 2010 | 1,443 | −4.4% | |
| 2020 | 1,355 | −6.1% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 1,369 | −5.1% | |
| Population sources: 1870–2000 1870–1920 1870 1880–1890 1890–1910 1910–1930 1940–2000 2000 2010 2020 |
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The population of Bass River Township has changed over the years. In 1870, there were 807 people. The population grew to its highest point in 1990 with 1,580 residents. By 2020, the population was 1,355.
Education
Students from Bass River Township attend public schools in nearby districts.
Elementary and Middle School
For students in pre-kindergarten through sixth grade, they now attend schools in the Little Egg Harbor Township School District. This change happened in the 2020–21 school year. Before that, Bass River Township had its own elementary school, which is now closed.
The Little Egg Harbor Township School District has three schools:
- Robert C. Wood Sr. Early Childhood Center (pre-kindergarten)
- George J. Mitchell Elementary School (kindergarten through third grade)
- Frog Pond Elementary School (grades 4 to 6)
High School
Students in seventh through twelfth grades attend schools in the Pinelands Regional School District. This district also serves students from Eagleswood Township, Little Egg Harbor Township, and Tuckerton Borough.
The schools in this district are:
- Pinelands Regional Junior High School (grades 7–8)
- Pinelands Regional High School (grades 9–12)
Bass River Township has one representative on the Pinelands Regional School District's board of education.
Vocational and Technical Schools
Students in Bass River Township can also choose to attend the Burlington County Institute of Technology. This school offers vocational and technical training. It has campuses in Medford and Westampton Township.
Transportation
_from_the_overpass_for_U.S._Route_9_(New_York_Road)_in_Bass_River_Township,_Burlington_County,_New_Jersey.jpg)
Bass River Township has many roads that help people get around. There are about 50 miles of roadways in total. These roads are managed by the township, Burlington County, or the state of New Jersey.
Major Roads
The township is unique in Burlington County because it has both U.S. Route 9 and the Garden State Parkway. These two main roads enter the township together. They then separate at Exit 50 on the Parkway.
There are two exits on the Garden State Parkway in Bass River:
- Exit 50: For northbound traffic getting off and southbound traffic getting on.
- Exit 52: For northbound traffic getting on and southbound traffic getting off. This exit is for County Route 654 in New Gretna.
Public Transportation
NJ Transit provides bus service in the township. The 559 bus route connects Bass River Township to Atlantic City and Lakewood Township.
Warren Grove Gunnery Range
The Warren Grove Gunnery Range is a military training area. It's used by military planes, like A-10s and F-16s, for practice. The range is actually located in Bass River Township, even though it's named after nearby Warren Grove.
Sometimes, during training, there have been incidents. For example, flares or practice bombs have caused large wildfires in the Pinelands. These fires have sometimes led to people needing to leave their homes for safety.
Notable People
Some well-known people have lived in or are connected to Bass River Township:
- Andy Boswell (1873–1936): A professional baseball pitcher who also served in the New Jersey government.
- Thomas A. Mathis (1869–1958): A political leader who served in the New Jersey Senate and as the Secretary of State of New Jersey.
