A Quick History of Upper Montclair, NJ

The following overview has been presented to you by the personal injury lawyers in Upper Montclair, NJ, at Garden State Justice Group.

Upper Montclair

The unincorporated community of Upper Montclair is within the township of Montclair in the northern region of Essex County in New Jersey. The community covers 1,623.04 acres and has an elevation of 322 feet. The nearest towns are Cedar Grove, Nutley, Little Falls, and Verona. 

History

The area now known as Upper Montclair was first developed in the early 18th century as a rural community known as Speertown, named for John Speer, an early Dutch settler. The area remained a rural hamlet for much of that century. The modern township of Montclair, including Upper Montclair, was incorporated in 1868 from part of Bloomfield Township. In the early 21st century, the area became known as Uptown Montclair.

Historical Landmarks

In the town's center is a clock that Chase Bank owns. The historical landmark was installed in 1910. 

In the northern region of the community is another historical landmark, the Bond House. The house, also known as the Van Reyper-Bond House, was built in 1872 and is located on Valley Road. The Bond family moved into the area in 1929 and eventually opened an ice cream shop across from Montclair State University. They purchased the home in 1952, and in 1966, after George Bond's death, the house was left to the college. Their ice cream  shop did so well that they opened five locations, including:

• Montclair
• Cedar Grove
• Clifton 
• Bloomfield

Neighborhood

The community is home to the Presby Iris Gardens, located on Upper Mountain Avenue in Mountainside Park. This historical botanical garden attracts many visitors throughout the year. The garden contains more than 10,000 irises that produce over 100,000 blooms each season. The garden was planted in 1927 as a memorial to Frank H. Presby, a prominent citizen in the area with a love for irises. 

Within the community is two cemeteries:

• Immaculate Conception Cemetery - located on Grove Street
• Mount Hebron Cemetery - located on Valley Road

Demographics

In 2010 the population of the area was 11,565. This formed the 4,178 households and 3,146 families within its borders. The following was the breakdown of the races within the neighborhood:

• 83.99% white
• 5.61% Hispanic or Latino
• 6.46% African American
• 0.10% Native American
• 0.00% Pacific Islander
• 4.18% Asian
• 3.97% two or more races
• 1.31% other races

This suburban neighborhood is relatively wealthy. Most of the working population represent occupations such as:

• 73.0% executive, management, and professional occupations
• 18.4% sales and service jobs
• 7.0% clerical, assistant, and tech support roles
• 2.3% government jobs

To learn more: The History of West Orange, NJ

Our Local Office

The Upper Montclair, NJ, personal injury lawyers at Garden State Justice Group understand the financial burdens that follow an unexpected injury and are here to help. Call for your free no-obligation case evaluation and learn how experience can help you get the compensation you deserve.

Garden State Justice Group
2035 Hamburg Turnpike STE K
Wayne, NJ 07470
(862) 310-6392