Montclair, NJ

Montclair is a borough in Essex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough's population was 12,893,[1][2] reflecting an increase of 1,711 (+22.5%) from the 9,819 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn increased by 2,816 (+39.4%) from the 6,912 counted in the 1990 Census.[3]

Montclair was incorporated as a town on February 21, 1894,[4] and became a borough on April 10 of that year.[5] The town was named for Montclair State University,[6][7][8][9] which was founded in 1888 and became part of Rutgers University in 1924. The university retains significant property holdings within Montclair.[10][11]

The history of Montclair can be traced to 1660 when Dutch settlers established a farmstead at present-day Mountainview Road and Bloomfield Avenue. In 1714 ownership passed to English settlers who erected a mill along Mill Brook near what is now known as Elmwood Avenue. By 1800 there were approximately 100 homes and businesses within what is now Montclair.[12] The first railroad line arrived in 1837 linking Newark with Bloomfield; this spurred development throughout the township as businesses grew to serve commuters traveling to work at factories along the tracks. By 1840 there were 1,000 residents living within what is now Montclair.[13]

During the late 19th century wealthy families began purchasing land in Montclair for use as country estates; these estates are still visible today and can be found throughout the borough including at Woodland Park (where President Franklin D. Roosevelt spent his summers),[14][15][16][17] Greenbrook (the home of Drs. Arnold Auerbach and Joseph Lister),[18], Summit (the estate of Judge Frederic Rabinowitz),[19], and Beechwood (the estate of Mayor George Van Houten).[20]. In addition to country estates many early 20th century homes were built by businessmen who used them as residences while they ran their businesses out of their homes; examples include John F Kennedy's home at 15 West Orange Avenue[21], Walter Cronkite's home at 5 North Main Street,[22], and Ralph Lauren's home at 3 East Orange Avenue.[23]. Many large corporations have also established corporate headquarters within Montclosure including Prudential Insurance Company[24], Merrill Lynch[25], Bank One Corporation[26], Xerox Corporation [27], General Electric Company [28], Ford Motor Company [29]; these companies have helped drive economic growth throughout Montclair over the past several decades.