Meadow Road
Meadow Road (center) in 1875. Notice the zag in the middle!
Overview
Meadow Road runs between Clarksville Road and Brunswick Pike, with an extension to Canal Pointe Road. Its configuration is fairly straight, although until the mid-2000s, it had a dangerous S-curve in the middle (where "Old Meadow Road, a dead-end street, now exists).
In 2019, only three houses and one church directly front on Meadow Road. The rest of the busy avenue is wooded or swampy, and little remains of the once-sweeping bucolic vistas that once called this street home. For there were indeed several families, and historic houses, that were situated on this avenue - one of West Windsor's most historic. The memory of the farmland and houses of Meadow Road live on, and are described below in the recollections of Mary Schenck - one of the founder of the Historical Society of West Windsor.
Meadow Road runs between Clarksville Road and Brunswick Pike, with an extension to Canal Pointe Road. Its configuration is fairly straight, although until the mid-2000s, it had a dangerous S-curve in the middle (where "Old Meadow Road, a dead-end street, now exists).
In 2019, only three houses and one church directly front on Meadow Road. The rest of the busy avenue is wooded or swampy, and little remains of the once-sweeping bucolic vistas that once called this street home. For there were indeed several families, and historic houses, that were situated on this avenue - one of West Windsor's most historic. The memory of the farmland and houses of Meadow Road live on, and are described below in the recollections of Mary Schenck - one of the founder of the Historical Society of West Windsor.
The property in 1997
The Friedrich-Gabel-Pierson Family Farm
The following passage is taken from the Fall 1999 edition of the Historical Society of West Windsor's "Broadside" Newsletter, wherein Mary Schenck recounted memories of her family farm, located at the southeast corner of the intersection of Meadow Road and Brunswick Pike:
"In 1912, George and Mary Friedrich Gabel and their five children came by train to Princeton Junction from New York City. They then took the Princeton Shuttle train ("The Dinkey" to its stop at Brunswick Pike and walked to Meadow Road. As the family walked alongside Brunswick Pike, they passed the one-room school house that still stands at 3637 Brunswick Pike. The children were at recess. Each group looked the others over. The fourt younger children would attend that school (the Penns Neck one-room school house) and later the four-room school house built in 1917 at the corner of Alexander Road and Brunswick Pike, demolished in the mid-1990s.
The following passage is taken from the Fall 1999 edition of the Historical Society of West Windsor's "Broadside" Newsletter, wherein Mary Schenck recounted memories of her family farm, located at the southeast corner of the intersection of Meadow Road and Brunswick Pike:
"In 1912, George and Mary Friedrich Gabel and their five children came by train to Princeton Junction from New York City. They then took the Princeton Shuttle train ("The Dinkey" to its stop at Brunswick Pike and walked to Meadow Road. As the family walked alongside Brunswick Pike, they passed the one-room school house that still stands at 3637 Brunswick Pike. The children were at recess. Each group looked the others over. The fourt younger children would attend that school (the Penns Neck one-room school house) and later the four-room school house built in 1917 at the corner of Alexander Road and Brunswick Pike, demolished in the mid-1990s.
George Gabel
The oldest daughter, my mother Cecile Gabel, had already graduated from 8th grade. She and her father would walk to the Shuttle each day - Cecil in order to get to Princeton High School and her father to commute to New York City, where he worked as manager of the Wissner Piano Factory.
George Gabel moved to the country because of his growing family. However, because of commuting and lack of experience, his farm-raised wife, Mary Friedrich Gabel, did most of the farming with the help of the children. The farm on Meadow Road consisted of 55 acres and ran from Brunswick Pike to the woods behind Meadow Lane Apartments. The farm had been owned by my great-grandparents, Philip and Caroline Friedrich, who had come from Hesse in Germany in the early 1890s. Their farmhouse had been constructed in 1850 (and may be shown on the 1875 map under occupancy by a "Robt Maybin") and had seven rooms. This 3-bay, 2.5 story, center hall plan Georgian house set far back from Meadow Road, with an entrance elevation facing Brunswick Pike. There was also a barn and other outbuildings such as chicken coops and cow pens.
George Gabel moved to the country because of his growing family. However, because of commuting and lack of experience, his farm-raised wife, Mary Friedrich Gabel, did most of the farming with the help of the children. The farm on Meadow Road consisted of 55 acres and ran from Brunswick Pike to the woods behind Meadow Lane Apartments. The farm had been owned by my great-grandparents, Philip and Caroline Friedrich, who had come from Hesse in Germany in the early 1890s. Their farmhouse had been constructed in 1850 (and may be shown on the 1875 map under occupancy by a "Robt Maybin") and had seven rooms. This 3-bay, 2.5 story, center hall plan Georgian house set far back from Meadow Road, with an entrance elevation facing Brunswick Pike. There was also a barn and other outbuildings such as chicken coops and cow pens.
Lane leading from Brunswick Pike
The farm also extended south along Brunswick Pike. A portion of this land was sold to George Piper and his family who operated a cinder block factory on the property. The family lived in a portion of the building, which made housekeeping difficult. Remains of the building (were once) visible from Brunswick Pike.
In 1925, my grandparents (George and Mary Gabel) built an eleven room house close to Route 1 and rented out the farmhouse. Five years later, my, Arnold and Cecile Gabel Pierson, bought the farmhouse and several acres of land. My sister, Madeline Pierson Swinnerton - moved into the house with her seven children in the 1960s. The structure unfortunately burned in 1992.
