Home to Drew University, along with Fairliegh Dickinson University in neighboring Florham Park and the College of St. Elizabeth in Convent Station, Madison combines the feel of a college town with the vibe of a Morris and Essex commuter line town. Madison is also close the the I287 corridor and the many corporate campuses of Morris County. In fact, one of the most iconic of these campuses, Giralda Farms is located at the edge of town. Giralda Farms hearkens back to another aspect of Madison, it’s history of Gilded Age splendor. Giralda Farms was the home of Geraldine R Dodge, a member of the Rockefeller family, and part of a string of mansions along Madison Avenue between Morristown and Madison that were the homes of Vanderbilts, Morgans, Rockefellers and other captains of industry at the turn of the 20th century. Most of these mansions are gone now, but remnants remain on the campuses of the local colleges and private schools. Some have also been turned into offices.
At the heart of Madison is a lively business district with shops, restaurants and cultural venues, where one can spend a day window shopping, stop in the Museum of Early Trades and Crafts, catch a show at the Shakespeare Theater of NJ and end the evening with dinner and live music at a jazz club. Madison offers an excellent quality of life along with Midtown Direct train service on the Morris and Essex train line. Nearby one can hike in Loantaka Park or the Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, or golf one of the several private golf clubs surrounding the town.
While much of the splendor of the Gilded Age is gone, Madison has an abundance of late 19th and early 20th century homes with charm and character. Many of these homes are within walking distance of the train station and business district. Generally less expensive than Summit and Millburn, Madison still offers homes at all price points for buyers seeking convenient commuting and sophisticated living in a vibrant college town.
