What lies behind Chatham Homes?

Posted by Susan Zanzonico on Wednesday, November 25th, 2009 at 2:29pm.

Chatham Homes & History

The history of Chatham homes dates back to the ten thousand years of Native American occupation of the clans of Lenni-Lenape, who took advantage of its resources by fishing, hunting, and farming. In the 1500’s the fur traders used the route and the Indians moved to what is now known as Jersey City. After the beaver population was exhausted, it became part of a land battle between the Dutch and the British, and it eventually became part of the original 13 colonies. It still remained a viable hunting and fishing settlement, and the passageways between the swamps, mountains, marshes and valley linked it to other settlements. The Passaic River had a bridge built across it and Chatham homes were built, as well as a flour mill, grist mill and lumber mill in the mid 1700’s.

Chatham, NJ became actively involved in the Revolution, as the winter headquarters in Morristown was a short distance away. The Watchung Mountains provide strategic cover and the village bridge was an essential route for the supplies of the troops across the river and through the mountain range. After the war, New Jersey became a state and in 1806, Chatham, NJ became a village. Through the period of the late 1800’s, Chatham Village changed forms of government to become a separate township from the incorporated villages, but later went back to a Village form of government as a village of its own. Today, it remains much the same. Chatham, NJ has many of the colonial Chatham homes still intact from the colonial period. The Chatham homes that were built during those formative years gave the village part of the unique, historical heritage that remains evident today. Its small time charm as a village of 2.5 square miles and 8,500 people (as of 2000) gives you some idea of this history. Because of its location from New York City, many of the residents are commuters to the big city, 25 miles away, and they have opted for small town atmosphere to raise their families. Its strategic location is still the reason the settlers of today have chosen Chatham homes just as their predecessors did.