Montville, New Jersey facts for kids

Montville is a township located in Morris County, New Jersey, in the United States. It's a great place to live, known for its friendly community and good schools. In 2020, about 22,450 people called Montville home.

Montville officially became a township on April 11, 1867. It was formed from parts of Pequannock Township. The township includes the areas of Montville, Pine Brook, and Towaco. If you need to travel, you can catch a train from the Towaco station on the Montclair-Boonton Line.

Money magazine has often recognized Montville as one of the "Best Places to Live" in the nation. For example, in 2013, it was ranked 13th in the whole country!

Quick facts for kids Montville, New Jersey
Township
Van Duyne–Jacobus House
Seal
Montville, New Jersey Location in Morris County, New Jersey Show map of Morris County, New Jersey Montville, New Jersey Location in New Jersey Show map of New Jersey Montville, New Jersey Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Country	United States
State	New Jersey
County	Morris
Incorporated	April 11, 1867
Named for	Mandeville Inn or terrain
Government
• Type	Special charter
• Body	Township Committee
Area
• Total	19.12 sq mi (49.51 km2)
• Land	18.63 sq mi (48.24 km2)
• Water	0.49 sq mi (1.27 km2)  2.57%
Area rank	147th of 565 in state 11th of 39 in county
Elevation	279 ft (85 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	22,450
• Estimate  (2023)	22,493
• Rank	123rd of 565 in state 7th of 39 in county
• Density	1,205.2/sq mi (465.3/km2)
• Density rank	361st of 565 in state 26th of 39 in county
Time zone	UTC−05:00 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC−04:00 (Eastern (EDT))
ZIP Code	07045 – Montville 07058 – Pine Brook 07082 – Towaco
Area code(s)	973
FIPS code	3402747670
GNIS feature ID	0882207

Montville's Past: A Look at History

Entering Montville

Montville has a long and interesting history, starting thousands of years ago.

First People: The Lenape Tribes

More than 10,000 years ago, the land where Montville now stands was part of the Lenapehoking. This area was home to the Lenape tribes, who spoke the Munsee dialect. These tribes lived peacefully, and there are no records of major battles happening here.

Today, the Morris County Parks Commission celebrates Lenape Day every October 12th. It's a special event at the Great Swamp to honor the culture and history of the Ramapough Lenape people.

Dutch Settlers Arrive

Around 1710, Dutch farmers from New Amsterdam (which is now part of New York City) started moving into the area. They called the creek and valley "Uyle-Kill," which means "Owl-Kill" in Dutch.

By the 1740s, the settlement had grown quite a bit. The first road was built, connecting farms to Montville's early mills and tanneries. This road is now known as U.S. Route 202. In 1756, the Dutch Reformed Church was founded nearby and later moved to Montville in the early 1800s.

English Influence and the Revolutionary War

In 1712, William Penn bought a large piece of land that included parts of what is now Montville and Pequannock, including Pine Brook.

The first schoolhouse in Montville was built in 1760 in Pine Brook. It was a simple log building. More schools were built in 1785, 1816, and 1852 as the community grew.

During the American Revolutionary War (1775–1783), Montville was an important route for soldiers. General George Washington's troops often used this path. General Rochambeau's French troops, a large group of 5,000 soldiers, also passed through Montville Township on their way to the final victory at Yorktown.

The Mandeville Inn, established around 1770, is believed to be how Montville got its name. The Dutch pronounced "Mandeville" as "Mondeveil," which then became "Montville." Another idea is that the name comes from the township's location in the mountains of Northern New Jersey.

In 1809, the first store in Montville opened. By 1820, Montville was a small business center with 16 houses, mills, a blacksmith shop, and a small store. By 1880, it had grown to 40 houses, more mills, a rubber factory, and two taverns.

The Morris Canal was completed in this area in 1828. This canal brought commercial boats, helping the Montville and Towaco areas grow. In the mid-19th century, two smaller villages, Pine Brook and Towaco, developed around the canal.

In 1867, Montville and Boonton separated from Pequannock township to become their own townships.

Montville in the 20th Century

By 1910, Montville's population was 690 people.

The Pine Brook Speedway was a popular spot from 1962 to 1989. It was built for midget car racing and was one of the first places for microstock racing. Famous race car driver Mario Andretti even had some of his early successes at this Speedway!

Montville Today: Geography and Climate

Montville covers about 19.12 square miles (49.51 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with a small amount of water.

Several smaller communities and places are located within Montville Township. These include Horse Neck Bridge, Lake Valhalla, Lower Montville, Pine Brook, Taylortown, Towaco, and White Hall.

Montville shares borders with several other towns in Morris County, like Boonton and Parsippany-Troy Hills. It also borders Fairfield Township in Essex County.

Camp Dawson in Towaco is a popular place for outdoor activities. It has fields for sports like football, soccer, and lacrosse, and is also great for hiking and sledding. Money magazine mentioned Camp Dawson as one reason Montville was ranked as a top place to live in 2007.

Montville's Weather

Montville experiences a range of temperatures throughout the year. The coldest temperature ever recorded was −25°F (−32°C) in February 1943. The hottest temperature was 105°F (41°C), recorded in July 1936 and again in 2011.

Montville's People: Demographics

Montville has grown steadily over the years.

In 2020, Montville had a population of 22,450 people. Most residents were White (66.86%), followed by Asian (21.43%). About 7.03% of the population identified as Hispanic or Latino.

Learning in Montville: Education

Montville School House, 1910

The Montville Township School District serves students from pre-kindergarten all the way through 12th grade. The district has seven schools and about 3,469 students.

• Cedar Hill Elementary School (PreK-5)
• Hilldale Elementary School (K-5)
• William H. Mason Jr. Elementary School (K-5)
• Valley View Elementary School (PreK-5)
• Woodmont Elementary School (K-5)
• Robert R. Lazar Middle School (6-8)
• Montville Township High School (9-12)

Some of these schools have received special recognition. Cedar Hill Elementary was named a National Blue Ribbon School in 2016. Hilldale Elementary also received this honor in 2024.

There are also private schools, like Trinity Christian School, which teaches students from Kindergarten to 12th grade.

Community Life in Montville

Montville Day is a fun event held every fall. It's a time for everyone in the community to come together, enjoy good food, and have fun with entertainment.

Getting Around: Transportation

Interstate 80 westbound in Montville

Montville has many roads to help you get around. As of 2010, there were over 121 miles of roadways!

Major highways that pass through Montville include Interstate 287, U.S. Route 202, Interstate 80, and U.S. Route 46. These interstates have exits right in the township.

Public Transportation Options

NJ Transit has improved the Towaco train station, making it look like it did in the early 1900s. You can take a train from Towaco on the Montclair-Boonton Line to Penn Station in Midtown Manhattan, usually with a transfer in Montclair.

NJ Transit also offers bus service to and from Newark on the 29 route. Local bus services are available on the 871 and 874 routes.

Lakeland Bus Lines provides bus service along Route 46 to the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan. They also have service along Route 80 to New York City.

Famous Faces from Montville

Many interesting people have lived in or are connected to Montville:

See also

In Spanish: Municipio de Montville (Nueva Jersey) para niños