Maurice River Township () is the easternmost township in Cumberland County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The township, and all of Cumberland County, is part of the Vineland-Bridgeton metropolitan statistical area for statistical purposes, and of the Philadelphia-Wilmington-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD combined statistical area, also known as the Delaware Valley or Philadelphia metropolitan area. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 6,218,
Maurice River Township was first formed as a precinct on January 19, 1748, and was incorporated by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 21, 1798, as one of New Jersey's initial group of 104 townships. Portions of the township were taken to form Millville on March 1, 1866. The township derives its name from Maurice, Prince of Orange.
It had long been a dry town where alcohol could not legally be sold. The Township Committee began consideration in 2012 of asking residents to approve the creation of two liquor licenses. In 2018, the committee created an ordinance allowing the sale of alcohol, after voters approved a ballot question the previous November.
History
Originally called Wahatquenak by the local Lenni Lenape Native Americans, the Maurice River is said to be named for a local legend, in which a Dutch ship on the river, the Prince Maurice, was sunk by the local Native Americans in 1657. The land was surveyed by John Worledge and Thomas Budd in 1691, and the community of Dorchester was laid out. It was not until 1798 on that the township itself was established.
Geography
thumb|upright=1.3|1862 map of Cumberland County
thumb|upright=1.3|Cumberland Pond
According to the United States Census Bureau, Maurice River township had a total area of 95.90 square miles (248.38 km<sup>2</sup>), including 93.17 square miles (241.30 km<sup>2</sup>) of land and 2.73 square miles (7.08 km<sup>2</sup>) of water (2.85%). Bricksboro, Cannon Range, Cumberland, Delmont, Dorchester, East Point, Fries Mill, Halberton, Hands Mill, Heislerville, Hesstown, Hoffmans Mill, Hunters Mill, Jones Mill, Leesburg, Manantico, Manumuskin, Menhaden, Moores Beach, Ormond, Port Elizabeth, Thompsons Beach, Wall Pond, and some portions of Belleplain and Milmay. The township government is based in the community of Leesburg in the municipal complex. Maurice River Township is mostly rural in character and some of the land is covered by extensive forests of the Pine Barrens.
Maurice River Township borders the municipalities of Commercial Township, Millville and Vineland in Cumberland County; Buena Vista Township, Estell Manor and Weymouth Township in Atlantic County; and Dennis Township and Upper Township in Cape May County.