History

Mantua Township is located in the center of Gloucester County, just South of the County Seat of Woodbury. It is 19.89 square miles bounded by Greenwich and West Deptford Townships to the North; the Borough of Wenonah, Deptford and Washington Townships to the East; the Borough of Pitman and part of Glassboro Borough to the South; Harrison Township to the Southwest and East Greenwich Township to the West. It is situated on an elevated bluff overlooking Mantua Creek, from which the township derives its name. Mantua Creek is named from the Indian word “Manta”, meaning frog, because of the frog chorus which yearly occurred in this area. Mantua Creek was the chief source of navigation and transportation for both the Lenni-Lenape Indians and early settlers.

Mantua Township was formerly a part of Greenwich Township, and by an act passed on February 23, 1853 this new township was created. The first town meeting was held on March 9, 1853 at the Union School House. (The Union School House is being renovated and will be used as a Senior Citizen Center and Museum)

Mantua Oak

The signs that welcome drivers into the Township were created with the Township Seal and a depiction of the Mantua Oak. The Mantua Oak, which was located approximately 100 feet from the North bank of the Mantua Creek, a quarter mile from State Highway 45 at the extreme end of First Avenue. It was one of the largest specimens of white oak trees in New Jersey; with an estimated age to be about 600 years old, the girth of the tree, four foot above the ground was 19 feet 9 inches and stood 87 feet high. On August 8, 1949 the tree collapsed due to the infirmities of age. The interior had decayed and it simply sank down to the ground, one half in the morning, the other half in the afternoon as reported in the Woodbury Times.

Mantua Bell

The Mantua Township Historical Commission is also known for retrieving a piece of Mantua’s History. The Commission wanted the bell retuned so it would be a part of the renovations on the Union St. School House. The 119 year old, 350 pound bronze bell, which rang out more than a half-century atop the old Mantua Academy (Union St. School House) , was in Iowa. A bell collector in Iowa had bought the bell from an elderly woman in Pennsylvania. After restoring it himself, dismantling it, cleaning and sandblasting it, he wrote a letter to the Historical Commission in which he stated “the bell is in excellent condition and has beautiful detail and tone.” After negotiating a price, the historical commission recovered the bell that you see below.

Reference: “A Bicentennial Look at Mantua Township”, which was presented to the Township on Memorial Day, May 31, 1976. Copies of the book may be purchased at the Mantua Township Clerk’s Office.