Mount Pleasant, Burlington County, New Jersey facts for kids
Mount Pleasant is a historic area in Burlington County, New Jersey. It is found in the southeastern part of Mansfield Township and the northeastern part of Springfield Township. This community is centered around where Mount Pleasant Road and Gaunt's Bridge Road meet. This spot is about three miles (5 km) east of Columbus and one mile (1.7 km) south of Georgetown.
The area got its name from a small, pointed hill nearby. This hill is covered with trees and sits in a farm field. A low, wooded ridge stretches from the hill for about one mile (1.7 km) along the south side of Mount Pleasant Road. South of this ridge, there's a large meadowland with Assiscunk Creek, which forms the township's southern border. Long ago, in the 1600s and 1700s, this meadow was known as Ye Great Meadow. North of the ridge, you'll find more farm fields and Crafts Creek.
Early History of Mount Pleasant
Mount Pleasant was first settled by Quakers in the late 1600s. In 1688, Mansfield Township was officially created. Its borders were described as reaching from William Black's Creek down to the Delaware River.
In 1699, a man named Caleb Shreve bought Mount Pleasant hill and about 325 acres (1.3 km²) of land around it. In 1725, Shreve built a brick house west of the hill. The eastern part of the house was added in 1742. This property became known as Mount Pleasant. It was the home of the Shreve family for many years. Henry Miller Shreve, a famous steamboat captain, was born here.
Another important building is the Barzilla and Sarah Newbold house. It was built in 1740 and is located near the main intersection. This house is so important that it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Early Families and Landowners
Many families lived in Mount Pleasant during its early days. Some of the notable residents and landowners included:
- John and Anne Curtis, who owned a large farm called Ogston.
- Caleb and Sarah Shreve, who owned Mount Pleasant hill.
- Barzilla and Sarah Newbold, who built a historic house.
- Other early settlers included William Ellis, Richard and Sarah French, John Butcher, and Michael Newbold. These families helped shape the community.
Images for kids
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Mount Pleasant, around 1859
