On the outskirts of town with friendly neighbors in Lawrence Township
Farms, wildlife management areas and the compact Cedarville area fill Lawrence Township, 10 miles from Millville. After work in Millville or Vineland, residents can come home to the quiet township to relax among the forested areas or spacious vegetable farms. For some though, the area serves as work and home. Jamie Castano runs the Freedom Farm Animal Rescue in Cedarville, where he settled in 2018, and he has no plans to leave. “We love Cedarville,” Castano says. “It feels remote, but you're still close to everything. It’s a tight-knit community where everyone knows everyone, and our neighbors are always ready to do what they can to help. Every time we’ve needed a tractor or something like that, there was always someone offering a helping hand. I've met people who have lived here their entire lives.”
Little League and RC races at the Recreation Complex
Lawrence Township is close to multiple fishing and wildlife management areas. The New Sweden and Nantuxent wildlife management areas are home to marshes, bald eagle nests and waterways where sturgeons and carp swim. Cedar Creek Sporting Clays hosts tournaments throughout the year where competitors shoot for first place to win cash prizes. The Lawrence Township Recreation Complex is across the street from Myron L. Powell Elementary School. The South Cumberland Little League practices on the baseball and T-ball fields, and the Rock and Race Place RC Compound is the site of many remote-controlled car races organized by the Cossaboon Custom RC Racing group. Anyone can use the racetrack, but the group puts together special weekend events, like sand drag and monster truck races, to get families outside for some friendly competition. The Lawrence Township Senior Center is open Monday to Thursday with a rotating schedule of games, outings and crafts. Lunch is provided Tuesday through Thursday, and anyone who needs assistance getting to the center can request a bus ride through the Cumberland Area Transit System.
Ranch-style homes and farmhouses in Lawrence Township
Jackie Capoferri, an experienced Realtor with S. Kelly Realty, has helped multiple clients find homes in Lawrence Township. “Lawrence is close to Millville while still being on the outskirts,” Capoferri says. “I’d say there are large lot sizes, but it depends on where you are. And there’s been some new construction going on.” Cedarville is the main residential area, and most homes have Craftsman, ranch-style or farmhouse designs and range from $200,000 and $400,000. Properties that sell for less than $200,000 often require renovations, and those that cost more than $400,000 sit on the higher end of the price range because of large lot sizes. Almost every home has a long backyard with plenty of room around the septic tank and well water system. The CAP Index gives the township a 2 out of 10 crime score, lower than the national average of 4.
Driving to Millville or Vineland for work
Millville is 10 miles away when using Cumberland County Road 610, while Vineland is 20 miles from the township. Many residents who don’t work at local farms commute to these cities for work. The Fairton federal prison is a major employer closer to home, as it’s 8 miles from Cedarville. All of the nearby churches line Main Street, including St. Michael’s Roman Catholic Church, which has served the township since 1954. Some churches have been standing since the early Cedarville days, like the Cedarville Methodist Church, built in 1868, and the Cedarville Baptist Church, built in 1836. Private planes land at the Millville Executive Airport throughout the day, but locals drive 8 miles to the site for more than just plane watching. The airport has the Glasston Brewing Co., which offers brewery tours, and the WheatonArts’ Museum of American Glass, where visitors can create their own glass pieces.
Raising money through fall fun in Cedarville
Freedom Farm Animal Rescue hosts a fall festival fundraiser every October. “The fundraiser is a little different every year, but there’s always vendors and food trucks,” Castano says. “We've been doing the fundraiser for the past four years, and we’ve had great turnouts. The mayor even visits, and the fire department and sheriff's department come out.” Admission is free, and all donations directly support the farm’s ability to purchase feed and supplies for the rescued animals. The animal rescue is open to visitors every Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., but Castano says his organization isn’t intended to be a petting zoo. It’s a place where animals are cared for after being rescued from neglectful situations. Anyone can visit on Saturdays to see the animals, learn their stories and see the kind of help they can give when they donate.
Crowning Mr. Millville at Millville High
Myron L. Powell Elementary School offers prekindergarten through eighth grade and earns a C from Niche. Kids then move on to Bridgeton High School, which also gets a C, or Millville High School, which receives a B-minus. Millville High has an annual tradition of crowning Mr. Millville. The competition is held at the Lakeside Performing Arts Center, and the theme changes every year. Admission costs $10, and the money goes to support the school.
Some restaurants in town, with most in Millville
Mary's Restaurant serves homestyle dishes for breakfast, lunch and dinner, while Bull on the Barn Bayshore Crab House specializes in seafood meals. Bull on the Barn has a bring-your-own-beer policy, so anyone can pair their favorite brew with fresh oysters or crab. For all other dining and shopping, residents drive to Millville to visit ShopRite or Target. Also in Millville, Jim’s Lunch has been feeding locals since 1923. Sheppard Farm spans over 1,500 acres and grows, harvests and packages fresh produce. The farm was started in 1683 by four brothers, and the family-owned business continues to put locally grown vegetables on tables and create jobs for the township.
Photography Contributed By
Mitchell Birnbaum
