Present-day Washington Township was originally known for its rich and fertile soil and rolling hills, perfect for its many apple and peach orchards. James Thorington was the first settler of record in February 1819. Asahel Bailey bought the first government land in 1821. William Austin Burt settled here in the 1820s and is best remembered for his inventions of a typewriting machine, a solar compass, and an equatorial compass. Pres. James Monroe signed the deed for the government land bought by Elon Andrus in 1821. In 1850, the number of farms in the township was 116, and 24 years later, in 1874, there were 196 farms with land under cultivation. Over the years, Washington Township has developed from a pioneering settlement into an upscale residential community that, remaining true to its roots, still boasts several orchards.

Washington Township, now the largest community in Gloucester County, was first incorporated in 1836. Its 22 acres of land, however, had been settled by Europeans as early as the 18th century, when farms were established near Lenni-Lenape encampments. By the mid-19th century, the area listed the communities of Hurffville, Turnersville, Spring Mills or Grenloch Terrace, Dilkesboro, Creesville, Bunker Hill, Chestnut Ridge, and Bells Lake within the township borders. While it remained a farming community throughout the first half of the 20th century, during the 1950s modern housing developments began to replace the farms and peach orchards. The vintage photographs in Washington Township, Gloucester County have been compiled to serve as an archive and assist in preserving the townshipas rich history.