Short Hills, New Jersey

Short Hills is an unincorporated area located within the township of Millburn, in Essex County, New Jersey, United States. It is a popular commuter town for residents who work in New York City.

History

Beginnings

Originally, the area that would become Short Hills was part of Springfield, New Jersey, and its eponymous hills are thought to have played a role in the movement of the Continental Army under George Washington during the Battle of Springfield.

Short Hills began as a planned community, when Stewart Hartshorn (who became wealthy from developing, perfecting and manufacturing the self-acting shade roller) purchased 13 acres (53,000 m²) of land in Millburn Township, near the present Hobart Avenue, Parsonage Hill Road, and Chatham Road. Hartshorn's purpose was to create "a harmonious community for people who appreciated nature," and "where natural beauty would not be destroyed by real estate developments, and where people of congenial tastes could dwell together." He later increased his land holdings to 56 acres (230,000 m²) for himself and 1,552 acres (6.28 km²) for the whole village, with each plot not owned by Hartshorn being no larger than 1/2 acre.

Hartshorn chose the name "Short Hills" because it reflected the topography of the region, and also because the local Lenape Native Americans used that same name to describe the region. One local resident suggested that he call his village "Hartshornville," but he definitively refused.

Railroad and postal connections

Hartshorn situated his "ideal town" near enough to a railroad to allow for an easy commute to Hoboken and, from there, to New York City. Hence, his decision in 1879 to build, at his own expense, a railroad station along the original Morris and Essex Railroad line. He also persuaded the United States Post Office to open a station in his new railroad station in 1880, and in fact, the Post Office has always had a presence in Short Hills from that day and its own ZIP Code, 07078.

Buffer zones

Presciently, Hartshorn deliberately preserved strips of land along the railroad right-of-way from any development west of Old Short Hills road. These strips separate Hobart Avenue to the north, and Chatham Road to the south, from the railway line. The only structure that has ever stood directly adjacent to the line is the railroad station. Mr. Hartshorn also established the Short Hills Park directly across Hobart Avenue from the station, which stands to this day. In 1944, his estate donated this park to Millburn Township, with the stipulation that it always remain open to the public.

Common elements

After seventeen houses were erected, Hartshorn turned his attention to other "common elements." These included a Music Hall, which remains today as the Short Hills Racquets Club.

Later events

Stewart Hartshorn died in 1937, at the age of 97. His daughter Cora survived him, wrote her own history of the hamlet, and helped establish the Arboretum that bears her name.

In 1975, the Millburn-Short Hills Historical Society formed in conjunction with the American Bicentennial celebrations.

In 2001, the Christopher and Dana Reeve Paralysis Resource Center opened in Short Hills.

In 2002, local residents planted a memorial tree on the grounds of the railroad station, to honor those of their neighbors who died in the attacks on September 11, 2001.

Present day

The opening of the Kearny Connection, allowing the establishment of the first direct rail service to Penn Station in Midtown Manhattan, has enhanced real-estate values immensely. Short Hills also has a business district along Chatham Road near the railroad station, which includes the post-office branch, a pharmacy, and several small specialty shops.

Short Hills is also home to many senior executives and controlling stockholders of some of the largest corporations in the United States and their families. The median family income is over $200,000.

Short Hills also has five K-5 elementary schools, all part of the Millburn Township Public Schools, the Deerfield Elementary School, Glenwood Elementary School, Hartshorn Elementary School, Wyoming Elementary School, and South Mountain Elementary School. Students move on to complete their education at the Millburn Middle School for grades 6-8 and Millburn High School for grades 9-12.

Millburn's schools are often commended for their high standards. Millburn High School was rated best public high school in the state for 2008 by New Jersey Monthly Magazine. The survey used various objective criteria including percentage of graduates going to college, number of students in accelerated courses and average SAT scores.

Though Short Hills has its own railroad station and post-office branch, it does not have an independent government. It remains today a part of the Township of Millburn, as it has been since its inception.

Points of interest

External links

• Millburn-Short Hills Historical Society
• Archives of the MSHHS at the Millburn Free Public Library
• Collection of old photographs of Millburn-Short Hills
• US Census Data for Short Hills
• Millburn/Short Hills Home Sales Prices and Real Estate Market Statistics