Schools 

Millburn School District is known as one of the top school districts in the country, and is always winning awards for its academic excellence. Visit the Millburn School District on the web

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 features 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. The performance of the students has been exceptional. You can see more details on the full report card for Millburn High School by clicking the link in the table. If you'd like me to email you the NJ Monthly article on NJ's 75 top high schools, just email me. I'll send it in pdf.  

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.  

On a personal note, my daughters have been through Glenwood Elementary, Millburn Middle School, and now my oldest is a senior year at Millburn high school. If you have any questions about the school system, definitely give me a call.  

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.  

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 top of the shopping destination lists. Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Jimmy Choo, Dior, Dolce & Gabbana, Neiman Marcus and Nordstom to name but a few… and yes, there really are Bentleys, Porsches and Range Rovers displayed along the walkways. Important tip: Make reservations for the restaurants in advance because you won't find a food court here.  

Downtown Millburn retains its old-style feel with a good selection of small shops – many of them family-owned – offering everything from 25c 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.  

There is also a convenient row of shops, including a general store, pharmacy, dry cleaner’s and post office opposite Short Hills Train Station.  

Recreation 

Entertainment
Catch the latest movie releases at Millburn Cinema 4 located in the bustling heart of Millburn, conveniently close to restaurants and cafes.
If live drama is your thing, the Paper Mill Playhouse on Brookside Drive, Millburn, 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.  

The Great Outdoors
Newcomers to Millburn and Short Hills often comment on the remarkable lush open spaces we enjoy here. 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 panorama of the Manhattan skyline to the east. During the Revolutionary War George Washington viewed the movement of British troops in the Newark valley from the spot now known as Washington Rock. Today joggers, hikers, cyclists and nature lovers are drawn to the paths that meander through the 2048 acres of native woodland, preserved in a wild state with creeks, ponds and a 25ft waterfall. The whole area is a haven for deer, chipmunks, squirrels and bird life, and some of my clients have even been wild mushroom picking there. There is also a great Dog Park complete with canine obstacle course and drinking fountains! Most of the reservation lies within Millburn limits with the rest extending through neighboring Maplewood, West Orange and bordering South Orange. You can park your car at the Locust Grove trailhead just across Glen Avenue behind Millburn Railway Station or drive up to the top of South Mountain Reservation along South Orange Avenue and park off Crest Drive. A map of South Mountain Reservation can be purchased for $4 at the Millburn, Maplewood, and South Orange libraries.  

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 a gem of a place, 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. Check out the Bird Cam on the arboretum website.  

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 hot-spot 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.  

Sporting Life 

Millburn Township Recreation Department at Millburn Town Hall provides details of sports programs for boys and girls, including basketball, football, soccer, a winter ski program and much more besides. There are also town camp programs in the summer and during school vacation. Online registration forms and schedules can be downloaded from the website.  

I’ve lost count of the number of clients who have moved to this area because they wanted to be close to superb golf courses. Whether you are looking to develop your game, unwind from the stresses of the working week, entertain clients, or relax in the company of fellow golfers at the 19th hole, there is an impressive array of award-winning golf courses within easy striking distance. Baltusrol Golf Club 3 miles away hosted the PGA Championship in 2005. Even closer to home are the hugely popular golf courses at Canoe Brook Country Club and Short Hills Country Club. Check out all the golf courses close to Millburn and Short Hills at golflink.com  

If tennis is your sport, it is game set and match to this part of New Jersey. Tennis is big here in schools, on municipal courts and in private clubs. One of the best loved locally is Racquets Club of Short Hills where members can play racquetball court, tennis court, and enjoy the swimming pool.  

Other amenities and activities in Millburn and Short Hills  

Millburn and Short Hills have a very healthy share of fitness clubs and gyms. Some, such as Can Do Fitness and Motion rival any to be found in New York. The Millburn Short Hills Athletic Club is great for commuters, being just across the road from Millburn train station.  

Kids who like to act and dance will love to strut their stuff at the Stagestruck Performing Arts Center in Short Hills, where you will also find a summer camp program. In fact, there are summer camps to suit every child in this part of New Jersey whether their passion is for sports, cyber activities, music, or the outdoor life – or even if they want to develop their academic skills. Check out the Camp Channel and the American Camp Association and The Camp Experts for more suggestions.  

Music Together with Kelly runs a range of classes introducing babies and young children to the wonders of sound and rhythm. Millburn Music Centre, a music store in the center of town on Millburn Avenue, has lots of information about music lessons in the area, and if you enjoy fine art then Millburn-Short Hills Art Center is for you.  

Eating Out 

There are some fabulous restaurants, bars and cafes in Millburn and Short Hills that you won’t need to leave town to find what you’re looking for. Two of our favorites for meeting friends are Basilico and Martini’s Bar and Bistro. Kids love La Strada and JP Lee’s Mongolian Barbecue, especially for pre & post Millburn Cinema movie nights with their friends. For a romantic dinner you can’t beat the SoHo hip restaurant MC, or La Campagna for something more traditional. Millburn Deli has achieved cult status for its amazing take-outs and the staff whose quick-fire wit is matched by the super-fast service. All of these eateries are in downtown Millburn.  

Over at Short Hills the 5-star Hilton Hotel’s Sunday brunch is consistently voted the best in New Jersey.  

Community Events 

The busy events calendar in Millburn and Short Hills means there’s always a welcoming activity for newcomers to the area. Perennials include the Easter Egg Hunt, the 5k run, Fourth of July celebrations, classic car show, arts and crafts fair, the Halloween Parade and the Snowflake Parade. Many of the latest details are posted on Millburn Township website or on the website of Millburn-Short Hills Chamber of Commerce.  

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 to his brother James. 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. (Aptly, many of today’s residents still work in banking and finance in the city.) 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 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 to 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, was wanted to create “a harmonious community for people who appreciate 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 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 proviso that it remains open to the public.
It was his philanthropy and vision that make the community and its leafy lanes, rolling hills and grassy knolls the attractive and desirable place it is now. Today Short Hills is an affluent area renowned for some truly amazing and distinctive homes. It is one of the USA’s most affluent areas – ranked #5 in New Jersey in Forbes' 500 Most Expensive Zip Codes 2006. Short Hills includes the sections of Brookhaven, Country Club, Poet, Deerfield, Glenwood, Knollwood, Merrywood, Mountaintop, Old Short Hills and Hartshorn. 

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