Neen O'Malley, Warren, New Jersey

Warren

Population moving westward in the state and developers building on virgin land changed Warren from a farming town to a suburban community paced for residential living. Established neighborhoods, as well as plenty of new construction offer single family living catering to a variety of tastes. Colonials and Tudors, expanded ranches and unique splits, mammoth contemporaries and more conservative older homes are constructed on lots of at least one acre. Yet with its curbside mail delivery, the absence of streetlights and a number of old farmhouses scattered throughout the township, Warren still retains the feel of its rural roots.

In colonial days, Warren served as the crossroads for those who traveled between Pennsylvania and East Jersey. Weary travelers stopped at the King George Inn located on the King’s Highway. Today the original inn, established in 1692, serves as an eatery at the intersection of Mountainview, King George and Mount Bethel Roads.

Route 78, which cuts through Warren’s northern end, has made the outside world a closer place. Just 30 miles from New York, 40 miles from Trenton and 85 miles from Philadelphia, the township attracts affluent corporate and self-employed folks who need access to the cities as well as the comfort of returning home to a quieter place.

The growth has spawned good schools. Four elementary schools and one middle school send predominately college-bound students to Watchung Hills Regional High School, located within the township. Within the last few years, the township built a new library to house the volumes adequate for a town of almost 11,000 and ties into the Somerset County library system, which includes access to the library at Raritan Valley College.

An active recreation department oversees a number of sports programs for the school set and day camp for ages 6-12 during the summer. Baseball and soccer fields, tennis and basketball courts and the Lion’s Pavilion are available for residents along with a public and a private swim club, a racquets club and a fitness center. A number of churches and a Jewish community center evidence a diverse population. The township maintains a paid police department, three volunteer fire departments and a rescue squad.

Food shopping including Kings Market and an A&P, specialty boutiques, jewelry stores, hair and nail salons and nearby malls like Bridgewater and Short Hills make the shopping easy. An abundance of restaurants satisfy any palate and country farms with home-grown produce blend old and new in a way that makes Warren Township appealing.

Kathleen "Neen" O'Malley, ABR, CRS, GRI, IC, SRES RE/MAX Classic Group 68 North Finley Avenue Basking Ridge, New Jersey 07920 Office: 908-766-9300 x 120 Evenings: 908-766-2784 Neen@neenomalley.com