Fanwood, NJ

Fanwood was incorporated as a borough in 1895, breaking away from Fanwood Township (which later became Scotch Plains). The town was specifically developed as a commuter suburb by the Central Railroad of New Jersey, and its streets are heavily lined with homes dating back to the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The picturesque Victorian Fanwood Train Station is the oldest functioning railroad station in Union County, built in 1874.

The town is home to a mix of older residents and younger families who prioritize a walkable, small-town environment with direct access to New York City. The commercial footprint is minimal but effective, concentrated on a newly redeveloped strip along South and Martine Avenues featuring modern apartments over ground-floor retail. Fanwood is currently known for its successful, measured approach to smart-growth redevelopment, bringing vitality to its center without destroying its historic scale.

Fanwood distinguishes itself by its extreme compactness and its symbiotic, yet fiercely independent, relationship with Scotch Plains. A local would want an outsider to know that while you might cross the border into Scotch Plains without realizing it, Fanwood's unique architectural preservation and hyper-local community events give it a wholly separate, intimate character.