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Stafford Township is a township in Ocean County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population increased to 26,535,〔〔〔〔 reflecting an increase of 4,003 (+17.8%) from the 22,532 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn increased by 9,207 (+69.1%) from the 13,325 counted in the 1990 Census.〔(Table 7. Population for the Counties and Municipalities in New Jersey: 1990, 2000 and 2010 ), New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development, February 2011. Accessed July 8, 2012.〕 The 2010 population was the highest level ever recorded in a decennial census for Stafford Township. Stafford Township was formed by Royal charter on March 3, 1750, from portions of Shrewsbury Township, while the area was still part of Monmouth County. It was incorporated as one of New Jersey's first 104 townships by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 21, 1798, and became part of the newly formed Ocean County on February 15, 1850. Portions of the township were taken to form Union Township (March 10, 1846, now Barnegat Township), Eagleswood Township (March 17, 1874), Long Beach City borough (September 19, 1894, now Surf City) and Long Beach Township (March 23, 1899).〔Snyder, John P. (''The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968'' ), Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 205. Accessed July 8, 2012.〕 The township was named for Staffordshire, England.〔Hutchinson, Viola L. (''The Origin of New Jersey Place Names'' ), New Jersey Public Library Commission, May 1945. Accessed October 9, 2015.〕 Stafford Township is the gateway to the resort communities on Long Beach Island, with Route 72 providing the sole road access, ending in Ship Bottom as it crosses Barnegat Bay via the Manahawkin Bay Bridge (formally known as the Dorland J. Henderson Memorial Bridge). The Garden State Parkway and U.S. Route 9 pass through the township and provide access to Route 72. ==History== Stafford Township was mostly a rural area, aside from the bustling downtown of Manahawkin. Early growth in the township started in the 1950s, starting with the construction of large resort communities of Beach Haven West and Ocean Acres, which were built around the same time as the completion of the Garden State Parkway and the expansion of Route 72, the latter which formerly ran along the two-lane Bay Avenue. While growing quickly, development was still sparse. Route 72 was still mostly wooded, aside from several car dealerships, gas stations, a drive-in movie theater, and the Manahawkin Executive Airport. Most of the growth started in the 1980s, when several new developments were constructed, such as Colony Lakes and the expansion of Beach Haven West, and Ocean Acres, which strayed from being a community of summer homes into a booming development of Single-family homes. Stafford Square was the first major shopping center to open on Route 72, anchored by ShopRite and a Caldor (which is currently a Lowe's). Manahawkin Airport was closed in the early 1990s to make way for a Walmart and PathMark.〔Key, Peter. ("WAL-MART STORE TO OPEN IN AREA / STAFFORD SITE SET FOR 1992" ), ''The Press of Atlantic City'', March 19, 1991. Accessed July 8, 2012. "Wal-Mart Stores Inc. has announced plans to open a Wal-Mart store in a shopping center being developed on the Manahawkin Airport by National Property Development Inc. of Purchase, N.Y."〕 However, part of the runway was still left intact until the 2000s, when the St. Mary's of the Pines Catholic Church and All Saints Regional Catholic School were built on the land.〔Larsen, Erik. ("Keeping the faith Diocese confident regional school will be built" ), ''Asbury Park Press'', March 11, 2000. Accessed July 8, 2012. "Last December, All Saints broke ground on about 20 acres beside Wal-Mart, which was once the site of the now-defunct Manahawkin Airport."〕 In the 2000s, many big box stores, such as Home Depot, BJ's Wholesale Club, Bed Bath & Beyond and the Manahawkin Commons Power Center opened. To alleviate the traffic on Route 72, a four-lane bypass road known as McKinley Avenue was built in 2001, backing up to the many shopping centers. In 2007, construction started on Stafford Park, a mixed-use development west of the Parkway Exit 63. The first phase opened in 2008 includes a Target, Costco, Best Buy, Dick's Sporting Goods, and PetSmart. The second phase included construction of LEED-certified apartments, and future plans in place for the development include a Lifestyle center and an age-restricted community. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Stafford Township, New Jersey」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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