Montclair, New Jersey is a township of about 38,000 residents in extreme northeastern New Jersey. It is in northernmost Essex County and not far from the Atlantic coast. Residents enjoy access to three area airports. Newark International is 12-miles away, JFK International is 42-miles away, and La Guardia is 31-miles away.

History

Azariah Crane settled here in 1694, and today, Crane Park honors this original settler. As others arrived in what is today the southern part of Montclair, the area became known as Cranetown. John Speer, a Dutch settler, built a home in the early 1700s in what is today the northern part of Montclair. An early turnpike was built in the area in 1806, and the Morris Canal further added to the potential for commerce in 1831. The community grew further with the arrival of the railroad in 1856. Cranetown became Montclair soon thereafter.

Some of the history of Montclair is represented in its historic architecture. Six historic districts are listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and there are over 90 individual buildings listed as well. Montclair includes examples of the work of Van Vleck and Goldsmith, Charles A. Platt, Henry Hudson Holly, and many other famous architects.  

Parks and Recreation

Brookdale Park includes a rose garden among the other more common park amenities like tennis and baseball courts and jogging trails. Brookdale also includes a dog park, with separate sections for large and small dogs. Most describe this facility as clean and well-maintained.

Eagle Rock Reservation is a large 408-acre county park that includes a scenic observation deck, ball fields, and extensive BBQ and picnic area. Birders and hikers will also enjoy this park.

Attractions and Activities

The arts are well represented in Montclair. The Welmont Theatre hosts many concerts. Montclair State University is home to the Kasser Theater. Another popular contributor to the arts is the Montclair Operetta Company.  

Joseph Van Vleck designed and built his own mansion in 1916, and today the Van Vleck House and Gardens are open to the public every day of the year. When the Wisteria blossoms fill the air with their distinctive fragrance, the impact is said to be euphoric. The pergolas and other scenic elements make it a favored destination for wedding photography.

The Montclair Art Museum (MAM) is well-known for its wide-ranging collection of American and Native American art. Among the 12,000 works on display are the creations of John Singer Sargent, Georgia O'Keefe, and Andy Warhol. The MAM is conveniently located just 12-miles from New York City, in the very same building that it first occupied in 1914.

Events

Late September brings the annual Family Festival to Crane Park. Artisans, music, andface painting all add to the experiences offered by this family-oriented event. The Montclair Center Stage performs as well.

Learning about the many homes for sale in Montclair NJ with the aid of a Montclair real estate agent can save a great deal of time. Whether your interest in Montclair properties tends toward the historic or the modern, a qualified Montclair real estate agent can prove to be indispensable. Meticulously restored bungalows are among the homes for sale in Montclair NJ. Among the other Montclair properties offered are large, oftentimes historic mansions.

Upper Montclair NJ


Upper Montclair, New Jersey, is an unincorporated community in Essex County. About 12,000 residents live in this affluent community near New York City.




History

The Lenape Indians hunted here for many centuries. Occasionally, they'd make their way over the mountains to the coast in search of coveted shellfish. Azariah Crane built the first home in the general Montclair area back in 1694. John Speer settled the more northern area in the early 1700s. The settlements that followed became known as Cranetown and Speertown, respectively.

Nearby First Mountain served as an observation point from which scouts of the Continental Army could monitor British troop movements. The turnpike enabled more commerce starting in 1806, and the area really grew with the arrival of the railroad in 1856. By the 1870s, as many as 6,000 commuters rode the train on work days. The area also developed a significant artist's colony in the 1870s. Famed landscape painter George Inness settled in the area.

Parks And Recreation

Historic Anderson Park is located in upper Montclair. The firm of Frederick Law Olmsted was commissioned at the beginning of the 20th century to design Anderson Park. The Olmsted firm is well known for designing much of the National Mall in Washington DC and also New York City's Central Park. The park offers a path that is exactly 3/5 of a mile long. In 2008, lights were installed to allow use of the park past sunset. Anderson Park hosts a major arts and crafts fair every year. To this day, this 15-acre park is remains largely unstructured, without elaborate recreational facilities. It is used for both field hockey and lacrosse, however.

Attractions and Activities


The affluent community of Upper Montclair is home to a historic golf course. What began as a rather rudimentary five-hole layouaiming a Montclair meadow in 1901 subsequently evolved into what is today the Upper Montclair Country Club. None other than famed golf course architect Robert Trent Jones Sr. oversaw a major renovation of the course in the 1950s. The club has hosted prominent professional tournaments won by the likes of Arnold Palmer, Gene Littler, Lee Trevino, Ray Floyd, and Nancy Lopez.

If you can visit the Presby Iris Gardens when the iris are in full bloom, do so. However, these gardens are a beautiful and serene escape at any time.

Events

The historic and beautiful Woman's Club of Upper Montclair hosts the Holly Berry Craft and Gift Show every November. Both artisans and crafters display their creations in an elegant setting.

The discriminating Upper Montclair home buyer will enjoy the selection of homes for sale in Upper Montclair NJ.  The most prevalent style home is a colonial, although there are split levels, tudors, ranches and capes also available.  This area is sought out by buyers relocating from Manhattan, Brooklyn, Jersey City and Hoboken.  This is an established community where many of the homes were built in the 1920s to the 1950s. It is common to find homes from that era beautifully updated and meticulously maintained. I would be happy to help you to match the available Upper Montclair properties for sale with your own unique desires and goals.