Hey Middle Township!

Summer Fun in Middle Township

Did you know that there is only one town in the State of New Jersey that can boast about having six separate exits off the Garden State Parkway? That would be Middle Township. Add in Routes 47, 147, and 347 and you’ll see that Middle Township is truly the gateway to the Jersey Shore. Whether you're visiting Avalon, Stone Harbor, or the Wildwoods, all roads lead through the seventy-two square miles we call home. 

But summer in Middle Township brings more than just traffic to our community. For residents and visitors alike, Middle offers a unique blend of natural wonders, historic sites, dining and entertainment options, and scenic views from sunrise to sunset. 

You may not think of Middle Township as a tourist town, but the fact of the matter is that our population swells from 21,000 to over 40,000 in the summer months. Middle is home to several first-class camping resorts with a total of 1400 campsites. As real estate prices on the barrier islands have skyrocketed, many second-home owners have been attracted to Middle Township’s more stable and affordable housing market which offers easy access to shopping, government services, and excellent medical care just minutes from the beach. The growth in the popularity of short-term rentals through online sites like Airbnb and VRBO has opened another market for reasonably priced summer getaways. 

Summer visitors are greeted with a large and diverse menu of vacation adventures to enjoy and explore. Cape May County Park and Zoo, located in the heart of Middle Township, tops that list. Ranked as one of the top zoos in America, it draws thousands of visitors on a daily basis, bringing summer business to area shops and restaurants. The Park also offers its Tree-to-Tree Adventure, playgrounds, athletic fields and courts, and shaded picnic areas.

(Photo: Reed’s Beach Sunset)

In search of history? Visit the Cape May County Museum just around the corner from the Park and Zoo to explore the rich, four-hundred-year history of the county, its founding families, and the maritime and farming heritage that still thrives here today.

Nature lovers can fill more than a day with visits to Lizard Tail Swamp Preserve, The Wetlands Institute, and the National Wildlife Refuge. 

Need some exercise? Explore Middle Township’s beloved bike path which links up with our countywide path offering cycling opportunities from the Cape May-Lewes Ferry and north for nearly twenty miles. Visit Middle Township’s recreation complexes in Goshen, Whitesboro, and Rio Grande, offering traditional sports, pickleball courts, playgrounds, fishing piers, and more.

All summer long, the Middle Township Summer Concert Series rocks the Okie Wisting Recreation Complex in Rio Grande on Tuesday nights in July and August. Enjoy great acts, food trucks, and local vendors as the sun sets over the Delaware Bay. 

Get artsy with shows at the Middle Township Performing Arts Center or a visit to the Sperlak Gallery and Sculpture Gardens. 

Hungry and thirsty? Middle Township offers several first-class wineries and breweries, dozens of excellent restaurants, and top-notch drinking establishments. Watch the sunset at the Lazy Bass, experience the unique atmosphere at Menz’s Restaurant, gather with the locals at the Bellevue Tavern, South 9, Jesters, or the Country Club Tavern. 

Visitors are giving rave reviews to the recently opened Cape Square Theaters and Entertainment Center in the County Commons located in Rio Grande. Catch a movie, go bowling, hit the arcade, or test your skills on the golf simulator while enjoying great food and drinks in a fun, family-friendly atmosphere.

I could go on and on, but there is so much to do, learn and experience. That’s summer in Middle Township. Start with a serene sunrise at Shellbay Pier or Benny’s Landing. Finish the day with a gorgeous sunset over the bay at Reed’s Beach. Fill your day with as much fun as you can handle!

Chris Leusner

Mayor, Middle Township

Monday, June 3rd – Regular Meeting of Township Committee – 6pm

1. Honored May 2024 Employee of the Month - Zoning Officer, Rachel Shepherd;
2. Formally allocated grants for recreation equipment, opioid prevention, Police Youth Summer Camp, Click it or Ticket Seatbelt program, Town Hall ADA improvements (Phase 2), NJDCA Housing Rehabilitation, and Lead Paint Prevention programs;
3. Approved Request for Proposals for Landscaping Services;
4. Approved 2024 renewal of gravel pit licenses.

Wednesday, June 19th – Regular Meeting of Township Committee – 6pm

1. Honored June 2024 Employee of the Month - Recreation Leader, Lisa Cermanski;
2. Swearing in of five full-time police officers;
3. Introduction of capital spending plans for sewer utilities and general capital improvements totaling $1,787,000;
4. Approved updates to the Township Purchasing Manual;
5. 2024 renewal of existing liquor licenses;
6. Approved 2024 Accelerated Tax Sale;
7. Created Tabulation Committee to review bids for reconstruction of Public Works parking lot;
8. Submission of grant application to NJ DOT for sidewalks on E. Pacific from Bayberry Drive to Middle Township Middle School;
9. Approved 2024 renewal of hotel/motel licenses.

