Westfield was originally formed as a township on January 27, 1794, from portions of Elizabeth Township, while the area was still part of Essex County, and was incorporated as a one of New Jersey’s first 104 townships by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 21, 1798.
Westfield’s downtown features many local and national stores, such as Lord & Taylor and several landmarks that were shown and used in the NBC network television show Ed such as the Rialto Theater.
Westfield has a blue ribbon school district…Westfield Schools
Downtown Westfield, with over 200 retail establishments and 400 commercial enterprises, is a regional destination in New Jersey. The DWC is participates in the National Main Street program associated with the National Trust for Historic Preservation. It is funded by a SID assessment on downtown properties and operates as the district’s management agency. In 2010, Westfield was the winner of the America in Bloom contest for communities with a population of 25,001 - 50,000 against the other two towns entered in their category.
Westfield is also a cultural hub. It is home to the Westfield Symphony Orchestra, Westfield Community Players, Westfield Art Association, Westfield Historical Society
