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B+History
History · Maple Shade Township

Maple Shade Township dates to 1688, and 11% of its homes were built before 1940

More historic than 69% of U.S. towns · #181 of 468 in New Jersey. What drives it

Its Register listing is the Chesterford School. Below: 2 old photos and papers, maps from 1888 on, and the census since 1800.

1688founded
1on the National Register
11%homes built before 1940
2old photos & papers
1famous people
Add an old photoShare a memory
From Maple Shade Township’s archive · credits on each photo
Quick answers

How Maple Shade Township began

When was Maple Shade Township founded?

1688

Maple Shade Township dates its founding to 1688 (Wikidata). The census first counted it in 1800.

First census: 1,464 in 18002020 census: 19,980338 years

How historic is Maple Shade Township?

B+

More historic than 69% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.

What drives the grade ↓
Founding year: Wikidata. First post office: 1887.The full story ↓
History grade

What drives Maple Shade Township’s History grade

On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Maple Shade Township is more historic than 69% of U.S. towns, #181 of 468 in New Jersey. Its age holds the grade up; its National Register listings pull it down.

B+
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Maple Shade Township’s overall grade.
Founding era1688, from Wikidata: founded before 1776, an older era than 96% of U.S. townsA+Homes built before 194010.6% of homes (±1.8) · typical NJ town 14.7% · U.S. 8.4%B−National Register1 listing, 0.5 per 10,000 residents · typical NJ town 3.7 · U.S. 2.4C+
All U.S. towns we grade (21,289)Ahead of 69%
NewerOlder
New Jersey towns of 2,500+ (468)Ahead of 61%

New Jersey towns list more on the Register than most of the country (a typical New Jersey town has 3.7 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Maple Shade Township’s 0.5 sits below most of its state (27% of New Jersey towns have fewer) while its 1 listings outnumber those of 51% of U.S. towns.

NoteThe founding year comes from Wikidata alone; no second source gives 1688.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from C+ to A−. The pre-1940 share (±1.8 points) is firm at this size.

Founding year: Wikidata (other dates in Quick answers). Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register: National Park Service, May 2026 list; each listing counted once (boundary changes and added documentation belong to their listing), and a historic district counts its contributing buildings. How TownRatings grades history →

What stands out about Maple Shade Township’s past

Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.

A history waiting to be writtenOnly 2 old photos are in the public archives. The rest are in attics and albums.Shrank, then grewLost a third of its people between 1850 and 1860, then grew 8-fold.On the map since 18887 editions of the USGS map, 1888 to 1995. Watch Maple Shade Township change.Older than the countryEstablished in 1688, 88 years before the Declaration of Independence.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start Maple Shade Township’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Maple Shade Township’s history is told.

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
0 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
Date a photo2 archive items have no date. Guess the decade.+2Retake an old viewReuben Matlack Blacksmith & Wheelwright…: stand where they stood+15Share a family photoSign in to add one+10
People over time

Maple Shade Township, census by census

05,00010,00015,00020,000180018501900195020003,601 in 1850Low: 2,227

Lost a third of its people between 1850 and 1860, then grew 8-fold.

23 censuses, 1800–2020.

U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Maple Shade Township’s Wikipedia page.

On the map

Maple Shade Township on the map, 1888 to 1995

Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Maple Shade Township. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.

Maple Shade Township on the 1888 USGS mapMaple Shade Township on the 1894 USGS mapMaple Shade Township on the 1942 USGS mapMaple Shade Township on the 1953 USGS mapMaple Shade Township on the 1966 USGS mapMaple Shade Township on the 1981 USGS mapMaple Shade Township on the 1995 USGS map1888Mount Holly sheet · 1:62,500

U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Maple Shade Township.

The story

How Maple Shade Township came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Maple Shade Township.

Read it all →

What is now Maple Shade was originally formed as Chester Township on November 6, 1688, and was known as Cropwell Township from June 5, 1690, through February 22, 1699. Chester was incorporated as one of New Jersey's initial 104 townships by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 21, 1798. Portions of the township were taken to form Cinnaminson Township (March 15, 1860) and Moorestown Township (March 11, 1922). The municipality's name was changed to Maple Shade Township as of November 6, 1945, based on the results of a referendum passed that same day.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Timeline

Maple Shade Township, 1688 to 1980

Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.

