Planning continues for Toms River’s 250th Anniversary

Toms River, formerly known as Dover Township, is older than the United States--fun, lesser known facts like that will be included in a commemorative calendar being put together this year, ahead of the big Semiquincentennial birthday on June 24, 2017, according to municipal clerk and historian J. Mark Mutter.

The Township is collecting old photos of Toms River from residents to include in the calendar.

"Our downtown area of course we've done a very good job of preserving our past and what our community looked like through the 20th Century, but in other parts of our town, as the municipality grew in the 20th Century, we have a completely new community, some of our retirement communities, so it's both new and old," said Mutter.  

The municipal government has numerous archives of information and photographs, but Mutter said the Township wanted to look outside the four corners of the local government and reach out into the community at-large.

"If a person or an organization has information or photographs of people, places or things, historic to Dover or Toms River Townships get them to us," Mutter said.

Mutter said those who have items to submit should call the Township at 341-1000, ext.8200.

In addition to the calendar, Toms River has created monthly themes and planned monthly discusses about the Township's history that will kick-off this June, according to Mutter.

Mutter pointed out Toms River was founded in 1767, nine years before the Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776.

"We're not the oldest, but we're one of the oldest. We're the second oldest municipality in Ocean County. Stafford Township was first. So, we have a long history that goes back to before the Declaration of Independence, and our original founding goes back to the 1600's during Colonial times," added Mutter.