Montclair Homes For Sale


	Montclair and Caldwell Houses for Sale

Montclair and Caldwell

Montclair’s lush hillsides and valleys are a haven for artists and writers. Residents enjoy access to numerous parks and villages as well as spectacular mountain views. Montclair is a “seasoned community” with many “mature” homes that enhance its charm, although a good supply of newer properties are also available. Many of the housing tracks were established in the 1920s and feature unique colonial-style homes. One of the richest aspects of life in Montclair is the town and county park system. Almost seven percent of Montclair's land is devoted to public parkland. Within the 18 recreational parks are 21 tennis courts, seven playgrounds, three swimming pools, a bird sanctuary, four basketball courts and six baseball diamonds. There are also numerous other athletic fields, nature trails, ice skating ponds, sled-riding slopes and an ice arena. Montclair has the distinction of maintaining the smallest national park in the United States -- the place where George Washington stayed during his retreat from Trenton during the Revolutionary War. Since its inception in 1913, The Montclair Art Museum was recently expanded to double its capacity. The facility is dedicated to the collecting, preserving and exhibiting of high quality American and Native American art. The Museum’s collections comprise more than 15,000 works in a variety of media. The American Art collection covers three hundred years, from the 18th to the 20th centuries, and includes paintings, sculpture, and works on paper. In 1977, Montclair established seven "magnet" elementary schools, each with a slightly different learning emphasis. Parents choose the magnet elementary school based on the interests and emphases of their children. Students are bused to schools if the schools they choose are not within walking distance of their homes. For thousands of years before the beginning of European settlement, Montclair was part of the homeland of the Lenape Indians, who hunted and trapped here and passed over the mountains on their way to gather shellfish at the shore. Community sites such as Watchung (on the hill) and Yantacaw (place of dancing) bear witness to their heritage. The population of the community grew rapidly as New York businessmen and their families began building homes along the mountainside. The new residents sought to create in Montclair a model "country town" with convenient access to the city. They were successful. Today Montclair is known for its preserved colonial charm and historic small-town feel.