Short Hills is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) situated within Millburn, in Essex County, within the U.S. state of New Jersey, and part of the New York metropolitan area. The community is a commuter town for residents who work in Manhattan. As of the 2020 census, the CDP's population was 14,422. The median household income in Short Hills, according to the United States Census Bureau, exceeded $250,000 in the period from 2018-2022, while per capita income, as of the 2020 United States Census, was $153,124.
Hartshorn chose the name "Short Hills" because it reflected the topography of the region, and also because the local Lenape Native Americans used that same name to describe the region. One local resident suggested that he call his village "Hartshornville," but he refused, quietly content with Short Hills sharing his initials.
19th century
thumb|250x200px|[[Short Hills station on the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad, ]]
Hartshorn situated his ideal town near enough to a railroad to allow for an easy commute to Hoboken and, from there, to New York City. Hence, his decision in 1879 to build, at his own expense, a railroad station along the original Morris and Essex Railroad line. He also persuaded the United States Post Office to open a branch in his new railroad station in 1880, and in fact, the Post Office has always had a presence in Short Hills from that day, as well as its own ZIP Code, 07078.
Hartshorn deliberately preserved strips of land along the railroad right-of-way from any development west of Old Short Hills Road. These strips separate Hobart Avenue to the north, and Chatham Road to the south, from the railway line. The only structure that has ever stood directly adjacent to the line is the railroad station.
20th century
In 1944, the Hartshorn family also donated Crescent Park to the township of Millburn, directly across from the station, with the stipulation that the park always remain open to the public.
After 17 houses were erected, Hartshorn turned his attention to other common elements, including a music hall, which later became the Short Hills Racquets Club.
Stewart Hartshorn died in 1937 at the age of 97. His daughter Cora survived him, wrote her own history of the hamlet, and helped establish the Arboretum that bears her name.
In 1968, Temple B'nai Jeshurun relocated from Newark to a site in Short Hills. It is the oldest Reform Jewish congregation in New Jersey and, with 1,100 member families, was one of the largest Jewish congregations in the state at the time of the move. Most of the property was purchased from Congressman Robert Kean, father of future New Jersey governor Thomas Kean. The land had originally been given to Kean's family by King George III.
In 1975, the Millburn-Short Hills Historical Society was formed in conjunction with the American Bicentennial celebrations. The opening of the Kearny Connection in 1996, establishing direct rail service to Penn Station in Midtown Manhattan, enhanced real-estate values immensely.
21st century
thumb|250x200px|Downtown Short Hills in 2007
In 2001, the Christopher and Dana Reeve Paralysis Resource Center opened in Short Hills.
In 2011, the historic Greenwood Gardens opened to the public. Covering , it is one of sixteen garden preservation projects in the United States that is overseen by the Garden Conservancy.
In 2002, local residents planted a memorial tree on the grounds of the railroad station, to honor those of their neighbors who died in the attacks on September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. A public 9/11 memorial at Crescent Park near the Short Hills train station was dedicated in 2021 to mark the 20th anniversary of the attack; Designed by a local artist and made up of 420 steel rings to commemorate the first responders and eight Millburn residents who were killed, the memorial includes two pieces of steel retrieved from the World Trade Center.
The median family income was over $200,000 in the 2010 census, and as of the 2020 census, exceeded $250,000.
Short Hills remains a part of the Township of Millburn, and has been a part of it since its inception. Short Hills has its own railroad station and post office branch that are part of a downtown business area that is smaller than downtown Millburn. Located along Chatham Road near the Short Hills station, it includes a pharmacy, small eateries, and specialty shops. The train station waiting room operates as a bar and grill during the evening hours and a newsstand and ticket agent are present from early morning hours until noon.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Short Hills had a total area of 5.211 square miles (13.497 km<sup>2</sup>), including 5.196 square miles (13.459 km<sup>2</sup>) of land and 0.015 square miles (0.039 km<sup>2</sup>) of water (0.29%).
Climate
The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally cool to cold winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Short Hills has a humid continental climate, abbreviated "Dfa" on climate maps.