Stafford Township is a township situated on the Jersey Shore in southern Ocean County, within the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 28,617, its highest decennial count ever and an increase of 2,082 (+7.8%) from the 26,535 recorded at the 2010 census, which in turn reflected an increase of 4,003 (+17.8%) from the 22,532 counted in the 2000 census.
Stafford Township is the gateway to the resort communities on Long Beach Island, with Route 72 providing the sole road access to the island, ending in Ship Bottom as it crosses Barnegat Bay via the Manahawkin Bay Bridge (formally known as the Dorland J. Henderson Memorial Bridge). The Garden State Parkway and U.S. Route 9 pass through the township and provide access to Route 72.
History
Incorporation
Stafford Township was formed by Royal charter on March 3, 1750, from portions of Shrewsbury Township, while the area was still part of Monmouth County. It was incorporated as one of New Jersey's first 104 townships by the Township Act of 1798 of the New Jersey Legislature on February 21, 1798, and became part of the newly formed Ocean County on February 15, 1850. Portions of the township were taken to form Union Township (March 10, 1846, now Barnegat Township), Eagleswood Township (March 17, 1874), Long Beach City borough (September 19, 1894, now Surf City) and Long Beach Township (March 23, 1899). The township was named after Staffordshire, England.
20th century and later
Stafford Township was mostly a rural area, aside from the bustling downtown of Manahawkin. Early growth in the township started in the 1950s, starting with the construction of large resort communities of Beach Haven West and Ocean Acres, which were built around the same time as the completion of the Garden State Parkway and the expansion of Route 72, the latter which formerly ran along the two-lane Bay Avenue.
While growing quickly, development was still sparse. Route 72 was still mostly wooded, aside from several car dealerships, gas stations, a drive-in movie theater, and the Manahawkin Executive Airport. Most of the growth started in the 1980s when several new developments were constructed, such as Colony Lakes and the expansion of Beach Haven West and Ocean Acres, which had been a community of summer homes and became a booming development of year-round single-family homes. Stafford Square was the first major shopping center to open on Route 72. Manahawkin Airport was closed in the early 1990s to make way for a Walmart and Pathmark. However, part of the runway was still left intact until the 2000s, when the St. Mary's of the Pines Catholic Church and All Saints Regional Catholic School were built on the land.
The township holds an annual Founders Day celebration every June. It started in 1964 to celebrate New Jersey’s 300th anniversary and has since evolved into a grand celebration of Stafford. The day includes a Hometown Parade; pie-eating contest; inflatables and rides; the Miss Stafford, Jr. Miss Stafford, Little Miss Stafford, and Little Town Crier pageants; and concludes with a fireworks display.
In July 2021, the township buried a 50-year time capsule which will be opened in 2070. Stafford Township officials included various items and residents submitted memorabilia from 2020 to give the future residents a glimpse of life in Stafford Township in the days of COVID-19.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 54.71 square miles (141.69 km2), including 46.11 square miles (119.44 km2) of land and 8.59 square miles (22.26 km2) of water (15.71%). Stafford Township straddles the breadth of southern Ocean County from its eastern border at the Jersey Shore to the county's western border with Burlington County, New Jersey.
Beach Haven West (2010 Census population of 3,896) and Manahawkin (2,303) are unincorporated communities and census-designated places contained within Stafford Township, while Ocean Acres (16,142) is a census-designated place and unincorporated area split between Barnegat Township and Stafford Township.
Other unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or entirely within the township include Bayside, Beach View, Bonnet Island, Cedar Bonnet, Cedar Grove, Cedar Run, Manahawkin Landing, Mayetta, South Beach View, and Sunshine City. Warren Grove is an unincorporated rural area located within the township as well as portions of Barnegat Township and Little Egg Harbor Township in the heart of the Pine Barrens.