Cranford New Jersey's Indian Village is a Delightful Neighborhood

Indian Village in Cranford New Jersey

Indian Village comprises the area in the southern part of Cranford, between the Parkway and the Clark border, with Raritan Road as the main feed.  Most of the streets are named after the Native American heritage this area is known for.  The children of Indian Village attend Walnut Avenue and Livingston Avenue Schools for elementary school, and Hillside Avenue School for middle school.  It is a quiet neighborhood, set away from the business areas of town, features some beautiful, serene parks, such as Mohawk Park, and is home to a portion of the gorgeous Hyatt Hills Golf Complex.

The original subdivision, comprising Algonquin Drive, Cherokee Road, Oneida Drive, parts of Cherokee Road, part of Mohawk Drive and part of Raritan Road, is known as Sunny Acres.  Most of the homes in the Sunny Acres area were “Sears Modern Homes“, built from kits where all of the materials needed were delivered to the worksite by the iconic retailer that still exists today. The process was made very easy by the accessibility and proximity of the railroad tracks, which are still in use today. This is why many of the homes share a similar layout and exterior look, if you can look past the personal touches, additions, and changes that each owner has applied over the years in making these houses their homes.   The story goes that there was a contest to name the then-new development, and the person who won picked the name because there were so few trees at the time.  How ironic that she was actually complaining,  and WON! Of course,  things are very different now, as the streets of Sunny Acres have become beautifully tree-lined over the years.

Indian Village is a welcoming, friendly neighborhood.  According to long-time resident John McSharry, “It seems like most of the neighbors are long-time residents (at least 20 years). I feel like the neighborhood is pretty tightly knit. In fact, we consider some of our neighbors an extension of our family. I say it all the time, but I honestly believe that there is really nothing like our group of neighbors and I truly believe that.”

The neighborhood association, Sunny Acres Civic Improvement Association, is involved in many community service events, such as the river cleanup, a Valentines Day food drive,  and a number of social events.  In warmer seasons, residents can be found visiting each others’ porches and yards for some pleasant social time, and kids can always be found playing together in the streets.  Indian Village is like a little piece of Americana, right here in Cranford!