Mountain Lakes Centennial 1911-2011 -- Laker Voices

Laker Voices was wonderful

I had a chance to see the town's production of "Laker Voices" over this last weekend. It was fabulous. An original production put together by volunteers from the town telling the Mountain Lakes story with re-enactments, pictures and song. It was unfortunate the original show dates were cancelled due to that freak October snow storm, but I am so glad it was rescheduled so that my family would have a chance to see it.

In watching the show, it occurred to me how different the development of Mountain Lakes was from most other towns. Unlike other towns whose development was based around some geographical feature or some quirk of history, Mountain Lakes made itself through the vision of its developer and the hard work and perseverance of its of its citizens. The swamp and wilderness was tamed and converted into an oasis where homes are in sync with the land through the efforts of its citizens.

"Laker Voices" is yet another step in the long-standing tradition of the people of Mountain Lakes coming together to do something for the community. This is really what makes this town so special.

Thank you to all who involved in the production of the show. To me, it was the highlight of the Centennial celebration.

Sports in Mountain Lakes, NJ

Within walking distance of much of the town is Wilkins Field. The field which used to be natural grass (and was mostly mud during the fall) was turfed over and is now always ready for the next football, soccer and lacrosse game.

For such a small school, Mountain Lakes does very well and is crazy about its sports. Just look at the line of players on the side line at this varsity game, 10-20% of the eligible boys school are on the team (the girl's teams do very well as well). Lacrosse, the other big sport in town, has just as many kids playing. I think that this level of participation is one of the major reasons that the high school does so well and wins so many conference and state championships.

Although football and lacrosse are the most popular, there are lots of opportunities to play in other sports like cross country, soccer, hockey, golf, skiing, and crew.

Is Boonton Now the Art Center for Northern New Jersey?

The Boonton Mainstreet's Art Walk on September 16th was incredible. Living near Boonton, I had noticed that there were a few new galleries that had come to town, but visiting them all during the event was eye opening to just how many galleries there are and just how good the art is.

The street was crowded, galleries and shops were full, and many Lakers were in attendance. I don't think I can recall an event so well attended. And when I say full, I had to leave some of the shops and galleries and return later because they were too crowded to move around  inside!

To give you a better idea of how the Boonton Art Niche has grown, here is a list of the establishments offering art of some sort in town:

Culture Cabin
Papyrus Home Design
Tyndale Collection
Park Jewelers
Electric Lotus Tattoo
Savannah Hope Vintage
Skyclad Gallery
Compron Gallery
s.h.e. Gallery
Speakeasy Gallery
Moody Blooms
Broadfoot & Broadfoot
Growing with the Seasons
B&G Home Interiors
Art Workshop
ARTeffects on Main
POLO M.A. An Interior Design Corp
The Urban Dweller

In addition, restaurants and stores all had art on display. Many of them even stayed open late to handle all of the people.

It is my hope that more Mountain Lakes residents check Boonton out. Boonton has a lot to offer. We are lucky to have this great resource so nearby.

Hurricane Irene in Mountain Lakes, NJ

Hurricane Irene took its toll in Mountain Lakes. The downside of living in "Tree City" is that sometimes the trees come down. Just about every street in town was affected by the hurricane. The fortunate thing is that through some miracle, the trees all seemed to miss hitting the house or a car.

We were very lucky. even with 10+ inches of rain, we were able to manage the water and never lost power, the Internet or phone service. Most of my neighbors were not so lucky.

Yellow tape is all over the town blocking the streets and navigating through the streets is like running a mouse maze. The town and JCP+L were pretty quick in getting most of the trees off the street, but the power lines are still hanging low or strewn on the streets like spaghetti.

As bad this looks, the house and cars were ok. I will miss this tree that has stood in this spot for 100 years. The sidewalk was built around it.

They say that this was a once in a generation kind of storm, but given how the climate appears to be changing, I highly doubt it.

Where to Eat in Mountain Lakes, NJ

Eating in Mountain Lakes

Ok, so there aren't a lot of restaurants in Mountain Lakes. Mountain Lakes doesn't have a "downtown" nor a "Main Street," but it does have two restaurants within easy walking distance of my house: The Station at Mountain Lakes and the Mountain Lakes Market.

The Station is a nice white table cloth restaurant with a bar! I never thought in moving to the suburbs that I would be able to walk to a local bar (yes there is also the Mountain Lakes Club, but membership is required).

But for a place you can grab a freshly baked muffin or have an upscale sandwich, the Mountain Lakes Market is a real treat. Their grilled chicken on gas-grilled toasted panini is simple and delicious. They also serve dinner, but I haven't tried that yet. Just beware of school early dismissals days as the place gets very crowded at lunch.

There are other restaurants along route 46 that are technically within Mountain Lakes, but you really need a car to get to those, and if you are driving, you might as well try some of the nearby towns (to be covered in another post).

Mountain Lakes, New Jersey, Schools

There were two things that my wife and I noticed when we were first checking out the schools. The first was kids of all ages walking together on their way home from school. Having come from New York City, where children are never left without a guardian, it was delightful to see all of the kids walking home together. It was a real "Mayberry" moment for my wife and me.

