Deptford Township

Deptford Township is the county's third most populated municipality, but it's now only a small fraction of what it once was. The old township, incorporated in 1695, comprised some 106 square miles and included what today is West Deptford, Washington Township, Monroe, Westville, Woodbury and Woodbury Heights. In contrast, today's township is less than 18 square miles. Deptford, which took its name from a small town in Kentshire, England, was one of the original townships of Gloucester County. It was settled in 1623 by the Dutch under Cornelius Jacobse Mey and was later claimed by the Swedes and the Finns before coming under British control. According to the book Under Four Flags, a history of Gloucester County published in 1965, Deptford became a true melting pot as people of many different cultures and religions settled in the township. The township's vast wilderness in the 1700s provided excellent hunting grounds for the Gloucester Fox Hunting Club, which had freedom of the fields from October 10 through April 15. Today, Deptford is comprised of many sections, including Almonesson, Jericho, New Sharon, Oak Valley, Westville Grove, Cooper Village, Blackwood Terrace, Hammond Heights, Lake Tract, Woodbury Terrace, Woodbury Gardens, Country Club Estates and Good Intent. According to Under Four Flags, these settlements each have a rich history.