  1. 17th century
  2. 1688
    FoundingMaple Shade Township is established
  3. 19th century
  4. 1887Post officeThe Maple Shade post office opens
  5. 1888On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
  6. 20th century
  7. 1916Born hereJohn G. Morris is born here
  8. 1980CensusPopulation peaks at 20,525
By decade

Maple Shade Township, decade by decade

Date unknown2 to date
Census Bureau map of Maple Shade Township, New JerseyDate?Census Bureau map of Maple Shade Township, New JerseyMapReuben Matlack Blacksmith & Wheelwright ShopDate?Reuben Matlack Blacksmith & Wheelwright Shop
Today9 recent
Maple Shade, NJ Historic Train Station, April 20262026Maple Shade, NJ Historic Train Station, April 2026Maple Shade High School, NJ, Nov. 20252025Maple Shade High School, NJ, Nov. 2025Maple Shade, NJ municipal complex, Jan. 20242024Maple Shade, NJ municipal complex, Jan. 2024Maple Shade, NJ municipal complex, Dec. 20242024Maple Shade, NJ municipal complex, Dec. 2024Chesterford Schoolhouse2021Chesterford Schoolhouse2018-05-19 14 30 35 Acme supermarket along Burlington County Route 537 (Main Street) in Maple Shade Township, Burlingto…20182018-05-19 14 30 35 Acme supermarket along Burlington…CHESTERFIELD SCHOOL2013CHESTERFIELD SCHOOLChesterford School plaque2012Chesterford School plaqueMap of Burlington County highlighting Maple Shade Township2004Map of Burlington County highlighting Maple Shade Tow…Map
Then & now

Stand where they stood

No then-and-now pairs yet. Take a photo from the same spot as an old one and they appear here side by side.

Reuben Matlack Blacksmith & Wheelwright Shop
Retake this viewReuben Matlack Blacksmith & Wheelwright Shop

Find the spot, match the angle, and add your photo. It becomes the first then-and-now pair on Maple Shade Township’s page.

Retake this view · +15
On the National Register

1 historic place in Maple Shade Township

The country’s official list of buildings and places worth saving.

place listed
1
National Historic Landmarks
0
none yet
historic buildings protected
1
each building in a district counts
first listed
2009
Chesterford School
Chesterford School
Buildings
Chesterford SchoolBuilding

National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited on each place’s page.

Places that used to be

Old corners

Old hamlets and crossroads still carry their names on the map.

Hamlets and corners on the map
Maple Shade

US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

Stories next door

History across the town line

Each neighbor’s History grade, on the same three inputs.

Cherry Hill Township5 historic placesB−Cherry Hill Mall1 historic placenot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townMoorestown-Lenola6 historic placesnot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townMoorestown Township8 historic placesA+Pennsauken Township3 historic placesB−Kingston EstatesIts storynot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townRamblewoodIts storynot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townMount Laurel Township5 historic placesB−Cinnaminson TownshipIts storyC+

Questions about Maple Shade Township’s history

What year was Maple Shade Township founded?

In 1688, according to Wikidata. Maple Shade Township’s post office opened in 1887, and the census of 1800 counted 1,464 people here.

How does Maple Shade Township rank for history?

Maple Shade Township is more historic than 69% of U.S. towns, #181 of 468 in New Jersey. The History grade combines the town’s founding era, the share of homes built before 1940 and its National Register listings. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.

What is on the National Register in Maple Shade Township?

One place: the Chesterford School (listed 2009).

How old are the homes in Maple Shade Township?

11% of Maple Shade Township’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±1.8 points), against a typical 15% for a New Jersey town; the median home was built in 1969.

Memory lane

What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.

Town Square →
Start a conversation
Sources

Where this page comes from

Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

From Wikimedia Commons (10), the Library of Congress (1), Wikidata (1), the National Register of Historic Places (1), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock) and the USGS Geographic Names Information System. Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.