In the late 1890's, the New Orange Industrial Association purchased some farms in portions of Cranford and Union and divided them into building lots. The lots were sold through illustrated brochures that pictured beautiful parks, lakes, an opera house, and yacht clubs, which existed only in the promoter's imaginations.

The Industrial Association brought in several large industries and lured Upsala College from Brooklyn with a gift of free land for its campus.

Because New Orange was often confused with one of the Essex County Oranges, the community adopted the name Kenilworth when it was created as a borough in 1907.