Constructed in 1855, originally a family's summer home, then a resort hotel, the building has also been a women’s seminary and a low-end boarding house in its storied past.

 

In 1990, as they saw elderly residents leaving Montclair because they could no longer afford to live here, members of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation at Montclair formed a committee to address the need for affordable housing for seniors. The Montclair Shared Housing Association, a 501c3 nonprofit, was formed and with financial assistance from the Township of Montclair, the New Jersey Historic Trust, the New Jersey Historic Preservation Bond Program and the Federal Home Loan Bank acquired and renovated what’s now known as The Montclair Inn.​