Also in the late 1930s, my great-uncle George Friedrich built a small white house long Meadow Road. My parents constructed a small, green house next to it in the 1950s. Both were demolished in 1997 in for the construction of Meadow Road's overpass over Brunswick Pike; before then, the two roads intersected at an at-grade 4-way crossing.
In the 1930s, when two of my uncles left for homes of their own, there were several empty bedrooms and a five car garage at the white stucco house at the corner of Meadow Road and Brunswick Pike. Only my grandmother, my Aunt Madeline Gabel, and Uncle Oliver remained at home.
In 1925, my grandparents (George and Mary Gabel) built an eleven room house close to Route 1 and rented out the farmhouse. Five years later, my, Arnold and Cecile Gabel Pierson, bought the farmhouse and several acres of land. My sister, Madeline Pierson Swinnerton - moved into the house with her seven children in the 1960s. The structure unfortunately burned in 1992.
Also in the late 1930s, my great-uncle George Friedrich built a small white house long Meadow Road. My parents constructed a small, green house next to it in the 1950s. Both were demolished in 1997 in for the construction of Meadow Road's overpass over Brunswick Pike; before then, the two roads intersected at an at-grade 4-way crossing.
In the 1930s, when two of my uncles left for homes of their own, there were several empty bedrooms and a five car garage at the white stucco house at the corner of Meadow Road and Brunswick Pike. Only my grandmother, my Aunt Madeline Gabel, and Uncle Oliver remained at home.
The erstwhile barracks
In April of 1930, six State Police troopers moved in and stayed until September 1946, with the exception of eighteen months between April 1938 and September 1940 when they moved to the corner of Alexander Road and Brunswick Pike. During all this time, Grandmother Gabel prepared three meals a day and did the usual housekeeping for the troopers as well as for her own family. It was quite an adventure to be involved with the minor crimes in the area. Uncle Oliver was so impressed that he later became a State Trooper.
In 1946, the house close to Brunswick Pike was sold. Grandmother Gabel moved to the small white house mentioned earlier. All three houses plus 51 acres, as well as the stucco house, were sold in 1965 to Anthony LaPlaca, who built Meadow Lane Apartments and a motel on the farmland.
I have many memories of my home - or should I say homes - on Meadow Road, since I spent may hours with my Grandmother Gabel while my brother and sister were at school and my mother worked in Princeton. There was a well worn-path between the two houses."
In 1946, the house close to Brunswick Pike was sold. Grandmother Gabel moved to the small white house mentioned earlier. All three houses plus 51 acres, as well as the stucco house, were sold in 1965 to Anthony LaPlaca, who built Meadow Lane Apartments and a motel on the farmland.
I have many memories of my home - or should I say homes - on Meadow Road, since I spent may hours with my Grandmother Gabel while my brother and sister were at school and my mother worked in Princeton. There was a well worn-path between the two houses."
The "shanty" (top right) in 2002
The "Shanty"
Mary Schenck also recalled a house at the southeast corner of the intersection of Meadow Road and Old Meadow Road. It shows up on West Windsor maps of 1860 and 1875 as a "shanty." This building, set close to the road at a once-sharp turn in the street, was a 2 story, 1 room deep vernacular farmhouse. When the road was paved in the 1960s, the curve was flattened slightly, taking out most of the front yard of the house.
It was later renovated by the Amabile family, then rented to several tenants. During the 1970s, it served as headquarters for the Policemen's Benevolent Association. According to Mary Schenck, an Englishman named Tom Perkins lived in the "shanty" in the 1930s. He occasionally worked for her "Grandmother Gabel." Perkins seemed to know the woods in the area well, and would bring blueberries which he found in the woods off of Bear Brook Road to Mrs. Gabel. It is possible that they came from the house once owned by erstwhile tax collector George W. Dennison, whose house is shown off of Bear Brook Road in the 1875 map of West Windsor.
Since 1999, Meadow Road has changed dramatically. The old S-curve is now a dead-end road called "Old Meadow Road," demoted to just an offshoot of the main stretch, leading to a lane only legally accessible to emergency and authorized vehicles. Additional condominiums and a shopping center have been constructed, as well as the overpass itself. Finally, and most relevant to this historical analysis, the farmland has been cut through and reduced in size dramatically. This can be seen in two aerial views of the northern portion of the road, taken 21 years apart:
Mary Schenck also recalled a house at the southeast corner of the intersection of Meadow Road and Old Meadow Road. It shows up on West Windsor maps of 1860 and 1875 as a "shanty." This building, set close to the road at a once-sharp turn in the street, was a 2 story, 1 room deep vernacular farmhouse. When the road was paved in the 1960s, the curve was flattened slightly, taking out most of the front yard of the house.
It was later renovated by the Amabile family, then rented to several tenants. During the 1970s, it served as headquarters for the Policemen's Benevolent Association. According to Mary Schenck, an Englishman named Tom Perkins lived in the "shanty" in the 1930s. He occasionally worked for her "Grandmother Gabel." Perkins seemed to know the woods in the area well, and would bring blueberries which he found in the woods off of Bear Brook Road to Mrs. Gabel. It is possible that they came from the house once owned by erstwhile tax collector George W. Dennison, whose house is shown off of Bear Brook Road in the 1875 map of West Windsor.
Since 1999, Meadow Road has changed dramatically. The old S-curve is now a dead-end road called "Old Meadow Road," demoted to just an offshoot of the main stretch, leading to a lane only legally accessible to emergency and authorized vehicles. Additional condominiums and a shopping center have been constructed, as well as the overpass itself. Finally, and most relevant to this historical analysis, the farmland has been cut through and reduced in size dramatically. This can be seen in two aerial views of the northern portion of the road, taken 21 years apart:
