Township Information
The Township of
Millburn, with a population of 19,765 according to the 2000 census, is located
in the southwest corner of Essex County and covers about ten square miles. It
is 20 miles west of New York City. The southern border, adjacent to 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
approx-imately 6,100 residential properties, 20 apart-ment buildings, more than
200 commercial buildings, and 32 industrial buildings.
The Community
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 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 out-standing free public library service.
The Mall at Short Hills, located in the northwest corner of the Township, is
an unusually beautiful regional shopping center housing more than 170 fine shops,
restaurants and department stores including branches of Bloomingdale's, Saks Fifth
Avenue, Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom and Macy's. More than 1000 businesses and professionals
are located in the Township.
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.
Millburn has two weekly newspapers: The Independent Press, distributed free,
and The Item.
Transportation
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.
Education
The school district is made up of five elementary schools, a middle school with
grades six through eight and a four-year high school. Millburn parents, teachers
and school administrators work together to ensure that the 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 have attended post
secondary institutions.
Cultural Activities
Founded in 1934, Paper
Mill Playhouse, located on Brookside Drive in Millburn, is a professional
Equity theatre seating 1,200 and attracts approximately 425,000 theatre-goers
each season. Paper Mill offers a full range of cultural events including musicals,
plays, and childrens programs along with New Jersey Ballets Nutcracker
during the holiday season. Paper Mill is proud to be one of the few theatres in
the country to be fully accessible to people with disabilities, serving over 4,000
people annually. Group, Senior, and student discounts are available.
The Cora Hartshorn
Arboretum and 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 maintained 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 Society was 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.
Utilities
Electricity and gas are provided by GPU and Public Service Electric and Gas Company
respectively. Water is provided by NJ American Water Company. Sewage collection
is provided by the Township and sewage treatment by the Joint Meeting of Essex
and Union County. The Township picks solid waste up twice weekly, and there is
an active recycling program. A drop off recycling center is located on Main Street
in Millburn.
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