1952 follow-up of the Subdivision Divisions

As a follow-up to the July 1952 post, here are articles about the subdivision divisions and the resolutions that were made that outline the final decade of home building in Meadowbrook as well as the portending end of the entity known as Meadowbrook Incorporated later that year in 1952.

Of note is the recognized flood water line along Green Brook and to "provide land suitable for playground purposes sufficient to accomodate the needs of the entire Meadowbrook development"

Also the attempt to enforce deed restrictions during the remaining construction, with a slow build schedule of 3 houses at a time, we know now was a quite failed attempt at not being very neighborly to say the least.

The newspaper put out their published opinion on the matter shortly after, on 2 September 1952, which I've included here as well.

Published earlier in the month, after the first round of disputes, on 6 Aug 1952 was an opinion piece from one of the home owners directed at "choosy neighbors in the Meadowbrook section" who were derisive against many of the Veterans there.

... and in Dec 1952, just barely over three months later, Bankers Trust Company throws in the towel and advises they will dispose, "of it's holdings and the Corporation", thus the end of "Meadowbrook Incorporated"

It will then be various builders, Ferrara, Amy Builders, W.L. Bird, and others who complete the neighborhood. ... I'm still trying to figure out who put forward the idea of the name "Wells Road" as a nod to George E. T Wells legacy leading Meadowbrook Inc. at the start.

That's that me, Meadowbrook Esso...

... thinkin' 'bout me every night, oh
Is it that sweet? I guess so
Say you can't sleep, baby, I know
That's that me, Meadowbrook Esso...

So, in all seriousness, what is fun to me about these clippings for the "Meadowbrook Esso", like similarly named businesses that have gone away, such as the "Meadowbrook Hardware" store which was also on 2nd street, is the importance of naming.

When looking back before Meadowbrook, everything nearby was previously Netherwood-this-or-that, mirroring the name of the road, train station, nearby neighborhood, which were all inspired by the Netherwood Estate and Farm, the formal names of John Taylor Johnston's Estate, later known as the Mali Estate, or once into development, the Mali Tract.

1928 details about Route 29 mentioning Netherwood Farm and Mali Estate

Yet, when the newest fangdangled thing came along, in this case, Meadowbrook, the name signaled proximity to a new place, a new history for that era.  Interestingly the Hardware store didn't "borrow" its name of Meadowbrook until 1958 when under new ownership, renaming from "Drake's".

Opened 1958, closed 1965.... Meadowbrook Hardware

This group of shops on second street was even highlighted on the Meadowbrook brochures for housing before the Meadowbrook Village apartments were built.

Zoom in view of shops on lower right side of the above image....

So if a song of summer or history gets stuck in your head and you can't stop thinking about it, just keep humming along and go with the beat.   History, like pop music, may not repeat, but it sure does rhyme.

If it does repeat likely your CD or your record is scratched... don't even get me started on cassettes and rewinding with pencils 

Meadowbrook Back to the Future: "Where we're going, we don't need roads" (spoiler alert: we do)

Published this day 7 August 1937, nine months after the grand opening ceremony, discussing roads opening on the Somerset County side of the Green Brook...

This ad was also published on 7 August 1937

This article excerpt was published in the NYTimes 8 August 1937

This next article was published 14 August, 1937, it talks about the roads opening on the Union County side of the neighborhood which was not built so these roads, like Willow Avenue and Boatcroft Lane, do not exist today.

This 1949 map still shows some of the proposed but unbuilt roads in Meadowbrook
(hint: there are 4 here but missing IRL)

... and six years later Marty McFly would be back in 1955 and Thistle Lane will disappear...

... coincidence?