About the Millburn/Short Hills, New Jersey Area 

On this page, you will find information about Millburn & Short Hills: history, schools, entertainment, the outdoors, shopping, and other useful links about restaurants, transportation, etc.

History  

In 2007 Millburn celebrated 150 years as an incorporated town with festivities and a grand parade. Of course, the first recorded inhabitants, the Lenape Indians, were here long before, beating trails through the small or short hills carved by the last glacier in North America. In 1664 the area became part of the Elizabethtown and Newark settlements created by Charles II. Mills sprang up fuelled by the streams cascading through the hills. After the Revolution the Rahway River was dammed in five places to form mill ponds. The first paper mill was opened by Samuel Campbell in 1790 and manufactured banknotes. In 1835 the Morris and Essex Railroad was opened linking Millburn to the big cities in the east and the coal regions in the northwest. Over the years the town has had many names, among them Rum Brook, Vauxhall, Milltown, and Millville. In 1857 it was fixed as Millburn partly because many residents were from Scotland, where “burn” means a river or stream. One of the first areas to be developed for housing was the Wyoming District, 100 acres along the railway line, bought by the Wyoming Land and Improvement Company in 1872. The Victorian, Italianate, Tudor and Colonial homes in this historic part of town set the tone for the comfortable suburb of modern day Millburn.  

Around the same time that Wyoming was being created, Stewart Hartshorn acquired 1552 acres to build his ideal village called Short Hills, the first planned commuter suburb in America. Hartshorn, who had made his fortune in spring roller blinds, wanted to create a harmonious community for people who appreciated nature and a place "where natural beauty would not be destroyed by real estate developments, and where people of congenial tastes could dwell together." He closely supervised the early development and in 1879 built Short Hills Railroad Station at his own expense along the line running through Millburn. With great foresight he preserved corridors of land along the track to keep them from development and to this day the only structure that has stood adjacent to the line is the railroad station. Hartshorn also established the Short Hills Park directly across Hobart Avenue from the station. In 1944, his estate donated Short Hills Park to Millburn Township, with the provision that it remain open to the public.


Millburn and Short Hills Historical Society has a small museum housed at Short Hills train station.


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Schools 

Millburn School District is known as one of the top school districts in the country, and has many academic excellence awards to prove it!

Millburn High School won the highest honor conferred by the US Department of Education when it was named a National Blue Ribbon School in recognition of its outstanding achievements in 2007. It has consistently been named one of the best high schools in New Jersey: ranked #3 in the state by both New Jersey Monthly magazine and Newsweek and it was featured in the US News and World Report’s top 100 schools in the United States.
Millburn High School offers 140 courses including an astounding 27 Advanced Placement courses, a challenging honors program, specialized electives and unique programs in Special Education, Independent Study, Unified Studies, Marketing Education, Life Skills and Youth Community Service. The school places a high value on volunteerism too.

Millburn Middle School has been named a Benchmark School of Excellence for four years running. As well as providing a superb academic grounding, Millburn Middle School has a very active community service program and a great range of elective activities. Former student - and now Hollywood actress - Anne Hathaway (Becoming Anne, Devil Wears Prada, Brokeback Mountain, Princess Diaries) took her first steps on the path to stardom on Millburn Middle School stage.  

There are 5 elementary schools: Deerfield, Glenwood, Hartshorn, South Mountain & Wyoming.  

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Entertainment

Catch the latest movie releases at Millburn Cinema 4 located in the bustling heart of Millburn, conveniently close to restaurants and cafes.

If  you prefer live theater, the Paper Mill Playhouse on Brookside Drive  is one of the most highly-acclaimed non-profit regional theatres in the country, attracting red carpet stars including Liza Minnelli, Patrick Swayze, Chita Rivera and Kristin Chenoweth. The community has worked hard in recent years to turn the Paper Mill Playhouse into a thriving facility and today it is the pride of Millburn.  