Middle Township residents are encouraged to attend Township Committee meetings to share their thoughts, questions and concerns with Township Committee. 

Visit the Township website for information on meeting dates and times: https://middletownship.com/

Visit Rio Grande today and you will find the bustling hub of commercial and retail commerce for Cape May County. Located in the southeast section of Middle Township, Rio Grande has long been the gateway to summer in the Wildwoods, as traffic funnels to the shore communities at the crossroad of State Highways Route 47 and Route 9. 

During the colonial period, the Leaming, Hildreth, and Cresse families cultivated large sugar plantations in the fertile fields between the eastern salt marshes and the early Delaware Bay whaling communities. 

The area’s birth as a commercial center dates back to the country’s early days when a stagecoach terminal was established where the King’s Highway intersected with the road coming from Dennisville and Goshen. The crossroad soon became the center of trade for the local farming families. The blossoming community was then known under various names including Leaming, Candol Town, and Hildreth for the family that ran the local general store. 

The name Rio Grande was suggested by the seventh Aaron Leaming who thought the southern United States river had an appealing sounding name that would attract visitors and commerce to the area. Subsequently, the name stuck. 

Throughout the 19th century, the Rio Grande area, like most of Cape May County, remained an agricultural community influenced by the maritime industries of fishing and boat building. The barrier islands that would become the Wildwoods remained mostly uninhabited. This all changed with the coming of the railroads. 

The historic Rio Grande train station was built in 1894 by the Atlantic City Railroad. Subsequently, the station served passengers on the Pennsylvania-Reading Seashore Lines. The station became a gateway for trains bound for the burgeoning tourist enclaves of Holly Beach (Wildwood) and Anglesea (North Wildwood). Soon roadside hotels, shops and eateries began to pop up around the train station and the state crossroads. Who remembers… “Why Pay More? Stay Off Shore!” The historic train station now is an attraction at Cold Spring Village and many of the one-story, roadside inns remain in business today. 

Following the Second World War, the railroads faded as Americans hit the road to “the shore” in their automobiles. Motor inns (motels) lined the roadside of Route 47 on the road to Wildwood and the famous Rio Grande Drive-in theater played to a packed house while Rio Lanes Bowling Alley was the hot hang out. Commercial and retail development mushroomed east to west on Route 47 and north to south on Route 9. Soon suburbia came to Middle Township with the development of Marlyn Manor and similar, single-family neighborhoods. 

Today, Rio Grande, like all American communities, looks to a future of challenges and opportunities. New commercial and residential development continues. The Cape May County Commons Center has revitalized the dormant Rio Mall site and the recently opened Cape Square theaters, entertainment, and dining complex has become a destination for tourists and residents alike. With this ongoing development comes traffic, congestion, and social issues, as well. 

The proud families of Rio Grande and the people of Middle Township are committed to building a bright future for a community rich in history and full of positive potential. 

The Middle Township Garden Club was established at the May 20th Township Committee Meeting. The concept for the Club was spearheaded by Matt Wetzel and Don Thomas, the owners of Thomas Matthew Designs on Mechanic Street in Cape May Court House. Other board officers include Karen Camagna, Trish Crosby, and Karen Parker. The Club welcomes all volunteers.

The focus of the Garden Club is to support recreational community gardening. Its mission is to foster community pride and promote community partnerships towards the beautification of municipally and privately-owned properties within the municipal borders. 

The Garden Club’s goal is to create a home-town Americana feel which promotes a sense of community and pride, highlighting the Township’s historic roots. Beautification projects will help promote small businesses in the downtown business district.

“On behalf of all of our residents, I want thank Matt and Don for bringing this concept to Township Committee,” Mayor Chris Leusner said. “We are really excited to support the Garden Club’s efforts and look forward to facilitating partnerships and projects throughout our hometown.”

The Garden Club will focus on creating streetscape designs, developing budgets, and seeking donations and volunteer contractors for initial projects. All projects will be reviewed and approved by the governing body with input from appropriate professionals and department heads.

The volunteers quickly went to work on their first project, in honor our veterans. The Club completed a major beautification project that included flower beds, landscaping, and painting for American Legion Post #198 in Cape May Court House. The project was completed in time for the Township’s Memorial Day Parade and remembrance ceremony, hosted by Post #198. 

The Garden Club will host its first fundraiser on Thursday, July 18th. The Secret Garden Gala will be held from 6-9pm at The Peninsula in downtown Cape May Court House.

For more information and tickets to the Gala or to volunteer and donate, please contact Garden Club Secretary Alicia Woodrow via email at awoodrow@middletownship.com

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