Short Hills, New Jersey facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Short Hills, New Jersey
Census-designated place
Waterfall garden at the Hartshorn Arboretum in Short Hills
Location of Short Hills in Essex County highlighted in right (red). Inset map: Location of Essex County in New Jersey highlighted in orange (left).
Short Hills, New Jersey Location in Essex County, New Jersey Show map of Essex County, New Jersey Short Hills, New Jersey Location in New Jersey Show map of New Jersey Short Hills, New Jersey Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Country	United States
State	New Jersey
County	Essex
Township	Millburn
Area
• Total	5.27 sq mi (13.64 km2)
• Land	5.26 sq mi (13.61 km2)
• Water	0.01 sq mi (0.03 km2)  0.29%
Elevation	377 ft (115 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	14,422
• Density	2,743.4/sq mi (1,059.2/km2)
Economics
• Median income	$250,000+ (2018-2022)
Time zone	UTC−05:00 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC−04:00 (Eastern (EDT))
ZIP Code	07078
FIPS code	34-67320
GNIS feature ID	02584025

Short Hills is a special kind of community in New Jersey. It's called a census-designated place (CDP) and is part of Millburn Township. Short Hills is located in Essex County and is close to New York City. Many people who live here travel to Manhattan for work. In 2020, about 14,422 people lived in Short Hills.

Forbes magazine has listed Short Hills as one of the most expensive ZIP codes in the United States. In 2012, the average home sale price was nearly $2 million. Families living in Short Hills earn a lot of money. From 2018 to 2022, the average household income was over $250,000.

Short Hills is also home to a very nice shopping center called The Mall at Short Hills. It's a popular place for people from nearby towns to shop.

A Look Back in Time

The Greenwood House and Gardens

How Short Hills Began

The area that is now Short Hills was once part of Springfield Township. The hills here might have been important during the American Revolutionary War. Some people think George Washington's army moved through these hills during the Battle of Springfield in 1780.

Short Hills started as a planned community. A wealthy man named Stewart Hartshorn bought land here. He made his money by inventing and selling self-acting window shades. Hartshorn wanted to create a peaceful community where people could enjoy nature. He wanted to protect the natural beauty from too much building.

He bought 13 acres at first, then expanded his land to 56 acres for himself. He also bought 1,552 acres for the whole village. He made sure that each plot of land not owned by him was no larger than half an acre.

Hartshorn chose the name "Short Hills" because it described the area's small hills. The local Lenape Native Americans also used a similar name for the region. Someone suggested calling the village "Hartshornville," but he preferred "Short Hills."

Growing with the Railroad

Short Hills station around 1895

Stewart Hartshorn built his ideal town close to a railroad. This made it easy for people to travel to Hoboken and then to New York City. In 1879, he paid to build the railroad station himself. He also convinced the United States Post Office to open a branch in the station in 1880. Short Hills has had its own post office and ZIP Code (07078) ever since.

Hartshorn also made sure that areas along the railroad tracks were not built on. This helped keep the natural look of the area. The only building right next to the tracks is the train station.

Short Hills in the 20th Century

In 1944, the Hartshorn family gave Crescent Park to Millburn Township. This park is right across from the train station. They asked that the park always stay open for everyone to enjoy.

After building 17 houses, Hartshorn focused on other community features. He built a music hall, which later became the Short Hills Racquets Club. Stewart Hartshorn passed away in 1937 at 97 years old. His daughter, Cora, helped create the Arboretum that is named after her.

In 1968, a very old Jewish temple, Temple B'nai Jeshurun, moved to Short Hills. It is the oldest Reform Jewish group in New Jersey. Most of the land for the temple was bought from a politician named Robert Kean. This land was originally given to Kean's family by King George III.

In 1975, the Millburn-Short Hills Historical Society was created. This group helps preserve the history of the area. In 1996, a new train service called "Midtown Direct" started. It allowed people to travel directly to Penn Station in Midtown Manhattan. This made homes in Short Hills even more valuable.

