176 



FIEST COU^^TY PAEK SYSTEM 



Mo-Qntain 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 ths 

 [N'ewark 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 

 ^s'ewark, through Clinton, Irvington, near Vailsburgh, 



