10 Reasons Why Cranford Is One Of New Jersey's Most Unique Towns

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10 Reasons Why Cranford Is One Of New Jersey’s Most Unique Towns

Explore Why This Quaint New Jersey Town is So Unique!

Joseph Barlik, Neighbor

Posted Fri, Sep 28, 2018 at 4:49 pm ET|Updated Sat, Sep 29, 2018 at 12:50 am ET

Cranford is a quaint river town only spanning 4.8 miles and a population of 24,000, yet it captivates the imagination of visitors, and keeps the resident’s there for generations. But, what makes this small town in the middle of Union County so special?

1. Location, Location, Location:

Within a 45 minute drive in either direction you are in a completely different geographic location. Manhattan is only about 45 minutes away by train. Hop on the parkway going South and you have access to New Jersey's 130 miles of coastline. If you go up north on the parkway you have access to New Jersey's beautiful mountain ranges.

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2. Cranford Is A Great Place To Live: According to Niche’s 2018 rankings of the “Best Places To Live ” in New Jersey, Cranford received and A grade, and comes in 7th for best town in Union County, and 76th in all of New Jersey. Niche judges the towns on several criteria; higher education rates, cost of living, overall quality of public schools, crime & safety rates, employment rates, nightlife, just to name a few.

3. The Restaurant Scene:

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If you love food Cranford has one of the most diverse restaurant options you can imagine, it truly has become the foodie destination of Union County. Restaurant styles spanning from all over to the world like the Irish pub The Kilkenny House , the Asian style restaurant Avenue East, or the new Greek restaurant Ambeli Greek Taverna . There are also small niche eateries like Fromage Grille that only serves gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches. To higher end restaurants like A Toute Heure where the ingredients are farm to table fresh every night. Whatever your taste buds call for, you can find it in Cranford!

4. The Night Life:

For a small town Cranford has a ever expanding night life from places like ArteVino Studio where you can drink wine and paint. Or you can indulge in some craft beers from the new micro brewery Yale Terrace Brewery, If your more about the party scene there's Bar Americana and River and Rail Cantina where there are live DJ’s or musicians during the weekend playing your favorite tunes. If those don’t appeal to you there is always the Riverside Inn Bar aka “The Dive” where you’ll fall in love with the environment, interact with people from all over town, and feel like you’re part of a family.

5. Cranford’s A River Town:

Cranford was once considered the “Venice of New Jersey”. Yep! Cranford has a rich history of being a river town with the Rahway River flowing through it. Back in the early 1900’s Cranford was a vacation home for many of the elite in from NYC, and held many races, and celebrations. Although it’s not as busy as it once was on the river you can still enjoy the scenery and winding river by renting a canoe or kayak from the Cranford Canoe Club.

6. The Community Events:

Much of Cranford’s Charm comes from the close knit community, and the various events that bring the town together. Cranford hosts it all, classic car shows, seasonal street fairs, to holiday parades, and the 4th of July Firecracker 5k. In the fall there are events like “Paint The Town” where artists from all over the state come to paint Cranford, or the scare crow town wide display. There are also event's like the Rubber Ducky Races that is coming up on October 14, 2018 at 4 P.M. at Sperry Park, all proceeds benefit Hanson Park maintenance and educational programs. Whatever your age group there is always something to do in, and with the community.

7. Rich History:

Cranford was incorporated in 1876, and many of the homes and buildings are still the originals from that time period, which gives Cranford much of it’s charm. For, example the Droescher’s Mill on Lincoln Avenue is the oldest continuously operated commercial building in New Jersey, built in 1737. The historical Crane-Phillips house is a local attraction that brings in many to the now museum to showcase what life was like back in the 18th century thanks to Cranford Historical Society. Joshua Bryant in 1881 was on first African-American public official and law enforcement officer in Cranford, which he is now know for making Cranford a better place for the generations who followed!

8. Dreyer’s Farm:

Dreyer's Farm is one of the hallmarks of Cranford! It’s been around since 1904 ,and one of the few local farms in the area that you can pick up seasonal produce & flowers. While you’re there, you can also indulge in wine tasting, homemade donuts, and a jug of chocolate milk which is to die for.

9. The Parks System & Wildlife:

If you enjoy the outdoors Cranford has plenty of parks for you to fish, ride bikes, play sports ,and bring the children out from the video games and into nature. There are more than 15 local parks spanning the town and 2 major county parks Lenape Park, and Nomahegan Park that span more than 450 acres. You can also see deer, and turkeys walk around your neighborhood like they are your pets. The perfect combination of nature and city.

10. It’s A Forever Town for Many of The Residents

When asked about Cranford, Gennaro Somma the owner of Calabria Pizza, stated that “it’s the only place I know of that majority of the people that move out of Cranford eventually move back.” There is this undeniable essence that Cranford is a great place to live, raise children and enjoy the feeling of a small town with access to every major city in the area. Cranford is a place for you to walk, enjoy and come together as a community, truly making it one of the most unique towns in New Jersey!

Thanks for reading!

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