The "The Story of Grandview Heights: Present Day" Story

Wide tree-lined streets are the norm in Grandview Heights.

It was an ordinary day.  Looking at sturdy brick homes sitting close together on wide streets lined on either side with sidewalks and large trees that at times touch each other as their branches stretch across the streets.  Streets with names such as Helen, Louise, Martha, Janet ….. daughters of the original owner of part the land known today as Grandview Heights.  

One the early photos from the mid to late 1920's.  The
corner Grandview Apartment Buildings in the bottom center
shows New Holland Pike (State Rt. 23) to the right and
Grandview Boulevard to the left.  Very few homes are
seen in the background in the photo.

The main boulevard, known as Grandview Boulevard, was given the name since it sits on farmland that was once known as Grand View Farm.  I can only imagine what the land must have looked like over 100 years ago.  Corn standing six feet high, peach trees lining the edge of the lane leading to the farm where and cows grazed in the open fields behind the farm.  

The same corner as seen today.

This all changed when Samuel R. Slaymaker bought the McGrann and Rohrer farms in 1925 and turned them into a housing develop- ment for those with moderate means.  My mom and dad saved for years so they could have a little plot in Grandview Heights which was finally realized in the mid-1960's.  Mom loved her back porch and it was so hard to tell her late in her life that it was time for her to move to a retirement home for her safety and have to sell the place.  

This photo shows what the interior of one of the
apartments was like when they opened.

She did realize that her loving family was correct and reluctantly sold it along with many years of memories in her house in the 900 block of Janet Ave.  For years Carol and I lived up the street from mom and dad in a semi-detached home on the other side of the street.  Many a day she would call and ask us to cross one of her grandchildren so they could come and visit with them.  Also wasn't unusual for Carol to cross our dog, Arnold, so he could run down the street to visit with Grandma and Grandpa.  

Our house at 925 Janet Ave. as it appears today.

Carol and I lived in our house on Janet Avenue for 29 years before we moved to our "Beach House" a few miles away.  I spent some time recently roaming the old neighbor- hood known as the Heights to take some photos to match some from a CD that was given to me by my friend Mike.  Mike and his wife Anne met at nearby Schaeffer Elementary School where they taught, married then moved to Janet Ave.  

Our house was at the far end on the right in this 1930's pix.

They raised their three children in Grandview Heights where one of them is now teaching in the same school where her parents met.  Grandview Heights just seems to get in your blood.  Old and young alike inhabit the 500 or so homes in the neighborhood where everyone knows your name and lends a helping hand. While taking the photos for this story I met a few of the neighbors who were more than willing to take time to talk with me.  The following photos show some of the homes and places pictured in CD that was given to Mike by our mutual friend Matt who was in real estate and moved from the area.  My photos accompany the old photos so you can judge for yourself if the homes have changed that much in the last 100 years.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.  PS - Click on any photo to enlarge it.

Some of the earliest homes in Grandview Heights are these row homes on Pleasure Road which is the street to the far north of the development.

The same row of homes, but seen from the opposite end.

This was Kilheffer's Store at the corner of Martha and Fountain Avenues.

Corner as it looks today.

Houses in the 800 block of Janet Ave. in the 1930's.

Same two houses as seen today.

This beautiful home in the 900 block of Grandview Boulevard has young trees in the front yard. 

The same house as seen today.

This house was located at 710 McGrann Bouvelard.

Same house as seen today.

This photo shows a double house along Martha Avenue.  Notice the old car in the background.

Today's view of the same house.