Many wealthy residents of Manhattan relocated to Madison and its surrounding communities since the rail line offered direct transport to New York City.

[28] Native Americans occupied present-day Madison and most of New Jersey for several thousand years, following the retreat of the Wisconsin Glacier.

Occupation changed with the seasons, the variable nature of the climate, and to preserve the fertility of the rich soil.

Their fishing and hunting territories were wide-ranging and similarly divided among the three clans of the matrilineal culture in this Eastern Woodland environment.

Trade with these native peoples for food and furs was conducted by the Dutch during the period of colonization of New Netherland.

During the British colonial period of the 17th and 18th centuries, the earliest settlers arriving in Madison were of European descent in what was then the colonial-era Province of New Jersey.

The Luke Miller house at 105 Ridgedale Avenue is thought to be the oldest remaining home, having been built around 1730.

In 1838, the Morris and Essex Railroad was founded, connecting Newark and Hoboken and providing transportation for farm produce grown in Madison.

Madison's growth accelerated after the Civil War and the Morris and Essex Lines became one of America's first commuter railroads, attracting well-to-do families from Manhattan (many of whom already owned large parcels land in the area for farming, hunting, and recreation) and contributing to the development of "Millionaire's Row", which stretched from downtown Madison to downtown Morristown.

[citation needed] In 1893, Florence Adele Vanderbilt and her husband Hamilton McKown Twombly began to build the impressive Florham estate.

[33] Home to Fairleigh Dickinson University, Florham is a Gilded Age mansion and the 9th largest house in the United States.

[citation needed] The rose industry and the large estates in the area attracted working-class people of all kinds.

As a result, Madison developed a diverse population very early, both in terms of socioeconomic status and ethnic background.

[citation needed] The Evergreen Cemetery was mentioned in Weird NJ for an incident in 1902, when after a downpour, bodies were found on the streets.

[2][3] Madison is located about 25 miles (40 km) west of downtown Manhattan, and is a suburban town of New York City.

Giralda Farms, a planned office development, occupies 175 acres (0.71 km2) of the former Geraldine R. Dodge estate in Madison The site includes the corporate headquarters of Quest Diagnostics.

[52] Madison holds an annual event, Bottle Hill Day, during which the community is able to celebrate with games, food, music, and a variety of activities for as many as 20,000 participants.

Serving 100,000 adults and children annually, it is New Jersey's only professional theatre company dedicated to Shakespeare's canon and other classic masterworks.

Kirby Shakespeare Theatre, the company's main stage, is a short walk from Madison's downtown shopping district.

The museum houses a collection of more than 8,000 artifacts and is host to thousands of visitors each year, mostly school students on field trips.

[56] In October 2017, it was announced that a long-lost sculpture by Auguste Rodin had been found in the Hartley Dodge Memorial.

A student from Drew University, who had been hired to archive the art in the building, discovered the bust of Napoleon and reached out to the Comité Auguste Rodin in Paris to have it authenticated.

[61][62] The Madison Municipal Building is the location since 1935 of a portrait of Abraham Lincoln, attributed to German immigrant artist W.F.K.

[65] As of 2025[update], the mayor of Madison is Democrat Robert H. Conley, whose term of office ends December 31, 2027.

[74] For the 119th United States Congress, New Jersey's 11th congressional district is represented by Mikie Sherrill (D, Montclair).

[134] Drew University was founded in 1867 and continues to operate in Madison, on a wooded campus near downtown that was previously a private residence.

[137] The main thoroughfare is Route 124 which connects with Morris Township in the northwest and Chatham Borough to the southeast.

[138] Route 24 is the only limited access road to pass through the borough, doing so briefly for 0.47 miles (0.76 km), but the closest exit is in neighboring Florham Park.

[140] Commuter service is available on the Morristown Line, with trains heading to Hoboken Terminal, and to Penn Station in Midtown Manhattan via the Kearny Connection.

[146] A low-cost campus/downtown shuttle bus operates along Madison Avenue and Main Street during afternoon and evening hours.