Short Hills Today

Downtown Short Hills in 2007

In 2001, the Christopher and Dana Reeve Paralysis Resource Center opened in Short Hills. This center helps people with paralysis.

In 2011, the beautiful Greenwood Gardens opened to the public. It covers 28 acres and is one of 16 garden projects in the U.S. that the Garden Conservancy helps protect.

After the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, local residents planted a memorial tree at the train station. This tree honors neighbors who died in the attacks. In 2021, a public memorial was dedicated at Crescent Park. It has 420 steel rings to remember first responders and eight Millburn residents who were lost. It also includes pieces of steel from the World Trade Center.

Short Hills is still part of Millburn Township. It has its own train station and post office. There's a small downtown area near the station with shops and eateries. The train station waiting room even becomes a bar and grill in the evenings!

Geography and Climate

Short Hills covers about 5.2 square miles (13.5 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with a very small amount of water.

Weather in Short Hills

Short Hills has a climate with hot, humid summers. The winters are generally cool to cold. It's known as a "humid continental climate."

People and Population

In 2014, Time magazine said that Short Hills was the wealthiest community in the United States. This was based on the high percentage of families earning over $150,000 per year (69%). Forbes magazine reported the average income in Short Hills as $229,222.

Census 2010 Details

In the 2010 census, there were 13,165 people living in Short Hills. Most residents (81.44%) were White, and 15.48% were Asian. About 2.40% of the population identified as Hispanic or Latino.

Many households (54.1%) had children under 18. Most families (81.4%) were married couples living together. The average household had about 3 people.

About 34.4% of the people were under 18 years old. The average age of residents was 41.3 years.

Schools in Short Hills

Short Hills has excellent schools that are part of the Millburn Township Public Schools system.

• There are five elementary schools for students in kindergarten through 4th grade:
  • Deerfield Elementary School
  • Glenwood Elementary School
  • Hartshorn Elementary School
  • South Mountain Elementary School
  • Wyoming Elementary School
• For 5th grade, students go to Washington School.
• Students then attend Millburn Middle School for grades 6–8.
• Finally, they go to Millburn High School for grades 9–12.

Short Hills also has private schools. These include Far Brook School, which teaches students from nursery school to eighth grade. The Pingry School Lower Campus is also here for grades K-5.

Famous People from Short Hills

Many interesting people have lived in or are connected to Short Hills, including:

• Jabri Abdur-Rahim (born 2002), a college basketball player.
• Courtney Brosnan (born 1995), a professional soccer goalkeeper.
• Andrew Catalon (born 1980), a sportscaster for CBS.
• Anne Hathaway (born 1982), a famous actress.
• Joe Kernen (born 1956), a news anchor for CNBC.
• Igor Larionov (born 1960), a former professional hockey player for the New Jersey Devils.
• David Levithan (born 1972), a popular author of young adult books.
• John C. McGinley (born 1959), an actor known for the TV show Scrubs.
• Brian Rolston (born 1973), a former professional hockey player.
• Cory Schneider (born 1986), a hockey goalie for the New Jersey Devils.
• Patti Stanger (born 1961), a matchmaker and TV producer.
• Thomas Watson Jr. (1914–1993), a former president of IBM.
• Zygi Wilf (born 1950), the owner of the Minnesota Vikings football team.
• Rachel Zoe (born 1971), a fashion stylist.
• Alan Zweibel (born 1950), a writer and producer for shows like Saturday Night Live.

Places to Visit

• Cora Hartshorn Arboretum and Bird Sanctuary: A beautiful place to explore nature and see birds.
• Greenwood Gardens: A historic garden that is open to the public.
• Paper Mill Playhouse: A famous theater that puts on plays and musicals.
• Old Short Hills Park: A local park for outdoor activities.
• Gero Park: Offers swimming, baseball, and a municipal golf course.
• Saint Stephen's Cemetery and The Chapel at Short Hills: A historic cemetery and chapel.
• The Mall at Short Hills: A large and popular shopping mall.

See also

In Spanish: Short Hills (Nueva Jersey) para niños