Bass River Township is a township in Burlington County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township’s population was 1,443, reflecting a decline of 67 (-4.4%) from the 1,510 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn declined by 70 (-4.4%) from the 1,580 counted in the 1990 Census.
Bass River was incorporated as a township by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 30, 1864, from portions of Little Egg Harbor Township and Washington Township.
The township’s name derives from the Bass River, a 4.7-mile (7.6 km) tributary of the Mullica River, that was in turn named for Jeremiah Basse, who served as governor of both West Jersey and East Jersey.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 78.265 square miles (202.706 km2), including 75.040 square miles (194.354 km2) of land and 3.225 square miles (8.352 km2) of water (4.12%).
Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Allens Bridge, Bass River State Forest, Calico, Charcoal Landing, Doctors Point, Frogtown, Harrisville, High Bridge, Leektown, Martha, Merrygold, Munion Field, New Gretna, Oak Island, Oswego Lake, Sim Place, State Forest and Wading River.
The township borders Washington Township and Woodland Township in Burlington County; Port Republic in Atlantic County; and both Barnegat Township and Little Egg Harbor Township in Ocean County.
The township is one of 56 South Jersey municipalities that are included within the New Jersey Pinelands National Reserve, a protected natural area of unique ecology covering 1,100,000 acres (450,000 ha), that has been classified as a United States Biosphere Reserve and established by Congress in 1978 as the nation’s first National Reserve. All of the township is included in either the state-designated Pinelands area or the Pinelands National Reserve, which includes portions of Burlington County, along with areas in Atlantic, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester and Ocean counties.
As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 1,443 people, 522 households, and 407.160 families residing in the township. The population density was 19.2 per square mile (7.4/km2). There were 587 housing units at an average density of 7.8 per square mile (3.0/km2). The racial makeup of the township was 97.37% (1,405) White, 0.28% (4) Black or African American, 0.14% (2) Native American, 0.76% (11) Asian, 0.00% (0) Pacific Islander, 0.35% (5) from other races, and 1.11% (16) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.12% (45) of the population.
Source: Wikipedia
