Manville: Discover Parks, Pools and History

Manville offers municipal parks, seasonal swimming pools, rotating art exhibits and historical connections. If you’re looking for a hotel in Manville, these specific themes can help you plan your stay: sports and play facilities, swimming during pool season, or the community’s history.

Distinguish parks by their amenities

In the Lost Valley neighborhood, Lincoln Park has three softball/baseball fields, three T-ball fields, a basketball court, a playground and a soccer field. Papawick Park in the Weston neighborhood has two soccer fields, a basketball court, a playground and a tennis/pickleball court. Two soccer fields are listed at each of Papawick and Dukes Park; Dukes Park is in the Northside neighborhood and also has a picnic area. Lincoln Park complements its soccer field with three softball/baseball fields and three T-ball fields.

Memorial Park on Colorado Avenue has a basketball court and a playground among its listed facilities. The parks therefore differ in their combinations of sports fields and other amenities. Facilities may change; if a particular facility is important to your plans, check the latest information.

Pool locations and seasonal offerings

The Memorial Park Pool Facility is on Colorado Avenue, off Roosevelt Avenue. It has two pools, including a children’s pool; pool operations are seasonal. The Cooper Park Pool Facility is in Cooper Park at the corner of Boesel Avenue and Cooper Street, also in the Lost Valley neighborhood. Its pool is between 3 and 9 feet deep. The locations and pool dimensions help distinguish between the two facilities mentioned.

During pool season, the Recreation Department offers pool season passes, swimming lessons, aqua aerobics for seniors, aqua aerobics for adults, and Splash Camp. Seasonal programs may change. If you’re planning to swim or take part in a particular program, check the current seasonal schedule before your trip.

Art and history in Manville

The Manville Artist Showcase displays artwork at Borough Hall on a monthly or every-other-month basis; the works featured and exhibition dates vary. Artwork and special collections may be displayed at the Manville branch of the Somerset County Library System of New Jersey. Library patrons can explore educational, informational and cultural exhibits there.

Historic routes and the development of the region also shape the town’s local connections. The Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary War Route runs through Manville. During the Revolutionary War, George Washington and Nathaniel Green marched with their troops through an area that now lies within the borough limits. The two wintered in the area that includes present-day Manville.

Construction of the Delaware-Raritan Canal accelerated development in the Manville area; the canal enabled historic inland waterway traffic between New Brunswick and Trenton. The Manville area lies at the confluence of the Millstone and Raritan rivers and was historically significant because of this strategic location. Its industrial history includes the Johns-Manville Products Corporation’s decision to locate its plant in the area that became Manville in 1929.

A notable structure is the Bridge Street Bridge: it is 121 feet long and is an eight-panel, single-span Warren through truss bridge with incised concrete abutments. It is considered the only remaining truss bridge of its type in Somerset County. The New Jersey Department of Transportation restored and rehabilitated the bridge.

Discover more destinations: Somerville, Liberty Corner, Branchburg Township, South Bound Brook, North Plainfield, Bernardsville, Green Brook Township, Bridgewater

For the regional travel overview: Somerset.