Photo: Mr. Matté (if there is an issue with this image, contact me using this image's Commons talk page, my Commons user talk page, or my English Wikipedia user talk page; I'll know about it a lot faster) · CC BY-SA 4.0
More historic than 24% of U.S. towns · #424 of 468 in New Jersey. What drives it
Most of South Harrison Township was built recently: 9% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1988. Below: 1 old photo or paper, maps from 1890 on, and the census since 1890.
Photo: Mr. Matté (if there is an issue with this image, contact me using this image's Commons talk page, my Commons user talk page, or my English Wikipedia user talk page; I'll know about it a lot faster) · CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answers
How South Harrison Township began
When was South Harrison Township founded?
1883
South Harrison Township dates its founding to 1883 (Wikidata). The census first counted it in 1890.
First census: 971 in 18902020 census: 3,395143 years
How historic is South Harrison Township?
C−
More historic than 24% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.
What drives South Harrison Township’s History grade
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, South Harrison Township is more historic than 24% of U.S. towns, #424 of 468 in New Jersey. Its share of homes from before 1940 holds the grade up; its National Register listings pull it down.
C−
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of South Harrison Township’s overall grade.
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 South Harrison Township’s 0.0 sits below most of its state (12% of New Jersey towns have fewer) while its 0 listings outnumber those of 23% of U.S. towns.
NoteThe founding year comes from Wikidata alone; no second source gives 1883.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from D to C. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±4.7 points).
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 South Harrison Township’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
Lost a third of its people between 1890 and 1920, then grew 5-fold.
14 censuses, 1890–2020.
U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on South Harrison Township’s Wikipedia page.
On the map
South Harrison Township on the map, 1890 to 1967
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of South Harrison Township. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
1890Salem 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 South Harrison Township.
The story so far
South Harrison Township, in brief
Wikipedia doesn’t have a history of South Harrison Township yet. The photos, dates and memories neighbors add here are how it gets written.
South Harrison Township is a township in Gloucester County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 3,395, an increase of 233 (+7.4%) from the 2010 census count of 3,162, which in turn reflected an increase of 745 (+30.8%) from the 2,417 counted in the 2000 census. South Harrison was formed as a township by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 2, 1883, from portions of Harrison Township. Elk Township was formed from portions of South Harrison Township on April 17, 1891. It is a dry town, where alcohol cannot be sold, though alcohol is available at the winery in the township.
South Harrison Township was established in 1883. Between the 2010 and 2020 censuses its population grew from 3,162 to 3,395 (+7%).
Intro from Wikipedia. Population: U.S. Census Bureau.
Timeline
South Harrison Township, 1841 to 2020
Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.
In 1883, according to Wikidata. South Harrison Township’s post office opened in 1841, and the census of 1890 counted 971 people here.
How does South Harrison Township rank for history?
South Harrison Township is more historic than 24% of U.S. towns, #424 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.
How old are the homes in South Harrison Township?
9% of South Harrison Township’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±4.7 points), against a typical 15% for a New Jersey town; the median home was built in 1988.
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 (4), 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.
Date?
2024
2024
2004
