Pennsville, New Jersey, is a township with around 13,000 residents who live in the area near the Delaware Memorial Bridge and a short 12-mile drive away from Wilmington, Delaware. Visitors can also take short trips to Philadelphia, around 34 miles away, and Atlantic City, around 60 miles away.
The township was named after colonist William Penn and is a great place for history buffs, as it still retains several historical sites. For seniors who visit or live in Pennsville, here are some fun things to do.
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1. Finns Point Rear Range Light
Pennsville is home to several landmarks listed on the National Registry of Historic Places, including Finns Point Rear Range Light. This historic wrought-iron lighthouse was constructed in 1876 in Buffalo, New York, and was then transported to Pennsville by train and mule wagon.
Visitors can take in the historic lighthouse’s grandeur at 115 feet tall and learn more about its construction, which included a 24-inch range lens with a kerosene vapor lamp and double wick burner.
2. Fort Mott State Park
Fort Mott State Park, around a 30-minute walk or 3-minute drive away from Finns Point Rear Range Light, is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The park was constructed in the late 1890s as part of a Delaware River three-fort coastal defense system. It still features old gun batteries and interpretive signs with fort descriptions for visitors.
The park spans 104 acres and has lots of water views and spots along the Delaware River for picnics and strolls. The park also includes two group picnic pavilions available for reservation that accommodate up to 100 people each.
The park also includes a museum with an interpretive center and gift shop, historic buildings, and gun emplacements from the Spanish-American War. Visitors can go to the park for trail biking, cross-country skiing, hiking, fishing (with registration), and mountain biking.
There’s also playground equipment, as well as sledding areas for visitors. The park is a popular place for events, including vintage car shows, owl walks, and historic military reenactments.
From Fort Mott, visitors can take a seasonal ferry from early May through late September that brings visitors to historic Fort Delaware on Pea Patch Island and to Delaware City, Delaware. Reservations must be made in advance, and you can get ferry tickets here.
3. Pennsville Public Library
The Pennsville Public Library, established in 1937, is a wonderful place to find free resources and entertainment in Pennsville. Library members can borrow, for free, materials including print and audiobooks, magazines, DVDs and VHS tapes, and music CDs. To gain access to free entertainment like this, head to the library to apply for a free library card.
4. Riverview Beach Park
Riverview Beach Park is an excellent place for animal lovers to visit. It sits on the Delaware River and includes a picnic pavilion, wildlife spotting, walking and bicycling paths, and a playground. Throughout the year, visitors can see bird species including cormorants, ring-billed and herring gulls, mallards, barn and tree swallows, common mergansers, hawks, waterfowl, songbirds, and peregrine falcons.
Every September, the park also hosts its annual Septemberfest. The event kicks off with a parade featuring floats and marching bands, then heads to the park for carnival rides, live music, food vendors, crafters and exhibitors, raffles, and fireworks. It’s one of the biggest community events of the year and brings residents of all ages and interests together.
5. Supawna Meadows National Wildlife Refuge
The Supawna Meadows National Wildlife Refuge spans thousands of acres and is home to diverse wildlife who live along the Delaware River estuary, which is north of the Salem River. Visitors can walk on trails, fish, hunt, hike, boat, or relax while taking in the natural surroundings, which have been designated a Wetland of International Importance by the Ramsar Convention.
The refuge includes two main trails: the Forest Habitat Trail, a 1-mile trail that winds through a hardwood forest and shrub/scrub habitat; and the Grassland Trail, which extends 2.5 miles through a small path of upland forest and grassland. Both trails are suitable for all ages to walk through and offer views of wildlife including American kestrels, Northern harriers, Southern leopard frogs and spring peepers.
6. Halter’s Farm Market
Halter’s Farm Market, open daily for the past 10+ years, is one of the best places in town to shop for local produce and artisan-made goods. The market sources its goods from South Jersey/Salem County purveyors and sells products including local honey, ciders, jams, jellies, flowers, herbs, sauces, and plants.
For visitors and residents who want to whip up something locally grown, and learn about where their food comes from, Halter’s Farm Market is a top shop to visit.
7. Pennsville Township Historical Society
The Pennsville Township Historical Society’s mission is to preserve the history of Pennsville, with features today that include an eight-building museum complex, a 130-year-old floating fishing cabin, a one-room schoolhouse, and a riverfront Victorian farmhouse built in the 1880s.
At the museum, visitors can see exhibits on subjects including historical records, Township dairy farms, Salem County newspapers, public service workers and military, local high schools, local merchants and public works, ferries and excursion ships, coaches, wagons, automobiles, sewing machines, looms, spinning wheels, antique farm tools, and churches.
The Pennsville Township Historical Society also hosts various events, including crafter and yard sales, car shows, and veterans programs.
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Visit Lindsay Place in Pennsville
Pennsville is also home to Lindsay Place, a supportive Assisted Living community for seniors. Lindsay Place provides 24-hour care for residents, while supporting an independent lifestyle.
At the pet-friendly Lindsay Place, residents can access amenities including:
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- Activity room and lounges
- Community outings
- Hair salon
- Housekeeping and linen services
- Library
- Outdoor courtyard and porch
- Personalized care plans
- Social and recreational program, including a variety of daily programming
- Transportation
- Up to three chef-prepared meals a day
- Wellness monitoring
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To learn more about Lindsay Place and what we can offer you or your loved one, contact us, or schedule a tour today.