Upper Pittsgrove Township borders Pittsgrove Township, Elmer, Alloway Township and Pilesgrove Township in Salem County, New Jersey. It also borders Cumberland and Gloucester Counties and is approximately 40.5 square miles in total area. Upper Pittsgrove Township is the source of the Salem River.
Upper Pittsgrove is a leader in farmland preservation in the state of New Jersey. About 7,250 acres are preserved out of the 25,000 total acres in township, making Upper Pittsgrove number one in the state for total acres of farmland preservation. The township also leads New Jersey in total number of active agricultural acres with 17,569.
Route 40 runs through Upper Pittsgrove Township with Harding Highway, Old Tavern Road, Pole Tavern-Elmer Road and Bridgeton Pike intersecting at the heart. Since 1913, the Pole Tavern Circle near this intersection has been home to an historic 800-pound cannon built in early 1800s.
Pittsgrove or Champney Corner is more commonly called Pole Tavern. The first regularly equipped military organization for defense with barracks was organized there and the barracks are still standing. The volunteer company formed was officered by Captain Jacob duBois and Lieutenant Peter duBois, who, together with many privates of the same name, were descendants of Louis duBois, a Huguenot, who settled in New Paltz, New York, in 1660.
The site of Champney's Tavern is commonly called Pole Tavern, because a Liberty Pole was erected on the green in front of the tavern during the Revolution.
A brass six pounder is located in front of the town hall and bears the date 1763. It was taken from the Italians by Napoleon Bonaparte in his second campaign in Italy and afterward captured from the French by the Duke of Wellington in the Spanish Peninsula campaign. It was later taken from the British at Lundy's Lane by General Scott; finally rendering service in the Mexican War and returning with Colonel Dickinson to his home in Salem County, New Jersey.
