Madison Township is a quiet rural community outside of Bloomsburg
Acres of farmland and designated hunting grounds stretch across the rolling terrain of Madison Township in Columbia County. There’s not much here besides a community center, a tavern and farmstands, but this quiet location is why many people move to the area. “We have houses on huge plots of land,” says Carol Bernard, the township’s secretary who also lives in the area. “You can sometimes drive for miles and not see another house.” But with the nearby town of Bloomsburg’s big-box grocery stores and quaint downtown district just 11 miles south, Madison Township isn’t completely secluded. “Most of us like living a decent drive away from bigger cities, but it’s nice to be near Bloomsburg if we get sick of Madison's peace and quiet,” Bernard says.
Forested lots and farmland in the area
Cabins, ranch-style homes and New Traditional houses sit along Madison Township’s winding roads. Lot sizes can range from a half-acre to 40 acres. Dense hardwood forests shade some properties, while others are working farms in open areas with corn crops and livestock. Buying here typically costs between $240,000 and $620,000, depending on a house's size, age and condition. Empty lot prices can range from about $70,000 to around $100,000. Several streams run through the area, and houses near these waterways may be in flood zones.
Designated hunting land in the northern part of the community
“Hunting, hiking, fishing—just about everybody here does all that stuff,” Bernard says. Locals can hunt for deer, rabbit and wild turkey at State Game Lands Number 226, which hems the community’s northern region. The 4,335-acre forested plot also has areas for hiking, cross-country skiing and snowmobiling. Trails and picnic pavilions surround the 165-acre Lake Chillisquaque at Montour Preserve, about 5 miles west. Several paddleboat launches are on the lake, and anglers can catch catfish, bluegill and largemouth bass. Ricketts Glen State Park, less than 30 miles northwest, has hiking and biking trails that climb North Mountain and lead to waterfalls.
The Millville Area School District serves Madison Township
The Millville Area School District serves the community. Kids can attend Millville Elementary, which Niche grades a B-minus, and continue to C-plus-rated Millville Junior-Senior High School, located in the same building. The high school’s Quakers athletic program offers sports like field hockey, bowling and wrestling. Commonwealth University’s Bloomsburg campus provides around 80 undergraduate and graduate degree programs, including business and environmental science.
Jerseytown Community Center hosts meetings, parties and band jams
The Jerseytown Community Center is a small, beige building that hosts the township’s monthly board member meetings. Locals can also rent it for birthday parties and other events. Musicians play banjos, harmonicas and guitars during the center’s bluegrass jams, held on the third Sunday of each month. “Some people come to actually play music, and others come just to have a drink and listen,” Bernard says. Houses of worship here include Emanuel Dutch Hill Bible Church and Jerseytown United Methodist Church, which both reside in Gothic Revival-style buildings.
Locals can get food at farmstands or grocery stores in nearby Bloomsburg
The area has a few car repair shops, tractor dealers and farm stands. Vendors sell fresh produce, baked goods and locally sourced beef at Diehl’s Farm Market, a barn-style storefront open every Friday. Jerseytown Tavern, located in an early 1900s farmhouse, is a cozy bar and restaurant known for chicken wings and cheeseburgers. Coffee shops, college bars and a variety of restaurants fill downtown Bloomsburg’s Italianate-style buildings. The town is also home to the Geisinger Bloomsburg Hospital and big-box grocery stores, like Aldi and Walmart Supercenter.
Cars and tractors share the roads here
Madison Township is a car-dependent community with asphalt and dirt roads. Drivers often share these streets with farmers traveling by tractor. “They usually don’t slow down traffic or anything,” Bernard says. “We just give them a wave and keep driving.” State Route 44 leads to Bloomsburg. State Route 254 connects with other state routes and Interstate 81 to reach the Wilkes-Barre Scranton International Airport, less than 60 miles northeast.
