176 FIRST COUNTY PARK SYSTEM 
Mountain had acted as a barrier to the growing popula- 
tion of the whole county below the easterly slope. The 
construction of the parkway of sufficient width to permit 
of the easiest grades, to practically overcome this barrier, 
would, it was believed, be much appreciated by the people, 
make the mountain section of the Central parkway a novel 
and attractive feature, and tend to open up the whole moun- 
tain section from the object lesson such a piece of park- 
way construction would furnish. Then, too, the crest boule- 
vard or parkway, it was intended, should extend from 
Bloomfield avenue on the north, to possibly South Orange 
avenue or the end of the Mountain at Millburn on the 
south, and would, it was thought, provide a never-ending 
source of beautiful views and appreciable enjoyment to the 
people indefinitely, and constitute one of the most attrac- 
tive and unique features of mountain parkway development 
in the country. 
The first commission also contemplated, as a part of the 
general plan of the parkways, the connecting links in any 
future chain of parks. As the growth of population and 
financial resource of the county developed, the park ex~- 
perts recommended, and the commission then favorably 
considered, the future enlargement of their plan, so as to 
include, if possible, a parkway from a connection with the 
Newark park along the Passaic River road or via Fredonia 
avenue, north of Branch Brook, directly connecting with 
the Second River, thence by the most available route or 
routes, through Belleville, Bloomfield and Montclair, thus 
connecting again with the mountain crest parkway on the 
north. 
Connecting lines were also favorably considered from 
the Second River near the Soho Railway station, to the 
Third River, a most beautiful section; and thence through 
Bloomfield, Montclair and the mountain, through territory 
still further north. In the southern part of the county it 
was thought in time a parkway should be laid out, extend- 
ing from the southern or extreme southwestern portion of 
Newark, through Clinton, Irvington, near Vailsburgh, 
