The Montclair Inn's Past

The Montclair Inn was built in 1855 as a resort hotel. Four years later it became the Hillside Seminary for Young Ladies, but over the next century it slid considerably lower on the respectability scale. By the early 1990s it had degenerated to a boarding house of shady repute.

As sometimes happens, however, not only did the once-stately old home need a helping hand-- the community also needed affordable housing for senior citizens. Largely due to the efforts members of the city's Unitarian Church, the Montclair Shared Housing Association was formed and raised a half-million dollars to purchase the building.

Over the past seven years restoration efforts have turned the inn from little more than a decaying shell to a gracious, inviting residence for the elderly. Somehow it seems fitting that a grand old lady who once fell on hard times has been reborn as a haven for other worthy treasures of a caring community. The Montclair Inn is currently owned and maintained by the Montclair Shared Housing Association.

Montclair Shared Housing Association         973.746.8917          montclairinn@yahoo.com