Millburn in Scottish means "mill on a stream." Native Indians and early settlers called the area surrounding the tiny New Jersey colonial settlement "the short hills." Hence, Millburn-Short Hills.
Before 1857, the settlement had no individual identity but was part of the City of Springfield. During the Revolutionary War, British and Colonial forces marched back and forth across the area, climaxing their confrontation with the famous Battle of Springfield which halted the British army's advance into northern New Jersey.
Shortly after 1870, Stewart Hartshorn, inventor of the roller window shade, made his home here and entered the real estate business to establish an ideal community. He purchased and resold much of the "short hills" area and adopted the indians' name for his community. By the time of its semi-centennial in 1907, the town boasted fire and police departments, running water, electricity, telephones and a sewer system.
After World War II, the Township's population growth surged, not just in residents but in businesses. Supermarkets, insurance companies, professional offices, retail stores, light industry and the Mall at Short Hills became integral parts of the community.
The Township of Millburn is located in the southwest corner of Essex County and covers 6,450 acres, or about ten square miles. It is 20 miles west of New York City. The southern border, adjacent Summit and Springfield, is partially defined by Morris Turnpike, also called New Jersey Route 124. Maplewood lies to the east of Millburn; West Orange and Livingston lie to the north; and Florham Park and Chatham to the west.
About half of Essex County's 2,000-acre South Mountain Reservation lies within the Township. Other open spaces include three municipal parks, three golf courses, two water reserves, a reservoir and small parcels of undeveloped land. The Township is primarily a residential suburb, and many of its residents commute to work in New York City. Most live in single family houses. The Township has 6,146 residential properties, 20 apartment buildings, more than 200 commercial buildings, 32 industrial buildings and less than 100 vacant lots.
After rapid growth in the first half of this century, Millburn's population peaked at 21,300 in 1970. It has declined slightly since then and is now approximately 18,630 according to the 1990 census.
The Township is composed of two areas, the older area is made up of the commercial center and its adjoining residential sections. To the north and west lies Short Hills with its own post office and railroad station, but an integral part of the Township and one of the finest residential areas in the nation.
The town's character is reflected in the commercial growth and development during the last several decades. The development of the area with its preponderance of higher income families is largely responsible for the marked economic progress.
The Township of Millburn provides all the services usually found in any well-managed suburban municipality of its size. These include full-time paid police and fire departments, a Township-operated refuse collection service, a sanitary sewer system, a separate storm sewer system, and a health department. The recreation department has an active program including a swimming pool and a par 3 golf course. Additional public works department services include shade trees, the maintenance and repair of streets and public buildings, building inspection and zoning enforcement. The Township also maintains an outstanding free public library service. Water is provided by New Jersey-American Water Company, whose well fields and reservoirs lie within the Township.
The current estimated tax rate is $4.21 per one hundred dollars of assessed valuation and is one of the lowest of Essex County's 22 municipalities.
The Mall at Short Hills, located in the northwest corner of the Township, is an unusually beautiful, regional shopping center housing more than 150 fine shops, restaurants and department stores including branches of Bloomingdales, Brooks Brothers, Abercrombie and Fitch, Crouch & Fitzgerald , Tiffany's, Ralph Lauren, Nordstrom and Saks Fifth Avenue.
The community is also home to a $50 million Five Diamond Hotel and Office complex opposite the Mall. The 240,000 square foot office complex with a 300-room Hilton Hotel with conference and banquet facilities opened in 1988.
More than 1000 businesses and professionals are located in the Township. AT&T Laboratories is the largest employer in the Township, occupying the Prudential and Mack buildings on Kennedy Parkway and employing over 1000 people.
Millburn has two weekly newspapers: The Independent Press, distributed free, and The Item.
Buses and trains provide easy access to New York City--both mid-town and lower Manhattan--as well as to businesses in Hoboken, Newark and Jersey City. Commuter parking lots are available for residents. Trains stop in both Millburn and Short Hills, and buses pick up commuters at various points in town.
In addition, Millburn-Short Hills is a quick 15 to 20 minutes from Newark Airport and is close to major highways.
The school district is made up of four elementary schools, a middle school with grades five through eight and a four-year high school. Millburn parents, teachers and school administrators work together to ensure that this culturally diverse and economically upscale community provides its students with an excellent academic program. The Millburn school district stresses individualized instruction and a full spectrum of academic and extracurricular activities.
Millburn High School offers a full program of studies featuring eighteen Advanced Placement courses and a wide range of academic electives.Approximately 80 percent of parents are college graduates with one or more degrees and, for the past ten years, over 95 percent of each high school graduation class has attended post secondary institutions.
Paper Mill: State Theatre of New Jerseyon Brookside Drive in Millburn has been one of the country's outstanding nonprofit regional theaters for over 40 years. The theater offers a full range of cultural events, including musicals, plays and children's programs. It is large enough to accommodate the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra and the New Jersey State Opera.
The Cora Hartshorn Arboretumand Bird Sanctuary, located on Forest Drive in Short Hills, was created from undeveloped woodlands by its former owners, the Hartshorns. It is now owned and main-tained by the Township, but operated by the Arboretum Association. Within its 16 acres are hundreds of varieties of birds, wild flowers and trees. The Arboretum sponsors classes, lectures, workshops and field trips in nature study and crafts.
The Millburn-Short Hills Historical Societywas formed in 1975 in conjunction with the celebration of the United States Bicentennial to stimulate interest in the history, architecture and genealogy of the Township.
Electricity and gas are provided by Jersey Central Power and Light Company and Public Service Electric and Gas Company respectively. Sewage collection is provided by the Township, and sewage treatment by the Joint Meeting of Essex and Union County. Solid waste is picked up twice weekly by the Township, and there is an active recycling program. A dropoff recycling center is located on Main Street in Millburn.
Since its incorporation as a municipality by the State of New Jersey in 1857, the Township of Millburn has operated under the Township Committee form or government.
Although the official governmental form has not been changed in the municipality's 134-year long history, a significant change took place in 1985 in the responsibilities of the five Township residents who are elected to membership on the Township Committee. Until 1985, each Committee Member was assigned responsibility for the activities of a specific branch of municipal government, such as police, fire or financial operations, etc. Today those administrative functions rest in the hands of the Township's Business Admin-istrator, the highest official on the Township's professional staff. The Township Committee now operates as a committee-of-the-whole; each elected official is expected to be knowledgeable in all municipal operations and thus prepared to make policy decisions which shape the future of the Township.
The five members of the Township Committee are elected to
staggered, three-year terms. At the Committee's organizational meeting each
January, one member is elected to serve as chairman for a 12-month term and
another is chosen to serve as vice chairman.
Under state statute, the Chairman holds the
title of mayor.