Garwood evolved as a neighborhood of the larger communities of Cranford and Westfield who tended to treat it like a stepchild. By the turn of the century Garwood was gaining its own identity, primarily through its attractiveness to manufacturing industries, and decided it could get more value for the taxes it was paying by managing itself.

Secession took courage. The 400 citizens were creating one of the state’s smallest municipalities, only seventh tenths of a square mile, and Cranford especially resisted the move, right up to the legislature.

Garwood grew up with the Jersey Central and was named after Samuel Garwood, the president of a land company organized by the railroad. The first modern settlers lived in 75 homes and most worked for the Hall Signal Co., the first factory, and the Hercules Tube works, famous for bicycle tubing, which was built by John R. Maxwell, onetime Jersey Central President.