Moorestown is one of the most recognizable towns in Burlington County, and for good reason. It has a tree-lined historic Main Street, a strong sense of community and plenty of parks, all about ten miles east of Philadelphia. In my 23 years of working in South Jersey, it's a town people ask me about more than almost any other.

A little history

Long before there were houses, the Lenni Lenape lived along the ridge where Main Street runs today, drawn by two natural springs. English settlers John and Sarah Roberts built the first home here in 1682. By 1700 the first log Quaker Meeting House stood on the King's Highway. Thomas Moore settled in 1722 and ran a hotel, and the town is believed to be named for him. Moorestown became its own township on March 11, 1922.

You can still feel that history. The Moorestown Historic District covers about 47 acres and holds 351 contributing buildings, and it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1990. The Friends Meetinghouse, built in 1802, and the Moorestown Friends School sit along Main Street. The town is also where Samuel Allen invented the Flexible Flyer sled.

Main Street and the community

Downtown Moorestown is tree-lined and made for strolling. The township calls Main Street the "heart and core" of town, and it hosts parades, arts events and business events through the year. The recently renovated Moorestown Community House is part of the downtown scene.

Moorestown covers nearly 15 square miles, and its communities include Lenola, Bortons Landing, North Bend, Stanwick and West Moorestown. For more on the different areas of town, see my Moorestown neighborhoods guide.

Schools

The public school district runs six schools:

  • George C. Baker, Mary E. Roberts and South Valley Elementary: pre-K through grade 3
  • Moorestown Upper Elementary: grades 4 to 6
  • William Allen Middle School: grades 7 and 8
  • Moorestown High School: grades 9 to 12

There are private options too. Moorestown Friends School is a Quaker school serving preschool through twelfth grade, and Our Lady of Good Counsel School, founded in 1927, serves nursery through eighth grade. I go deeper in my Moorestown schools guide, and I always suggest checking current details with each school.

Parks and recreation

This is a town that takes its parks seriously. A few highlights:

  • Strawbridge Lake Park on Haines Drive has a pond and a playground that was revamped in recent years.
  • Memorial Field has a quarter-mile track, soccer and baseball fields, and hosts the annual Memorial Day ceremony.
  • Maple Dawson Park has tennis and basketball courts and a playground, with a stream running through it.
  • Wesley Bishop Park Sports Complex is a 22-acre complex with lighted turf fields.
  • Jeff Young Park and John Pryor Park offer pickleball, tennis, baseball and soccer.
  • Swede Run Fields Dog Park is there for the four-legged residents.

Getting around

Route 38 runs through town, with County Route 537 alongside it, and Route 73 is close. Moorestown has no train station of its own. Residents drive to PATCO stations in Haddonfield or Lindenwold, or to the River Line in Palmyra. NJ Transit buses connect to Philadelphia and to Camden, and a Burlink van runs between the Palmyra River Line station and Moorestown Mall on weekdays.

Thinking about Moorestown?

Whether you're buying, selling or just curious what's possible, I'm happy to help. Call or text Jerry Mac at 856-220-1874 or visit www.southjerseyrealty.com.