Alva R. Long acquires the Meadowbrook Estate of Harold E. Robertson on January 3rd 1950; and Avalong Barn Remarks
The 331-Acre Meadowbrook Estate of Harold E. Robertson that was purchased, on January 3rd 1950, by Alva R. Long is plotted on a March 19th 1938 Historic Aerial Photo from Penn Pilot. This post describes the Meadowbrook Estate ownership sequence from 1901 in Springettsbury Township, York County, PA.
Edwin B. Myers and his wife Anna Iaegar Myers purchased a 138-acre farm in Springettsbury Township, York County on June 24th 1901; they named it Meadowbrook. Two previous posts dealt with their ownership:
- Meadowbrook Estate in Springettsbury Township, Part 1; Edwin B. Myers, his Family and his Businesses
- Meadowbrook Estate in Springettsbury Township, Part 2; Edwin Myers’ 458-Acre Estate nearly stretched to Tilden
Edwin Myers’ 458-Acre Estate nearly stretched to Tilden, or more commonly known as Longstown. Edwin B. Myers died from pneumonia on May 5th 1916. If Edwin had lived a few more years, when estates of deceased neighbors became increasing available, he likely would have bought more tracts to connect and expand his estate properties.
In the void following the death of Edwin Myers, a new wealthy York businessman stepped in to begin to acquire property from those estates neighboring Edwin’s land in Springettsbury Township. Mahlon Haines made the first of his many purchases of land, in what would become Haines Acres, during December 1917. Who knows, if Edwin Myers had lived a few more years, he might have beat Mahlon Haines in buying the land on which Haines Acres sits.
Continue reading to see what happened to Meadowbrook Estate following the death of Edwin Myers.
Following the death of her husband, Anna Iaegar Myers eventually sold most of the Meadowbrook Estate property in four parcels. Until her death, on June 25th 1933, Anna maintained a residence in the City of York and a country residence in Springettsbury Township on 6-acres along the Lincoln Highway. The 6-acre property was on the north side of the Lincoln Highway, just east of the present Springettsbury Fire Company.
Anna Iaegar Myers sold the Meadowbrook Mansion, Barns and surrounding property to Harold E. Robertson on September 15th 1919. Harold Robertson was from Zanesville, Ohio. In 1930 Harold expanded Meadowbrook Estate to the southeast with the acquisition of property from Horace E. Smyser. Harold Robertson owned Meadowbrook until his death May 22nd 1948, nearly 29-years.
Following the death of Harold Robertson, his widow Jacqueline J. Robertson sells the 331-Acre Meadowbrook Estate on January 3rd 1950 to Alva R. Long and Mary B. Long. The metes and bounds from this (Book 35B, Page 451) deed are plotted at the beginning of this post and on the following 2013 Aerial View.
As one can see, there is not much undeveloped commercial property within these 331-acres; except for the baseball fields in Springettsbury Township Park. This 2013 aerial view is definitely quite a change from the 1938 aerial view of the same land, shown at the beginning of this post. All this development in only 75-years!
I planned on closing this series with a picture of the demolition work on the Meadowbook Barn. More recently known as the Avalong Barn, this demolition started Tuesday March 19th. At 3 O’clock that afternoon I made one circle around the barn, snapping a few pictures, as the bulldozer operated on the Rt. 30 side of the barn. I walked back through the covered bridge to Isaac’s Restaurant when a woman asked, “I see you stopped by for a few last pictures of the barn.”
I asked if she had any close connection to the barn. She had no connection other than passing the barn virtually every day for decades. She got very animated when she started talking about Susquehanna Bank, she noted, “Did you see the sign Susquehanna Bank has out front? Such arrogance, they act like they’re proud in tearing down this barn.”
I asked if she was going to be part of a protest later this week. She told me no, “because that will have so little impact,” but added, “what really needs to be done is to make an example out of this company, so companies in the future would think twice about pulling this type of stuff.” She then went on to explain her ideas of an on-going county-wide Susquehanna Bank protest peaking at the grand opening of this Susquehanna Bank office. She kept saying, “York County residents have the power to stop this type of stuff.”
I told her that I write a history blog and gave her my card. She was ok with me quoting her basic ideas. What do my readers think about these ideas for preventing this type of stuff in the future? My blog post Friday shows the final piece of the upper barn structure falling at 4:38 PM on March 21st 2013 and provides comments by readers I’ve met in the last few days.
Related posts include:
- Working in the Family Business; Avalong Farms Dairy Bar
- Historic Courthouse Columns built into Meadowbrook Mansion
- Meadowbrook Tavern Menu loaded with neat stuff
- Third Avalong Barn captured by Cliff Satterthwaite
- Earliest builders in the Meadowbrook area
