Bradevelt, New Jersey facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Bradevelt, New Jersey
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Looking east along CR 520
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 Bradevelt, New Jersey
Location in Monmouth County, New Jersey
Bradevelt, New Jersey
Location in New Jersey
Bradevelt, New Jersey
Location in the United States
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  New Jersey |
| County | Monmouth |
| Township | Marlboro |
| Elevation | 161 ft (49 m) |
| ZIP Code |
07746
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| GNIS feature ID | 0874884 |
Bradevelt is a small community in Marlboro Township, located in Monmouth County, New Jersey. It's not an official town but a recognized area. You can find Bradevelt along County Route 520, with Route 79 nearby to the west.
Today, Bradevelt has a mix of businesses, farms, and a large park called Big Brook Park. This park is being built on the land where the old Marlboro Psychiatric Hospital used to be. A part of the Henry Hudson Trail, which was once a railroad line, also runs through Bradevelt. A long time ago, in the early to mid-1800s, this area was known as Hulsetown.
Contents
What Was Farming Like in Bradevelt?
Bradevelt was once a very important farming area. Farmers here grew many different crops and raised animals. They shipped their produce all over the country.
How Did Farmers Ship Their Crops?
At harvest time, it was common to see up to 100 wagons and horses lined up. They were all waiting to unload their crops at the train station. This shows how much farming happened in Bradevelt.
What Kinds of Crops and Animals Were Raised?
Bradevelt was famous for its apples, especially Rome, Paragon, and Stark varieties. These apples even won awards! Farmers also grew peaches, corn, and amber wheat. In 1908, someone picked "the largest ear of corn ever grown in New Jersey." It had an amazing twenty-six rows of corn kernels.
Besides crops, farms in Bradevelt had many animals. They raised turkeys, chickens, wild pigs, Berkshire pigs, calves, and cows. They also had special Khedive Bulls and horses. Ads for selling these animals were often seen in local farming magazines.
What Challenges Did Farmers Face?
Farming wasn't always easy. In 1924, tiny army worms caused big problems for farms. The next year, in 1925, Japanese beetles heavily infested the area. The beetle problem was so bad that Marlboro Township, including Bradevelt, was put under a Quarantine. This meant all produce had to be checked by state experts in Riverton. It had to be completely free of Japanese Beetles before it could be sold. This made it very hard for farmers to sell their crops that year.
Important Buildings and Places in Bradevelt
What About Schools in Bradevelt?
Bradevelt had a two-story red schoolhouse on Route 520. It was originally a house built in 1810 and was turned into a school. In 1913, this old school was torn down. A new one was built for the 1914 school year.
Many important people taught at this school. These included Garret Hobart, who later became the Vice President of the United States. His father, Addison Hobart, also taught there. John D. Honce, who became an Assemblyman, was another teacher. Frank Dugan, a student from this school, later became very important in Marlboro's education system. A school is even named after him today.
What Was the Psychiatric Hospital?
Construction for the Marlboro Psychiatric Hospital began in 1928. The main entrance to this large hospital was on Route 520 in Bradevelt. When it opened in 1931, 500 patients moved there from Graystone Hospital.
The state bought 509 acres of land for the hospital for $76,000. It was said that the houses and farms on this land were "very old." Some of the buildings that were removed were built even before the Revolutionary War.
Did Bradevelt Have Its Own Post Office?
Yes, Bradevelt had a post office. In 1865, Patrick Carton, a Civil War veteran, handled the mail. Mail was first delivered twice a day. In 1929, it changed to once a day in the evening, then to morning delivery. However, the community wasn't big enough to keep a separate post office. So, it closed in February 1932. After that, mail for Bradevelt went to the main Marlboro office.
What Are the Historic Churches?
Two old churches serve the Bradevelt area, both on Route 520. The first is St. Gabriel's Chapel. Father Frederick Kivelitz built it in 1878. It served the community until a bigger church was built in Marlboro. St. Gabriel's Church is famous for its yearly carnival. In 1949, the carnival even featured Yankees baseball players like Phil Rizzuto and Snuffy Stirnweiss.
The second church started in 1709 as the "First Reformed Church of Freehold." In 1931, it changed its name to "Old Brick Reformed Church." The current church building was built in 1826.
What About the Train Station?
Bradevelt had one of seven train stations along a twelve-mile railroad line. This line ran from Matawan to Freehold. Potatoes and marl (a type of soil) were major products shipped from here. In 1914, 225,000 barrels of potatoes were sent from the Bradevelt station. The train station building burned down in May 1926. After the fire, a rail car was used for the station agent and for selling tickets.
Other Interesting Facts About Bradevelt
What Was Found in a Marl Pit?
In a marl pit in Bradevelt, scientists found proof that chestnut trees grew in New Jersey 60 million years ago! This discovery happened after a well-preserved sample was found and identified by the Yale Forest School.
Was There Good Fishing?
The Hop Brook in Bradevelt was known for great fishing. People often caught Trout, Pike, pickerel, and perch in this stream.
