90 years ago this month - April showers bring November open houses

90 years ago

Published April 3, 1936 - the "seed" that would grow into Meadowbrook.... just a little mention about a potential new neighborhood on an old estate in the zoning minutes brought forward by Mr. Wells.

Here it is in the context of the newspaper page, one little pebble in the pond, rippling

Then April 16, 1936. This was the follow-up from the 3 April snippet with more details known as plans developed.

The later half of the article is interesting that they mention George Wells starting the building in North Plainfield, "if he is held up", which reads as not the ideal plan.

Also neat is their testing the purchasing "appetitite" by building only 1 or 2 homes at a time, especially as so close after the Great Depression, as well as the function of the new FHA 30 yr mortgage.

21 April, 1936, an official Netherwood Farms Corporation notice mentioning the "Mali Tract"

28 April, 1936 - the first map of Meadowbrook

Now, I don't know about you, but this concept map seems "over ambitious" from the start.

The Brook Ave cul de sac is a neat early interpretation, with a road extending through over to Netherwood. The cul de sac at the top right off Mountain Ave was to be known as Thistle Lane, until finally removed from the city planning ~20 years later in 1955 and never built. Still can see Deforest Ave, Ivy Lane, Greenock, Anworth, Abbotsford on this map. A funny little hoop of a street was going to be call Strafford Circle. And obviously not a Wells Road, but portending there in the drawing all the same.

Here is the map in context of the newspaper page

By the end of the month, 30 April 1936 there was some front page, first column scuttlebutt 

it continued to another page less take up the full front page...

And by July fthe first shovels started in, good times.

Post Wells, other Builders of Meadowbrook

I've been doing some research into the Meadowbrook Neighborhood post-Wells era of 1947 onward but not had much luck, so reporting what we do have.  Since I had luck contacting George Wells' granddaughter, I reached out to the families of the last two major companies building in our neighborhood, Ferrara Builders and Amy Builders, awhile back to see if they had any remaining details or documents but my luck ran dry.  Nonetheless, some fun reading as the neighborhood developed.  We really can see the chronography in architecture developing from the 20's influence on the 30s, then start to evolve in the 40s and 50s, reaching towards the 60s in these later built-newer era homes.

Ad from 1956

If you're not familiar, George E. T. Wells was the first President of Meadowbrook Inc., a subsidiary of Bankers Trust Company.  After George died in September 1947....

Aerial photo, ironically, from 1947 showing half completed neighborhood

Bankers Trust continued to market and sell the homes built by individual builders.......

Published Nov 5, 1948

Published 12 November 1948

Published 5 August 1949

Published 7 October 1949

Published 2 December 1949

Bankers Trust  eventually chose to disolve Meadowbrook Inc. in December 1952 and sold the remaining portions of the neighborhood to be built....

They sold the bulk of the land to Ferrara builders.

1953

1953

In the mid-50's another company took over, Amy Builders

1953 Amy Builders Inc.

owner of Amy Builders

1954

1955

1957

1957

Only One Left !
Published January 1958

And these were the last homes of the Meadowbrook neighborhood sold in the late 50's until the final house was constructed and sold on Wells Road in the 1960s.

Oh... and Amy Builders, well, they also built homes on Amy Drive in Westfield (though, many of the original constructions have been rebuilt)

and Amy . . . ?

Well, Amy got married in 1985.

Snowy start to 2026 & 90 years of Meadowbrook

Looking back at Meadowbrook photos in the snow 85 years ago (1941) courtesy George Wells' granddaughter, as we get ready to celebrate 90 years old November 2026 this year!

Just two photos of Meadowbrook Rd and Abbotsford off of Mali....

Look at those baby trees today! Get your spring tree planting plans ready, it takes a long time.

also a 1941 article about snow removal....

and a snapshot of a former resident's winter green-thumb hobby in 1965.

and one more snowy photo from the "archives", from in 1942

and a post-card view of the Green Brook, from the bridge on Farragut Road

Stay warm!!!

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!