Wish you were here - Vintage Meadowbrook neighborhood post cards

 Jackpot find of Meadowbrook Neighborhood history via postcards found today at some antique / vintage shops.

First, a new to me view of the Johnston Estate pond, looking west (I think?) across the Green Brook which is postmarked Nov 1st, 1906. The penmanship is atrocious, "This is ___ ___ of ____ _____ places. Really is very lovely." Can you help?

Next, an undated view of the Gate House next to Meadowbrook Village Apartments. While not post marked we can guestimate the date is after 1940s... the apartments are quite established, folks moved in 1939, but what is most interesting is the Meadowbrook Neighborhood sign from the opening day is still present from 1936... so maybe the bridge arcoss Green Brook wasn't removed until ???

And last is a winterview, also undated, showing a Birds Eye View from Watchung Mountains... in the foreground I wondered if the sparse buildings were maybe the Netherwood Farm (Mountain Ave and Watchung Square Mall today) or perhaps this view is further West, what do you think?

And one last photo of the Green Brook which separates Union County and Somerset County along Plainfield and North Plainfield. The way the bank appears in this image I think it may be the island just off of Brooke Ave.

RIP on this day 1947, George E. T. Wells, Meadowbrook architect

RIP on this day 1947, George E. T. Wells - before building our neighborhood he built Washington Park in Maplewood, NJ (across from the Yellow Rose bakery on Ridgewood Ave) in 1919, then a few hotel projects in Miami, one of which, the Watson Hotel built in 1926 on Biscayne Blvd, rebranded as the YVE Hotel, still exists today.  I'm still trying to find details on the naming of Wells Road which was done after his passing but yet to find any details.

Local newspaper Obit

NY Times Obit...

Ad for the Washington Park neighborhood in Maplewood.

Details about properties he built in Miami.... 

Photos of Theater built in Miami with pic of him too

Man-on-the-street quote after the Great Depression in NYC

As President of Meadowbrook Inc, George and also the Meadowbrook name
were actually employed by Bankers Trust Company of NYC

After his passing Bankers Trust Company wanted to make the remaining neighborhood lots not built even smaller
spurring residents to form a neighborhood association to fight it
and they won along with the Borough and County's help
to maintain the 1936 zoning as submitted.

Here is what the neighborhood looked like in 1947

The east side of Mali Drive will soon change in architecture style from the 30s and 40s
as post war trends update for the 50s and 60s
Its a chronological time capsule the evolved.

This drawing is by George E. T. Wells illustrating the proposed Meadowbrook neighborhood
on either side of the Green Brook up to Mountain Ave. to help socialize the development.
You'll notice missing components that weren't built.
The Union County Plainfield residents fought this design of and wound up with
apartments in place of houses, apartments also design by George as per
this blue print for Meadowbrook Village

You can visit George Wells, his wife Mable,
and nearby Frances and Pierre Mali 
at the Hillside Cemetery in Scotch Plains
here is a helpful map they provided

...
ironically in April 1947 the old Mali (Johnston) mansion which George had been living in
and operating from as a sales office was torn down

A profile on the former Mali Estate caretaker, Stefan "Steve" Babin

Published on 31 May, 1940 a profile on the former Mali Estate caretaker ... the map in this post showing his property was from 1924 [click images to read larger ]

Making history!

 Thanks to all who came out to hear the Meadowbrook Neighborhood History Poster Tour and to help clean-up this section of the Green Brook.  And a friendly reminder, click the images to view them larger!

And Happy 203rd Birthday to John Taylor Johnston!! Here is a short video history about him that I found on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SU9g8SIn2G8

See you Saturday!!

 See you Saturday at 10am!

Historic Poster Tour and Clean-Up Activity is a GO!!!

Friendly Reminder, we are confirmed this Saturday April 8th 10am, at the corner of Farragut Rd. and Brook Ave, (the green open space) for a "Historical Poster-Tour" followed by a Clean-Up Activity of the section of the Green Brook that flows past our neighborhood.

We have been generously provided gloves, trash-bags, and "grabbers" by the Borough to assist with the clean-up activity. We hope to see you this Saturday April 8th at 10am to see and hear about this section of the neighborhood and brook from the 1890s as it has evolved until today and help give it a nice Spring Cleaning. (As we're now into "April Showers bring May flowers, new Rain Date is Saturday April 15th, 10am)

And if you can't join this one, stay tuned there is another day May 6th!!
Venue: Community Center at 614 Greenbrook Rd