SUMMIT, SOUTH ORANGE & SHORT HILLS, NEW JERSEY  

SUMMIT- 

Summit is a city in Union County, New Jersey. As of the United States 2000 Census, the city population was 21,131 and the city has a total area of 6.1 square miles. 

In the 19th Century, Summit served as a nearby getaway spot for wealthy residents of New York City, who were in search of fresh air and a convenient weekend getaway. Weekenders would reach Summit via the railroad, and would relax at large grand hotels and smaller inns and guest houses. 

Following World War II, the city experienced a great building boom, as living outside New York City and commuting to work became more common and the population of New Jersey grew. At this point, Summit took on its suburban character of tree lined streets and magnificent houses that it is known for today.

Summit is bordered by many municipalities- Millburn in Essex County, Chatham and Chatham Township, both in Morris County, New Providence, Berkeley Heights, Mountainside and Springfield Township. 

Education 

Students in Pre-Kindergarten through 12th grade are educated by the Summit Public Schools.  

Culture 

Summit is home to the Visual Arts Center of New Jersey, a major regional art center with both a professionally recognized art school and a critically acclaimed exhibition program. 

Media 

Due to its proximity to New York City and Newark, daily newspapers serving the community are The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and The Star-Ledger. Locally, Summit is served by the Summit Herald-Dispatch and the Independent Press, the latter of which is based in New Providence and serves the City of Summit and several surrounding communities.  

New Jersey Monthly magazine ranked Summit as its 29th best place to live in its 2008 rankings of the "Best Places To Live" in New Jersey.  

SOUTH ORANGE- 

South Orange is a village in Essex County, New Jersey. South Orange Village dates back to May 4, 1869, when it was formed within South Orange Township (now Maplewood). Of 566 municipalities statewide, South Orange is one of only four villages in New Jersey. As of the United States 2000 Census, the village population was 16,964. 

The western part of the town sits on the eastern slope of South Mountain, leveling into a small valley near the central business district. At the top of the slope, the western edge of the town runs along the eastern border of South Mountain Reservation. The Montrose neighborhood, with its large Victorian houses, is in the northeast quadrant. Seton Hall University is located in the southeast quadrant. 

Good transportation and a booming economy caused South Orange and neighboring towns to begin a major transformation in the 1920s into bedroom communities for Newark and New York City. The old Morris and Essex Railroad is still operated today by NJ Transit. Midtown Direct, initiated in 1996, offers service directly into Penn Station in Midtown Manhattan. This has reduced the commute time to midtown from about 50 minutes to 30 minutes. In addition, NJ Transit runs service to Hoboken and passengers can take the PATHor ferry to New York City. Many residents commute to New York City, but others work locally or in other parts of New Jersey. 

Streetscapes and Housing Styles  

The town is one of only a few in New Jersey to retain gas light street illumination (others include Riverton, Palmyra, Glen Ridge and some parts of Orange). Together with the distinctive Village Hall the gaslight has long been the symbol of South Orange. South Orange has a central business district with restaurants, banks, and other retail and professional services.
South Orange provides the usual facilities for a municipality of this size; fire, police, a library of about 70,000 volumes, a municipal pool, a recreation center, parks, baseball diamonds, tennis courts, trash and yard waste removal provided by contractors, community access cable TV, among others. 

Architecture is extremely varied. Houses cover a range that includes every common style of the Mid-Atlantic United States since the late nineteenth century, and in sizes that range from brick English Cottages to giant Mansard-roofed mansions. Tudor, Victorian, Colonial, Ranch, Modern, and many others are all to be found. Large houses were built in the blocks around the Orange Lawn Tennis club, while in other areas, especially south of South Orange Avenue, more modest foursquare houses were put up for the growing American middle class. South Orange is proud of its historical focus and has a number of places listed on the State and National Historic Register. 

Education 

The township shares a common school system, the South Orange-Maplewood School District, with the adjacent town of Maplewood. The district has a single high school, Columbia High School, located in Maplewood (but nearly on the town border), two middle schools and several elementary schools in each town.  

Seton Hall University is located in South Orange. The University was founded in 1856 by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark and named after Elizabeth Ann Seton, the first American saint. South Orange has a college feel with this Division I university located along the east side of South Orange Avenue, the community's main boulevard. The school serves approximately 9,700 students. 

Local Arts and Entertainment 

South Orange has recently seen the opening of the South Orange Performing Arts Center (SOPAC), located at 1 SOPAC Way, nestled behind NJ Transit South Orange station. The performing venue is a 415-seat venue with a proscenium stage, with a 5-screen Clearview Cinemas movie theater in the same complex. 

In addition, there are many art galleries located in town and South Orange plays host to art festivals throughout the year. 

South Orange and Maplewood share one of the largest online communities in the nation, featuring a very active message board at www.maplewoodonline.com. 

The proximity of South Orange to major highways and the excellent public transportation offer plenty of opportunity for fun for the whole family. A Broadway show, an event at Madison Square Garden, a Giants or Jets game, a Yankee or Mets game, a Devils game or a rock concert are all easy to get to from South Orange. In addition, the 15 minute drive to Newark Airport offers a wonderful convenience for both the business traveler and busy family needing a vacation.  

With a rich history, central location, beautiful houses and vibrant town, South Orange Village is the perfect place to call home! 

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