West Orange is part of the metropolitan area that surrounds Newark and New York, lying west of both cities in the center of Essex County, New Jersey. Its 12.15 square miles is spread over two ridges and two valleys of the Watchung Mountains; the rolling terrain gives variety to the Township and is responsible for its division into several neighborhoods.

About one-fifth of the land is open space, consisting of municipal and county parks and playgrounds, private and public golf courses and undeveloped acreage. Portions of Essex County's South Mountain and Eagle Rock Reservations contain picnic areas, hiking trails, ball fields and bridle paths in the woods. Turtle Back Zoo and South Mountain Skating Arena are in South Mountain Reservation. Eagle Rock Reservation includes a lookout from which one can see the skyscrapers of New York, the Statue of Liberty, and the George Washington and Verazzano bridges. On a clear night, the view is spectacular.

Railroad service is provided by New Jersey Transit with stations nearby in Orange, South Orange, and Montclair. Bus service to Newark and New York is available. The Township operates minibuses for senior citizens.

Local news appears in The Star-Ledger, published daily, and in the West Orange Chronicle, a weekly newspaper. Local events, such as high school sports and League of Women Voters Candidates Nights, are usually telecast by Comcast Cable.

The citizens of West Orange voted in 1961 to adopt a new municipal charger-Mayor Council Plan B of the Optional Municipal Charter Law of New Jersey, known as the Faulkner Act. In 1980, the name was changed to Township of West Orange.

Under this plan, a part-time mayor and five part-time council members are elected at large for four-year terms. Council terms are staggered, and no party designations are permitted.

The current Mayor is John F. McKeon. Anthony Benevento is the Council President. Keven Keogh, Cynthia Nacco, Robert Parisi and John Skarbnik are Council Members. The Clerk is Nancy O'Hara, and Richard Giuditta is the Business Administrator.

West Orange also boasts the fact Llewellyn Park, the first residential park in the United States built according to a total plan in 1853, and still over 400 acres, lies within its borders.

It also claims Thomas Alva Edison as its most famous citizen. He lived at Glenmont (in Llewellyn Park) and worked in West Orange from 1886 until his death in 1931. His laboratories now comprise the Edison National Historic Site located on Main Street and are administered by the National Park Service under the U.S. Department of the Interior. Edison was the most recently named as "Man of the Millennium" by the presitigious publication Life Magazine.

West Orange is a 300-year-old multifaceted, politically active, suburban community whose residents reflect wide variation in income, ethnic backgrounds, education, and interest.

If recreation and entertainment is what you crave, check out the South Mountain Arena, practice site of the National Hockey League's New Jersey Devils, with its two ice skating rinks and year-round hockey and figure skating classes.

Adjacent to the Arena is the Turtle Back Zoo, the largest zoo in Northern New Jersey, with approximately 100 species on display.

The Montclair Riding Academy is a modern riding facility offering full-service stables, two outdoor rings, and an indoor arena for winter riding, as well as hundreds of acres of trails for nature rides. If swimming is your passion, enjoy the West Orange Ginny Duenkel Community Pool, named after West Orange's Olympic gold medal winner.

Maplewood and South Orange are two towns with a strong sense of community. Combining metropolitan sophistication and small town charm, our beautiful towns offer a warm welcome in a stimulating environment. Recreation facilities include lush parks and well-maintained playing fields and tennis courts. Our towns are a convenient 29-minute train ride to Midtown Manhattan. We're also an easy drive to Newark Airport and to the Jersey shore beaches.

Our towns have a diverse selection of home styles and sizes and some of the highest appreciating home values in the region. There's always something to discover, from our historic homes on tree-lined streets to our exciting cultural events and excellent school system. Our downtowns are lined with old-fashioned shops that provide a full range of services and excellent restaurants. Once you get to know us, you'll want to move right in.

Our towns support a wide range of cultural activities. As one visitor enthusiastically mentioned, "On Thursday, we took the family to listen to live jazz at a local restaurant. On Friday, we went to a reading at the bookshop. On Saturday, we saw a comedy by the local theather group, which was hilarious. And did I mention the historic house tour?"

Another visitor said that he really liked sharing his work at meetings of the local Artists' Network, which are friends and highly stimulating.

Natives boast of a warm welcome always awaiting you in our towns. Neighbors come over with lemonade when you first move in, and many feel like they know everyone in the area in a very short time.

Says one resident, "When we lived in the city, we really didn't know our neighbors. Now we have good friends and neighbors who include a jazz musician and a children's book author. They're the kind of people we always thought we'd meet living in New York!"

We're only a short ride from the City by car or direct train service. We have all the advantages of New York as well as the kind of tranquility and closet space that only the suburbs can offer. A little bit of Greenwich Village in the country! What more could anyone want?