Known at the turn of the 20th century as the Venice of New Jersey, the Township of Cranford grew up around the meandering Rahway River. In 1720, John Crane of nearby Elizabeth Towne, now Elizabeth, built a grist mill on the north side of a ford in the river and a sawmill on the south side. The mill at Crane's Ford provided grain for Washington's troops during the Revolution. The Williams-Droescher Mill, located at the intersection of Lincoln Avenue and High Street, is the last mill on the Rahway River and is now used for offices.

In 1838, the Elizabethtowne and Somerville Railroad, a forerunner
of the Raritan Valley Line of

New Jersey Transit, reached Cranford. It was laid in a direct east-west line through the middle of town. North and South Avenues were laid parallel to the railroad and defined the major commercial section. Developers incorporated the river into the street layout and many turn-of-the-century homes were built on its banks. From 1880 to 1926, annual river carnivals played a major part in Cranford’s social life. The early 21st century has seen commercial expansion along South Avenue, restoration of the Cranford Canoe Club and establishment of the Hanson Park Conservancy. The Hanson House, headquarters of the Cranford Historical Society, the Union County Historical Society and the Hanson Park Conservancy, is on the bank of the river. The Crane-Phillips Museum, operated by the Cranford Historical Society, is on North Union Avenue.