New Jersey Monthly Magazine has just published its “Best Places to Live 2010” article, and Chatham Township is ranked #2 (Bedminster Township is ranked #1.) The data is compiled by Monmouth University’s Polling Institute. They consider eight categories which best represent the quality of life in New Jersey’s 566 municipalities: population growth, home values, property taxes, land development, employment, crime rate, school performance, and proximity to services. Household income was not included, and home values were measured by the rate of increase or decrease over three years rather than by current prices.
In March of 2008, New Jersey Monthly Magazine ranked Chatham Township #1 once again. James O’Neill, the Superintendent of Schools for the School District of the Chathams, was quoted as saying “Chatham is a very unique place to live … there is a disproportionate number of terrific kids and talented teachers …and dedicated parents who spend an inordinate amount of time supporting the district. Chatham schools excel in academics, in the arts, and in athletics.”
The State Department of Education released its “School Report Card” on February 9, 2010, and once again Chatham schools came out on top. Chatham High School - a nationally ranked “Blue Ribbon School” - had the top SAT (Scholastic Aptitude Test) scores in Morris County, and ranked 22nd in the state.
Even CNN’s Money Magazine was impressed with Chatham – in 2005 - naming the combined towns of Borough and Township the ninth best place to live in America! With the opening of New Jersey Transit’s Midtown Direct train service to Manhattan in the late 1990s, land values in Chatham shot up.
Chatham continues to be recognized as one of the top towns in New Jersey, and a great place to live!
Posted by:
Cynthia Edgar
It is with great excitement and enthusiasm that I announce the opening of our new office located at 186 Main Street in beautiful Chatham, NJ. We are located in the heart of the historic downtown right next to F. Gerald New and in the same building as Cambridge Street Papers, two wonderful, locally owned shops.
We have long recognized the potential for Turpin Real Estate in Chatham as so many of our clients moving into the Somerset Hills have come from this area. As the number of transactions our agents have had in the Chatham and Madison area have steadily increased over the past few years the notion of opening a Chatham Turpin office has become more and more appealing.
Our core group of experienced agents staffing the office includes Susan Barba, Cindy Edgar, Lois Olmstead and Ted Zeller, all of whom are intimately familiar with the area, having either lived in Chatham or currently living in the immediate area. As the office manager of our newest office, I am thrilled to bring the high level of client service and creative marketing programs that have been our company’s hallmarks for a half century to the Chathams and surrounding towns. Give us a call at 973-635-5555, or stop by!
Posted by: 
John Turpin
Come down to Fabrizi Cosmetics, 6 E. Main St., Mendham, NJ on February 10 from 1 - 7 pm for the ‘Come in from the Cold’ Benefit, fundraiser for the Haiti Relief Fund. For a donation of $25, you will be able to preview the hottest trends for Spring 2010 in make up and fashion while enjoying drinks and appetizers. A 15% discount on all products will be offered for this special event. And the first 40 reserved guests receive a gift bag with gift certificates and merchandise valued at over $100 from local participating sponsors Vaz Florist, Para L’Elle Boutique, and Body Secret Personal Training to name a few.
Meaghan’s Meals will be providing a sampling of healthy, low-fat foods from their menu of meals that can be delivered right to your door! There will also be a drawing to win a Vitamin Peel from Etolie Cosmetic Medicine and a stunning piece from JoEllen Jewelers.
For more information or to make your reservation, stop in or call Fabrizi Cosmetics at 6 E. Main Street, Mendham, NJ, 973-543-6220.
Posted by:
Nicole Atorino
The Westmont Montessori School is located at 577 Route 24 in Mendham. It offers the Montessori method of education, which ‘fosters children to build upon their own successes, thus building a foundation for future exploration and a love of learning’. Their focus is on fostering a child’s self esteem and independence, with each child progressing at their own developmental level.
The program has been in operation in Mendham since 1964, but moved locations twice before settling in their current facility on Route 24. The building is beautiful, light filled and spacious, with two levels of classroom and activity space, as well as two large areas for outdoor play. In addition to the traditional preschool program, Westmont offers many enrichment programs, such as Movement, Spanish, Music, Science, Art and Cooking. There is also an Extended Day program for parents looking for extra time. A new program being offered is ‘Montessori & Me’ for children 18 months and up.
Westmont is having an Open House on January 23, 2010 from 10:00am-12:00pm. They also offer private tours of the facility. Check out their website by clicking here or give them a call at 908-879-6355.
Posted by:Nicole Atorino
Deciding to send your toddler to preschool and where to send them can be a daunting process. In Mendham, there are five very good preschool programs to choose from and it is my goal to educate you on each of them so you can make an informed decision and feel comfortable in choosing the best program for you and your child. As a mother of four, I have had a lot of experience with children and various preschool environments and hope to pass on some of that knowledge to you.
Hilltop Christian Nursery School (HCNS) is a preschool program that has been in operation since 1994 through The First Presbyterian Church of Mendham. It is licensed with the State of New Jersey and each class has one state certified teacher and an assistant. It was created out of the ‘desire to provide the community’s children with a strong educational foundation enriched by Christian values’. HCNS offers programs for 2 ½, 3, and 4-year olds in either a morning session or an afternoon session. For 3 and 4-year olds, there is an opportunity to participate in Lunch Bunch, where the child brings lunch and eats with their friends at school. HCNS offers many additional activities as part of their program, such as a Halloween Parade, Thanksgiving Feast, PJ Pancake Party, Donuts with Dad, Christmas Pageant, Computer Program, Musically Together as well as various field trips throughout the year in and around town. There are plenty of opportunities for parent involvement as well. HCNS has a wonderful playground and is conveniently located right next to Hilltop Elementary School in the heart of town, which makes pick up and drop off so easy.
For more information, contact the Director, Rhona Buzbee, at 973-543-0054.
Posted by:Nicole Atorino
Aside from its appealing country atmosphere and worldly economic status, Somerset Hills has a widespread reputation for its roots in the birth and history of America, and it possesses some of the oldest homes and structures in the country, such as the Jacobus Vanderveer House, established in the 1770’s, and the Basking Ridge Presbyterian Church, built before 1720. The Somerset Hills historic districts—such as those found in Lamington, Pluckemin, and Pottersville—offer treasures from the past at every turn, but what the region is certainly most well-known and admired for are the many grand historic Somerset Hills estates that were built from the 1870’s to the Great Depression by the nation’s most prominent architects and landscape designers. Once home to wealthy industrialists, financiers, politicians, and other elite of the early 20th century, these well-preserved mansions capture the sophistication, grandeur, and life of leisure that many people are seeking when looking for homes in Somerset Hills.
Somerset Hills—a region located in northern Somerset County, New Jersey—offers a quality of life like no other. Comprised of Bedminster Township, Bernards Township, Bernardsville, Far Hills, and Peapack-Gladstone, Somerset Hills is one of the nation’s most desirable residential areas for its “rurban” atmosphere and beautiful rolling countryside that lends itself to a variety of outdoor activities, such as golf and equestrian sports. The region is conveniently perched between two major cities—Philadelphia and New York—and boasts a dynamic business climate.
