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