Fanwood, NJ

Fanwood is a small Union County borough with a strong railroad-suburb story. The Elizabethtown and Somerville Railroad received its charter to build through the area in 1831, and train access still helps define Fanwood's relationship to New York commuting and nearby Plainfield and Scotch Plains. The Fanwood Park Historic District gives the borough visible older character, while downtown planning has earned statewide attention. It is compact, residential, and recognizably North Jersey without feeling anonymous.