40 FIRST COUNTY PARK SYSTEM 



Newark reservoir (now Branch Brook Park) site; another 

 day found them at Millbnrn. Perhaps the day following 

 they were in the Oranges, or Montclair, or at Belleville. 

 Next they visited Weeqnahic and passed from consideration 

 of this mosquito-breeding and buzzing locality with un- 

 favorable comment. 



ON" THE ORANGE MOUNTAIN. 



But of all the experiences during the summer and 

 autumn of that year (1894) the days devoted to the Orange 

 Mountain were at once the most impressive and delightful. 

 As we walked on the crest of the first mountain from the 

 point where the mountain abruptly ends near Millburn to 

 the limits of the county at Northern Montclair Heights, 

 the beautiful and varied views were inspiring. Every new 

 prospect along the entire distance was a revelation. 



The beauties of these diversified scenes on ideal autumnal 

 days can be only inadequately described. The views from 

 the southern points of the crest overlook plains, farms, and 

 occasionally a small village ; or South Orange, Hilton, Irv- 

 ington and the fringe of southern Newark, and an attrac- 

 tive section of Union County. From the central portion, 

 as from the cable road track above Orange Valley looking 

 toward Eagle Rock, Orange and East Orange, portions of 

 Montclair, Bloomfield and the full lines of Newark beyond, 

 Bergen Hill, the Brooklyn Bridge and the tall buildings of 

 Greater New York, all appear in view. The whole area, 

 save for the intercepting trees and foliage, of this vast, ex- 

 tended area of buildings, looks as though, of this immediate 

 prospect, it might be truthfully written : "All the world^s 

 a roof." The points from the northern sections of the crest 

 are again more open and picturesque. Standing there, one 

 looks down upon the rolling country in the direction of 

 Brookside, and the attractive section of Franldin Township 

 and Nutley, and the still more picturesque central eastern 

 portion of Passaic County. 



Over all this wonderful panorama is cast the varying 

 shades of sunshine, cloudy and shadow. The gray dawn of 



