Before it was a park, it was a neighborhood
Around 1900, the future site of Brightwood Park in Westfield was referred to as “Turkey Swamp”. It was part of the “big woods”, a wooded area bounded by Lawrence Avenue, Brightwood Avenue and the border with Scotch Plains. Between 1900 and 1905, the site was subdivided into 340 small lots by builders and real estate developers.
To get an idea of where the streets and homes were in the present day Brightwood Park, it is helpful to see the same area in historic and present day maps
Click on photo below to learn about the residents of this neighborhood.
The numbers on the map correspond to the photo numbers.
The numbers on the map correspond to the photo numbers.