Mountain Lakes boasts small-town charm and the community spirit. It’s the combination
of the family orientation of the community and the commitment of the residents and the schools. The participation in government and in the Board of Education is greater than
elsewhere. The public sessions in Mountain Lakes Borough Council meeting are always
spirited.
This 2.7-square-mile community of about 4,100 residents has several
distinctions, one of which is its Arts & Crafts-style lake homes. Many of the homes in
Mountain Lakes date back to 1910 through 1926 when designer and developer Herbert
J. Hapgood began building Arts & Crafts style homes on a large tract of pristine rolling
hills, woods, swamps and boulders. It was the start of the first planned communities in
America.
Mountain Lakes has no downtown, but does have a few local shops and services. There’s
old train station with a restaurant, the Station at Mountain Lakes, and a model train store,
called the Train Station, in the basement of the old police station. Then there’s the
Mountain Lakes Market.
The community is composed primarily of executives and
professional people who commute by car to nearby
employment and by train or bus into New York City.
The Mountain Lakes school system is grouped among the wealthiest in the state. The
borough also is the home of the Mountain Lakes School for
the Deaf. Students do well in
standardized tests, and 95 percent of graduates continue their education in four-year
colleges and universities.
Mountain Lakes also offers a wide range of youth recreation activities including swimming program on Birchwood Lake, one of the
many man-made
lakes in Mountain Lakes.
Transportation
The nearest major highway is Route 46, which runs just below its southern border. The
main local road is known simply as the Boulevard. It is lined on one side by a park-like
stand of mature trees along which runs a bicycle and walking trail. New York City is only
35 miles away. Residents can commute to New York City by NJ Transit train from
Mountain Lakes via the Hackettstown to Hoboken line or by bus.
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