The second was when we brought the kids into the schools for a tour, the administrative staff was downright effusive about what a great school this was. Wow, no other school was as friendly or invested in their school the way that everyone we met from Mountain Lakes was. We couldn't help but feel that this was a special place.

Each grade has about 120 children in it until high school when Boonton Township children join them to make a class size of around 160 (I'm not including the deaf students who share some classes). This smallish size means that every child knows all the kids in their grade. Our kids were singled out right away during orientation as being new and made to feel right at home by the other curious kids.

In hindsight, it is clear that it is the parents' investment in the schools and their kids which keeps the bar high and drives excellence in the schools. I will say that Mountain Lakes school system is far from perfect and has not been immune from the Great Recession which has taken its toll on some really great teachers who sought early retirement or were forced out through cuts. But, so far as I can tell, opportunities for the kids to play sports, act, make music and art hasn't been affected.

If you are interested in rankings and statistics of how well the Mountain Lakes children do relative to other areas, then check out the newspapers and magazines which publish this data. Year after year, Mountain Lakes falls into the top 10 of public schools in the state.

So let me ask you -- where else can you find a great school system in a lake community? It really is like having it all.

So, Where is Mountain Lakes, NJ Located?

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Mountain Lakes is located 35 miles west of New York city in Morris County, NJ. It is nestled between two main highways of Northern New Jersey, Route 80 (east-west) and Route 287 (north-south). You really couldn't ask for a better location for ease of travelling. From just about anywhere in town you are 5 minutes from either of these highways. For a typical Sunday morning drive into New York City, I am at the Lincoln Tunnel in 35 minutes. Not bad.

There are quite a few people who drive into New York City on a daily basis or drive to Harrison, NJ and take a train from there. But for the most part, it seems the Lakeland bus (which picks up on the Boulevard), or the train into Hoboken, NJ (at Mountain Lakes' own train station) is the way to go.

Travelling west, the Poconos are 50 minutes away with an easy ride on Route 80. My wife and I like an antiques mall in Stroudsburg, PA called the Olde Engine Works Antiques Mall.

I could go on and on about interesting destinations, but I think you can see best for yourself using google maps to map out travels plans starting from Mountain Lakes, NJ 07046.

My Favorite Holidays in Mountain Lakes

I have two favorite holidays in town: Memorial day and the 4th of July.

Memorial Day

Memorial Day is a big deal in Mountain Lakes. First there is the parade (pictured above) where 1/2 of the town is in the parade and the other 1/2 watches it. With so many town based organizations, you are bound to find yourself walking in the parade.  The course is short and it is a lot of fun.

After the parade there is a ceremony in which awards are given, the Briarcliff Middle School band plays, and speeches are given by residents recognized for their service.

The next activity is the Mountain Lakes Day celebration. Rides, food, and local groups gather at the Esplanade parking lot (across from the railway station) for all-day fun. I always make sure to get my fill of zeppole for a once a year treat.

The 4th of July

It's all about the fireworks. The fireworks are setup on Island Beach on Mountain Lake. It is a day of house parties for those who live on the lake. If you weren't invited to a party, you can settle down at the Mountain Lakes Club, paddle out in your canoe, or just take a chair to the Midvale dock. No matter where you are, it is breathtaking as the fireworks are huge and very close. The lake is a perfect setting for the full effect of the deafening booms and color. I was so surprised that the fireworks were so spectacular for such a small town  -- especially after having seen the NYC fireworks on many occasions. 

The Hapgood Houses

Herbet Hapgood was the developer of Mountain Lakes at the turn of the century. He built around 600 houses of which many still exist today. The houses are, for the most part, situated on small lots of .5 to 1 acre of land. The small(ish) lots are important to the walkability and feel of Mountain Lakes. On any given day, driving through town, you will see residents ("Lakers") out and about in their yards, on the street, or along the Boulevard. I encourage you to check out other towns and see who is out and about besides the landscaping crews.

Also, with the smaller lots, you will get to know your neighbors. I know that some of you have had problems with neighbors in the past, but there is a special common ground in neighborly relationships that makes them easy -- everyone loves being in Mountain Lakes. Don't believe me? Just crash any party in town. You'll see  it's all they want to talk about.

As nice as the Hapgood houses are (and I encourage you to take the annual house tour in December), Mountain Lakes is not about the houses. There are all kinds of houses in town covering a wide range of styles and price points. The natural landscaping of the town, and lack of fences, integrates all of the houses and makes them blend seamlessly together.

My wife and I refer the Hapgood houses as tree houses. With many of them being three stories tall, views from the widows are framed by the town's many mature trees and bushes (and yes, Fall brings lots of leaves). It is a lot like living in a tree house and you can't beat the views.. 

Mountain Lakes, New Jersey

After 6 years of living in Mountain Lakes, I still feel like I just got here. Leaving Manhattan was a tough decision and where to go was even tougher.

If you are looking to relocate (like I did), give Mountain Lakes a look. I think you will be surprised by what you find here.

Imagine a community of homes built at the turn of the century in the craftsman style. The whole town is landscaped as a  residential park with 9 lakes. Imagine that community emphasizes the importance of education and has built one of the best school systems in the state of New Jersey. I think now you are getting the picture of what is so special about Mountain Lakes.

To get you started here is a history of Mountain Lakes.