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The Great Outdoors

Newcomers to Millburn and Short Hills often comment on the remarkable lush open spaces we enjoy here. The town is immersed in beautiful green forestry and natural landscape. When you hike through the reservation or relax in one of our beautiful parks it is easy to forget that the chaotic streets of NYC are only 15 miles away as the crow flies!  

The vantage points atop South Mountain Reservation afford a breathtaking viewof the Manhattan skyline to the east. The 2048 acres of pristinely preserved woods (not to mention the 25 foot waterfall) attract outdoor enthusiasts of all varieties: joggers, hikers, cyclists and nature lovers. The whole area is a haven for deer, chipmunks, squirrels and bird life.

On Sundays the part of Brookside Drive which runs through the South Mountain Reservation, is closed off for recreation; it is not uncommon to see many of your neighboors out for a bike ride, jog, or leisurely stroll. For dog lovers, there is also a great Dog Park complete with canine obstacle course and drinking fountains!

Another great space for nature lovers and families is the Cora Hartshorn Arboretum and bird sanctuary. This historic woodlands garden, bequeathed by the daughter of Short Hills founder Stewart Hartshorn, is an absolute wonder, with a wealth of different trees and wildlife and one of the greatest concentrations of native wild flowers in New Jersey. It is also an environmental educational center, running a varied program of events and field trips for every age.

There are also some great events and workshops at Greenwood gardens which lies within Old Short Hills Park. This lovely 28-acre public garden is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is described as a time capsule of New Jersey's gracious past, with formal planting, sweeping vistas, pasture and tea house.  

In the heart of downtown Millburn, there is always something going on in Taylor Park. The gazebo and rose garden is a popular meeting spot. There is a well-equipped kids playground, a walking path popular with workers during lunch break, pond, ball fields, tennis and basketball courts, and the Bauer Community Center. During the summer families love to picnic there, especially on free concert evenings.  

Another well-trafficked area is Gero Park over in Short Hills, where Millburn Township's recently refurbished swimming pool, open to all residents, is a popular and inexpensive location for families throughout summer months. Another residents' facility is the par 27 9-hole Millburn Municipal Golf Course. There are also beautifully kept ball fields, tennis, basketball and roller hockey courts and a playground.  

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Shopping 

Millburn and Short Hills boast some of the best shopping outside of Manhattan, whether you are looking for designer labels, household goods or farm fresh produce. Indeed many native New York City residents come out to Short Hills often, impressed by our ability to rival 5th Avenue!

Short Hills Mall is where New Yorkers in the know come to avoid the city crush. With valet parking, a relaxed atmosphere and 160 upscale stores selling luxury brands, Short Hills Mall is one of top shopping destination in the entire Northeast. Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Jimmy Choo, Dior, Dolce & Gabbana, Neiman Marcus and Nordstrom to name but a few of the high-end brands available here. Quick tip: Make reservations for the restaurants in advance because you won't find a food court here.  

If you are looking for a more local feel, Downtown Millburn retains its old-style ambiance and charm with a good selection of small shops, many of them family-owned, offering everything from 25 cents hardware to fine furs and jewelry. The Farmers Market in the parking lot on Main and Essex Streets brings a fresh taste of the country into town every Tuesday morning between June and October.

For supermarkets and other day-to-day stores take a trip down the Morris and Essex Turnpike. Kings supermarket has a cooking studio where you can hone your culinary skills. Just down the road, the Wine Library on Morris Avenue is stacked to the rafters with bottles from all over the world and we love the wine & cheese tastings and their knowledgeable staff. We also have a Whole Foods, Staples, Costco, Target, Bed Bath & Beyond, and more.

There is also a convenient row of shops, including our Keller Williams Satellite Office,Short Hills Pharmacy, dry cleaner's and post office opposite Short Hills Train Station.  

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Useful links and information

Millburn and Short Hills events calendar

Millburn-Short Hills Chamber of Commerce.  

http://www.downtownmillburn.org/ - info about restaurants, shopping, etc

http://www.njtransit.com/sf/sf_servlet.srv?hdnPageAction=TrainSchedulesTo - train schedules on NJ Transit to and from New York City, Newark Airport, and other destinations across NJ

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