About Short Hills - Millburn

The township was named "Millburn" in 1857, as a tribute to a local mill built on a stream, with "burn" being the Scottish name for "stream." Shortly after 1870, Stewart Hartshorn, inventor of the roller window shade, decided to make his home here and to enter 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. Today, Short Hills remains an area of Millburn Township. Click here to learn more about the Millburn - Short Hills History.

Millburn Township is unique in that it offers upscale, high-end, fifth avenue shopping along with quaint small town shopping of a traditional downtown. The Mall at Short Hills, located on the western side of the Township, is a beautiful regional shopping center in which many fine shops and stores are located. The downtown and local shopping areas offer a variety of unique specialty shops, service-based businesses, and professional offices. In addition, Millburn Township has many fine restaurants, a movie theater, the Hilton Short Hills, rated by AAA as a Five Diamond Hotel, and a wide variety of cultural events, including the renowned Paper Mill Playhouse and the Cora Hartshorn Arboretum and Bird Sanctuary.

Millburn Township is a full-service community where most residents live in single family homes. Millburn is comprised of the historic Wyoming district, and South Mountain and Millburn Center areas. Short Hills contains the sections of Knollwood, Glenwood, Brookhaven, Country Club, Merrywood, Deerfield-Crossroads, Mountaintop, White Oak Ridge, and Old Short Hills Estates.

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 most widely used recreational spot in Millburn Short Hills is the 36-acre Gero Park off White Oak Ridge Road. It is maintained by the Township's recreation department which offers a wide variety of recreation programs, including a Community swimming Pool, a Par 3 Golf Course, and tennis courts, making the community appealing for families. 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 million-square foot Mall at Short Hills, located in the northwest corner of the Township at Route 24 and JFK Parkway, 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

Millburn Township has an excellent school system. New Jersey Magazine has ranked the Millburn Township school system among the top 3 school districts in the state. Click here to read more about Millburn - Short Hills Schools.

Cultural Activities

The Paper Mill Playhouse an outstanding theater for over 40 years, is located on Brookside Drive in Millburn. The Paper Mill Playhouse is one of the Country's best known regional theathers. In 1972, Gov. William Cahill proclaimed Paper Mill the "Official State Theatre of New Jersey." The theatre has been cited as a State Center of Artistic Excellence and as a Major Impact and Distinguished Arts Organization by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts. 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. Located steps from the theatre, The Carriage House Restaurant is perfect for those looking for a wonderful evening of theatre and elegant dining. It offers a creative menu that takes its cue from the current Paper Mill show, a complete bar, a diverse wine list, and an assortment of delectable desserts.

A popular township area is the 16-acre Cora Hartshorn Arboretum and Bird Sanctuary, located on Forest Drive in Short Hills, was created from undeveloped woodlands by its former owners, the Hartshorns, specifically by the daughter of Stewart Hartshorn. It is now owned and maintained by the Township, but operated by the Arboretum Association. Within its beautiful forests 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.