Wrapping up 2025

hello everybody!

It has been quiet here in the ol' Meadowbrook Neighborhood history group as I haven't had much luck finding connections to other builders of homes, or newer eras, or uncovering other history tid bits. Today though a welcome surprise! I received a package of just a few more photos (5) from George Wells' granddaughter of pre-war images that were used in the newspaper between 1939-1941.

Our Meadowbrook neighborhood is looking forward to going into our 90th year for 2026, can you believe it? I hope that your 2025 is wrapping up nicely and there are good plans ahead for you too.

cheers!

friendly reminder, click the images to view larger, click the 'x' top right to close the image.

newspaper ad of 9 Anworth published 23 Nov 1940

newspaper ad of 9 Greenock published 21 Dec 1940

newspaper ad of 51 Mali Drive published 14 Sept 1940

... look at that Meadow in the background ... wow !

67 Abbotsford published 6 July 1940

an ad of 61 Meadwbrook published 29 April 1939

caption:
$1700 cash, and $64.81 monthly pays taxes, mortgage insurance premium, principal and interest. Fire and Hazard Insurance. This home is on sale for two days only. So you home seekers who are looking for an unusual buy better hurry. Air conditioned throughout. Weather stripped windows with spring balancers. 4 large bedrooms, large living room with wood burning fireplace and large dining room. Kitchen and lavatory with linoleum on floor. Tile bath, large cellar with laundry tubs, screened porch, bell chimes in hall. Brace frame construction. Brick veneer front with shingles sides and back. Garage with overhead doors.

1947 aerial view

a Meadowbrook "sold" sign

and a reminder you can find us on Instagram @meadowbrookhistory_npnj https://www.instagram.com/meadowbrookhistory_npnj

& prior posts of early day house photos are here in summary:

https://meadowbrookhistory.blogspot.com/2024/12/early-photographs-of-neighborhood.html

https://meadowbrookhistory.blogspot.com/2025/03/various-photos.html

https://meadowbrookhistory.blogspot.com/2025/03/brook-ave-meadowbrook-neighborhood.html

https://meadowbrookhistory.blogspot.com/2025/03/more-various-early-photos-mali-drive.html

https://meadowbrookhistory.blogspot.com/2025/03/more-various-photos-meadowbrook-road.html

Cheers!

Happy 89th Anniversary Weekend Meadowbrook Neighborhood

Celebrating opening day 15 November, 1936 ... Ironically as some of the first 30yr mortgages, it will take 30 years to complete the building of the neighborhood, becoming a unique snapshot of changes in American home architecture preferences and tastes spanning from the 20s to the 60s!

Below are a few photo snippets from the newspaper before and after this opening event. First maps of the proposed neighborhood were socialized and published in the newspaper in April 1936. The first shovel for ground breaking took place July 1936, and the first recorded sale was in August 1936.

And if you haven't yet this fall, please plant a tree!

Meadowbrook Project Promises to be Important Development

 

Published 17 October 1936

Fanny Wood Day & Meadowbrook

The Meadowbrook neighborhood has a connection to nearby local annual celebration Fanny Wood Day, in nearby Fanwood, because this was her former home.  Mrs. Frances Mali is  daugher to John Taylor (JTJ) and Frances Johnston, who both went by the nickname "Fanny".  Here is the Original Fanny with narrated description by her daughter on its origins.  (serious #squadgoals right there)

As Presisdent of the NJ Central Rail Road Mr. JTJ had the rails moved, from what is today 3rd Street becoming Midway Ave once crossing Terrill Road, to it's present location. Here is the rail road pre-Fanwood Park development.

Station stops named after his daughers were Evona (which then became grant and was decomissioned) and also Fanwood Park which was a real estate enterprise for a new neighborhood just south of Scotch Plains.

Now, this later article says that Fanwood was named after his wife Fanny, Frances Johnston...

however... her surname was not Wood 

and the spelling is incorrect as it was with a Y, not 'ie'

Here are some other interesting "Fanny" mentions in the press over the years.  She attended the addition to the Obelisk in Central Park... afterall, JTJ was the first President of the Met Museum... 

Frances after her marraige to Pierre Mali, inherited from JTJ the Netherwood Farm and Johnston Estate, renaming it the Mali Estate

Frances J. Mali a.k.a. "Fanny"

An early sketch of Netherwood

The arrival of daughter Fanny to mother Fanny .... 

And to tie it all back, that same "park" atmosphere that was developed for Fanwood Park, was carried over to the Meadowbrook neighborhood when developing the former Estate and keeping that same aesthetic in mind.

Wishing you a Happy Fanny Wood Day from Meadowbrook Neighborhood History