Submitted by the Green Brook Historical Society
Periodically in our hectic world it pays to pause and reflect on just how we got to where we are today. The same is true of Green Brook Township history. In the 1840’s John Taylor Johnston had brought the Central Railroad as far as Plainfield. It was then nicknamed as the Queen City by the commuters who flocked there by the hundreds from their jobs in New York City.
In 1872 a large parcel of land was separated from then Warren Township. Not to be confused with Plainfield, this land to the north was designated North Plainfield Township. In 1925 a group of people asked to have part of the parcel be identified and that land thus became North Plainfield Borough. In 1926 another group in Washingtonville also asked for a part. This was granted and the name was changed to Watchung because of the mountain it sits on and Watchung was incorporated. Now North Plainfield Township had become much smaller. So in 1932 the remaining land was renamed Green Brook Township.
There are still two non contiguous areas from the main mass we call Green Brook. Deer Run sits by itself up from the Watchung Municipal Building. It appears to have been saved for its spectacular views from the top of the Watchung Mountain. Also Interhaven Avenue above North Plainfield. This is understandable because Mr. Smalley lived at 30 Interhaven Avenue in front of the quarry to which he was Quarrymaster. He had carefully been involved in the Watchung separation in order to preserve his own interests. Therefore he also became the first Mayor of our township. A very clever man.
At various times the land on which Green Brook now sits has been home to two working quarries, a copper mine, two stagecoach routes to the Washington Rock resort hotel across the road from the Rock and a roller skating area at that hotel when it became the new rage in the 1870’s.
The Green Brook Historical Society has as its current goal to open the John Vermeule House on Rock Avenue as a living House Historical Museum to showcase how the house was used in various periods from the late 1700’s through the 1900’s. Hopefully to open part time by the spring of 2020. We always welcome more assistance. We next meet on September 20th at 7:30 p.m. on the first floor of the Municipal Building. Please come and join and help us achieve our goal.
