MENDHAM The first settlers over 250 years ago were attracted to Mendham Township by the abundance of natural resources. They found water, trees for fuel, and rich deposits of ore. By 1748 the area had iron forges, sawmills, and a gristmill along the North Branch of the Raritan River. Deposits of iron ore, mica, and limestone also attracted many settlers. Limestone was quarried in Ralston, the town's early name, for building material, or burned in one of fifteen kilns to produce lime for fertilizer and mortar. On the eastern side of Mendham Township, brooks that formed the upper reaches of the Whippany River attracted settlers to the valley called Water Street or Waterville, later known as Brookside. General Information Incorporated: Population: Area: County: Websites: 1749 4,600 17.8 Sq. Mi. Morris mendhamtownship.org mendhamnj.org www.co.morris.nj.us School Report Cards West Morris Mendham High (9-12) Mendham Twp Middle (5-8) Mendham Twp Elem. (K-4) Mountain View (4-8) Hilltop School (K-3) West Morris Mendham High Website Demographics Mendham 07945 Today Brookside is laced with tailraces, culverts, tunnels, and other conduits, which formed a complex water distribution system that powered gristmills, sawmills, and textile mills. Other industries along "The Street" included a tannery, shoe factory, glassworks, carpet mill, and iron works. Following the Civil War, Mendham Township’s industrial economy declined. Local industries found it difficult to compete with larger urban factories. The railroad, the great engine of 19th century economic prosperity, did not arrive in the Township until 1888. The Rockaway Valley Railroad (called "Rock-A-Bye-Baby" by those familiar with its unsteady ride) carried agricultural goods, coal, mail, and some passengers. The railroad’s presence never led to the development typical of the late 19th century suburbanization that so dramatically changed nearby communities such as Morristown and Madison. The railroad operated for only 25 years. The tracks were removed during World War I for salvage. Though manufacturing declined in Mendham Township, many people still farmed. In fact, farming had been a major activity in the township since its settlement in the early 18th century. Names of prominent farming families are remembered to this day: Pitneys, Lorees, Ledells, and Guerins. Despite the present-day transformation from a rural farming community to a residential suburb, Mendham Township retains its early character through its carefully preserved homes, farm buildings, and villages. These are living remnants of the township’s past. Here people worked where they lived in a natural setting, away from the "dark satanic mills" of the big city, pursuing economic independence - a portrait of Americana. Today, Mendham Township is a thriving community located in the south central portion of Morris County, approximately 35 miles west of New York City and 28 miles northwest of Newark. Philadelphia is approximately 80 miles to the southwest. Mendham enjoys convenient access via major highways in northern New Jersey, including Routes 24, 287, 80, 202, and 206.