Brookside
Brookside serves as the Township’s traditional community center. Its compact village area includes municipal services, the library, post office, community club and church, preserving the feel of an early rural hamlet.
Morris County • New Jersey
Mendham Township
Rolling hills, historic hamlets, working landscapes and an exceptional network of preserved open space define this rural Morris County community surrounding Mendham Borough.
Welcome to Mendham Township
Mendham Township stretches across roughly 17.8 square miles of western Morris County. Unlike the compact village center of neighboring Mendham Borough, the Township is characterized by wooded ridges, streams, historic crossroads, large areas of preserved land and the small community center of Brookside.
County
Morris County
Community Center
Brookside
Founded
1749
2020 Population
6,016
The Township surrounds Mendham Borough on several sides and includes places long associated with names such as Brookside, Ralston and Washington Valley. More than 3,000 acres of open space and an extensive trail network give outdoor recreation an unusually prominent role in local life.
History, Brookside & Ralston
Mendham Township traces its municipal roots to 1749. Farming, mills, small industries and rural crossroads shaped its early landscape, and historic districts still mark several distinct parts of the Township today.
Brookside Historic District
Water power and local natural resources supported mills, shops and cottage industries in Brookside from the 18th century into the industrial era. Historic buildings and waterways still reflect that development pattern.
Ralston Historic District
Western Mendham Township developed around farms, mills, a general store and other businesses tied to the Ralston family and the old road corridor now followed by Mendham Road.
Ralston Cider Mill
Built in 1848, the restored mill is one of the Township’s best-known historic resources and recalls the agricultural and water-powered industries that once supported the surrounding countryside.
Washington Valley
The eastern side of Mendham Township retains historic landscapes and roads associated with Washington Valley, another of the Township areas where older settlement patterns remain visible.
Five Historic Districts
Mendham Township identifies five historic districts across the municipality, reinforcing how its story is spread among rural neighborhoods and crossroads rather than centered in a single downtown.
Parks, Preserves & More Than 60 Miles of Trails
Open space is one of Mendham Township’s defining characteristics. Township parks, preserved natural areas, Morris County’s Patriots’ Path and privately managed conservation land create a broad network for hiking, field sports, picnicking and seasonal recreation.
Schiff Nature Preserve
Schiff Natural Lands Trust protects approximately 780 acres across its preserves, with about 12 miles of marked trails and a nature center reached from Pleasant Valley Road. The preserve is privately managed and open for passive recreation.
Schiff Nature Preserve ›Brookside Beach
This seasonal community swimming area beside Mendham Township Elementary School is a longtime summer gathering place and is also used for selected seasonal activities.
India Brook & Buttermilk Falls
India Brook Park provides a recreation field and an important access point into wooded trails leading toward Buttermilk Falls, stream corridors and preserved historic industrial sites.
Historic Park at Pitney Farm
Created from the former Pitney family farm on Cold Hill Road, the park combines a walking path, local-history interpretation, a walled garden and gazebo.
Meadowood & Mosle Preserve
Meadowood Park offers woodland trails, open areas and a picnic pavilion, while the 120-acre Mosle Preserve combines active recreation fields with surrounding hiking trails.
Ralston & Wysong Parks
Ralston Field and nearby Wysong Park provide soccer and baseball facilities, picnic space and the Ralston Playground for residents on the western side of the Township.
Schools & Learning
Mendham Township operates a two-school local district for preschool through eighth grade. High school students continue to West Morris Mendham High School in Mendham Borough.
Mendham Township School District
The district serves more than 800 students and operates Mendham Township Elementary School for preschool through Grade 4 and Mendham Township Middle School for Grades 5–8.
District website ›West Morris Mendham High School
Township students attend West Morris Mendham High School at 65 East Main Street in Mendham Borough as part of the West Morris Regional High School District.
High school website ›Mendham Township Library
The Township library is located in Brookside at 2 West Main Street and serves as a community resource for books, digital materials, programs and local information.
Library website ›Community Life
Mendham Township combines a dispersed rural landscape with a strong calendar of recreation, civic events and volunteer traditions. Brookside remains an important gathering point, while parks and fields create additional community centers throughout the Township.
A Township Built Around Open Space
More than 3,000 acres of open space and roughly 60 miles of hiking help make trails, preserves, streams, waterfalls and outdoor programs part of everyday community life.
Annual Traditions
Long-running community activities include seasonal celebrations, a Fourth of July parade and celebration, National Night Out, the Brookside clambake and winter holiday gatherings.
Recreation & Sports
Township recreation programs use Brookside Beach, municipal fields, parks and community facilities for youth sports, summer activities, senior programming and special events.
One Mendham Community
Mendham Township and Mendham Borough maintain separate governments and school districts, but residents share dining, shopping, employment, regional recreation and many community connections.
Township Government & Municipal Services
Mendham Township’s municipal offices are centered in Brookside, providing local government, public safety, recreation, land-use and public works services.
Mendham Township Municipal Offices
2 West Main Street
P.O. Box 520
Brookside, NJ 07926
Phone: 973-543-4555
Online municipal resources include
- Township news, notices and calendar
- Township Committee information
- Departments and public services
- Forms, permits and documents
- Recreation registration and facilities
- Parks, trails and open-space resources
- Agendas, minutes and public notices
Explore the Mendham Community
NJTGO keeps Mendham Township and Mendham Borough distinct where municipal information matters, while combining the categories that naturally serve the wider Mendham community.
Business & Shopping
Local shops, professional services and businesses serving both Mendham Township and Mendham Borough.
Explore businesses ›Food & Drink
Restaurants, cafés, markets and dining options across the wider Mendham community.
Find food & drink ›Real Estate
Housing, property, zoning, open-space and land-use considerations specific to Mendham Township.
Explore real estate ›Visiting & Lodging
Historic sites, parks, trails, lodging and visitor ideas spanning both Mendham municipalities.
Plan a visit ›Classifieds
A community marketplace for local notices, items, opportunities and services across the Mendhams.
View classifieds ›Jobs
Employment opportunities and local hiring resources serving Mendham Township and Mendham Borough.
Explore jobs ›Nearby Communities
Mendham Township is connected to neighboring Morris and Somerset County communities for dining, shopping, employment, regional transportation and recreation.
Mendham Borough
The historic village center provides the Mendham area’s most concentrated Main Street shopping, dining and civic district.
Visit Mendham Borough ›Chester Township
To the west, Chester Township shares the area’s rural landscape, preserved land and trail-oriented character.
Visit Chester Township ›Morristown
Morristown provides the region’s larger downtown, NJ Transit rail service, medical facilities, restaurants and cultural destinations.
Visit Morristown ›Community and municipal information reviewed for this guide in August 2026. For official notices, schedules, permits, recreation rules and changing municipal information, always confirm details with Mendham Township.