In Millburn, theater history, local memorial sites, and trails through gardens and natural areas come together. The Paper Mill Playhouse is located in Millburn, New Jersey. Those interested in the town’s history will also find historic buildings, a tour of Downtown Millburn, and marked trails with a variety of thematic focuses.
Theater History and Historic Sites
The current site of the Paper Mill Playhouse began in 1795 as The Thistle Paper Mill. The theater itself opened on November 14, 1938, with the play “The Kingdom of God” by Martinez Sierra. The two dates tell of different chapters in the town’s history: first, the earlier operation at the site, and later, the opening of the theater.
The Hessian House is one of Millburn’s oldest homes and has important historical ties to the American Revolutionary War. It is also a separately designated and protected local historic landmark of the Township of Millburn. This allows the house’s history to be considered both as part of the town’s history and in terms of its particular historical significance.
The Downtown Millburn Walking Tour leads to 32 points of interest in and around the downtown area. Examples include the Millburn Community Garden, Taylor Park, St. Stephen’s Church, and the “Häagen-Dazs mural” from 2017. The historical society has updated the tour to include new points of interest. This brings different types of places together: a garden, a park, a church, and a mural.
The Veterans Memorial Path also connects local history with a specific route description. The Township of Millburn established it in 2004; it is 4.5 miles long and includes 17 points of interest. The trail begins at the Millburn Free Public Library, by a Veterans’ Memorial in the entrance hall. It ends at the Revolution War Cemetery in the Parsil Family Cemetery on White Oak Ridge Road.
Washington Rock is a historic American Revolutionary War site dating back to the late 18th century. Those exploring Millburn’s historic sites can consider this connection alongside the town’s buildings and the stops along the Veterans Memorial Path.
Gardens, Landscape and Trails
South Mountain Reservation is a 2,112-acre nature preserve within the Essex County Park System. It spans parts of Maplewood, Millburn, and West Orange. A section of the 36-mile Lenape Trail runs through the area. The 36 miles refer to the trail as a whole, not to the section in the reservation.
The Cora Hartshorn Arboretum and Bird Sanctuary offers a different trail experience, with 3 miles of trails. They pass kettle holes, rolling slopes, and a natural amphitheater created by glaciers. In the Stone House, visitors can see bird and mammal specimens, as well as a small collection of live animals. Here, trail distance, landforms, and animal displays come together.
Greenwood Gardens is a 28-acre public garden in Short Hills and an extensively restored historic site from the early 20th century. The garden welcomes visitors for self-guided walks and special programs; guided and group tours are also offered. It is located on Old Short Hills Road, about one mile north of downtown Millburn. As seasonal access, programs, and tour formats may change, check visitor information in advance.
Taylor Park includes 13 acres of recreational space and a pond dating back to 1924. The Downtown Millburn Historic District is also useful for getting around the town center: it is compact and easily accessible on foot from many residential neighborhoods. The historic sites downtown and the larger natural areas thus offer different themes for a stay.
The trail distances help distinguish the offerings by their actual length: 36 miles refers to the Lenape Trail’s total length, while the arboretum has 3 miles of trails and the Veterans Memorial Path is 4.5 miles long. Their focuses also differ—from landforms and animal displays to historic points of interest and garden walks. When looking for a hotel in Millburn, you can first decide whether theater and local history or gardens and trails should be the focus of your stay.
Discover more destinations: Bloomfield, Roseland, City of Orange, Livingston, West Orange, Cedar Grove, East Orange, Fairfield
For the broader travel overview: Essex.
