Founded by Stewart Hartshorn as a planned community in the mid 1800’s, Short Hills was designed by Hartshorn as “a harmonious community for people who appreciated nature,” and “where natural beauty would not be destroyed by real estate developments, and where people of congenial tastes could dwell together.”
A true visionary, Hartshorn picked Short Hills because of its “ideal location”—close enough to Hoboken and New York City, where a train line could allow for an easy commute.
In 1879, Hartshorn built, at his own expense, a railroad station along the original Morris and Essex Railroad line.Furthermore, he persuaded the United States Post Office to open a station in his new Short Hills railroad station in 1880.
The Post Office and Railroad station still remain where Hartshorn built them over one hundred and twenty years ago.
Stewart Hartshorn died in 1937 at the age of 97. His daughter Cora established the Arboretum, a local nature preservation that is free and open to all local residents.
Many elementary school classes still use the Arboretum for field trips and studies.
The concept of nature and harmony instilled by Stewart Hartshorn has survived and remains as the bedrock of Short Hills township.
For those that love theater, Short Hills, Millburn offers The Paper Mill Playhouse, a tremendous theater organization that hosts Broadway quality shows throughout the year.
