Garwood, NJ

Incorporated in 1898 from portions of Cranford and Westfield, Garwood was established specifically as an industrial borough, organized by the Garwood Land and Improvement Company. It was home to major manufacturing facilities, including the Aeolian Company, which produced pianos and player-piano rolls. Garwood's borders were essentially drawn to encompass the factories and worker housing, deliberately separating the industrial tax base from the neighboring affluent towns.

Today, the population is shifting as younger buyers, priced out of Cranford and Westfield, flock to Garwood for its relative affordability and identical rail line access. The commercial stretch along North and South Avenues is a mix of old-school auto body shops, dive bars, and massive new mixed-use residential developments. The borough is best known regionally for The Crossroads, a legendary, long-running live music venue that anchors the local nightlife.

Garwood's uniqueness lies in its authentic industrial heritage sitting smack in the middle of Union County's most manicured suburbs. A local would want an outsider to understand that despite the new luxury condos changing the skyline, the core of the town remains a tight-knit, pragmatic community that prides itself on being the scrappy underdog of the area.