Sale of the Last Open Lots in the Pelham Section of Pelhamwood

Archive of the Historic Pelham Web Site.
Home Page of the Historic Pelham Blog.
Order a Copy of "Thomas Pell and the Legend of the Pell Treaty Oak."

During the spring of 1909, a newly-created company known as Clifford B. Harmon & Co., Inc. began grading and developing the neighborhood we know today as Pelhamwood.  While the company was new, its namesake had been involved for more than two decades in the creation of suburban developments throughout the northeast and along the Atlantic coast. 

The company built steps up the hill across from the station plaza on the north side of the New Haven Line tracks leading up to a sales office. It built a "tea house" used to host visitors and prospective buyers of lots and homes in the new development.  It built the Pelhamwood clock tower as well as covered "gates" leading in and out of the development, all intended to add to the rustic charm of the idyllic setting. 

Within months of beginning such development work, Clifford B. Harmon & Co. began flooding the New York City region with countless real estate advertisements for the new development.  In only a few short years, much of Pelhamwood was dotted with beautiful homes.

Nevertheless, it took more than thirteen years for Pelhamwood to be fully developed.  It was not until 1922 that the last open lots within that portion of Pelhamwood located within Pelham (rather than New Rochelle) were sold for development.

In early April, 1922, the last 28 open lots were owned by Joseph Lambden & Son of New Rochelle.  The firm sold 22 of the lots to a Pelhamwood resident, N. F. Vought of Benedict Place for $20,000.  Vought announced that he would build seven brick residences on the lots which fronted on Highbrook Avenue.  A "Mr. Hessian" of New York City bought the remaining six lots which fronted the tracks of the New York, Westchester & Boston Railway for $6,000.  He announced that he would build three "frame buildings" on the lots.  

Within a short time, Pelhamwood was fully developed. . . .

Page 2 of 1909 Pelhamwood Advertising Pamphlet.

Source: Clifford B. Harmon & Co., Inc., PELHAMWOOD,

p. 2 (NY: Clifford B. Harmon & Co., Inc., 1909).

NOTE: Click on Image to Enlarge.

*          *          *          *          *

"Last Of Pelham Section Of Pelhamwood Is Sold
-----
Purchasers of Twenty-Eight Lots Intend to Erect Dwelling Houses on Sites, In Near Future
-----

The last lots of the section of Pelhamwood that is within the limits of the Village of North Pelham were sold this week by Joseph Lambden & Son of New Rochelle.  The only part of Pelhamwood left unsold it over the New Rochelle city line.

Twenty-two of the lots were purchased by N. F. Vought, of Benedict Place, Pelhamwood.  Mr. Vought plans to erect seven brick dwelling houses on the lots, which front on Highbrook Avenue.  It is stated that the sale was accomplished at a figure of $20,000.  A Mr. Hessian of New York was the purchaser of the remaining six lots in the tract.  These lots [adjoin] the New York and Westchester Railrod, and were held for $6,000.  Mr. Hessian intends to erect three frame buildings on the property."

Source:  Last Of Pelham Section Of Pelhamwood Is Sold -- Purchasers of Twenty-Eight Lots Intend to Erect Dwelling Houses on Sites, In Near Future, The Pelham Sun, Apr. 14, 1922, Vol. 13, No. 7, p. 7, col. 1.

*          *          *          *          *

Periodically I have written about Pelhamwood and Clifford B. Harmon, a principal developer of Pelhamwood.  For those interested in a comprehensive history of the early development of Pelhamwood, see Bell, Blake A., The Early Development of Pelhamwood, The Pelham Weekly, Vol. XIII, No. 37, Sept. 17, 2004, p. 12, col. 2.  For earlier postings about Pelhamwood and Clifford B. Harmon, see:

Wed., Nov. 23, 2016:  1910 Railroad Announcement that the "Finest and Most Artistic Bridge" Would Be Built Over Highbrook Avenue.

Mon., Nov. 21, 2016:  Pelhamwood Benefited from the "Growing Rush to the Country" in 1909.

Tue., Nov. 15, 2016:  Railroad Deeded the Land to Create Pelhamwood Avenue in 1927.

Mon., Sep. 26, 2016:  Battles over Razing the Fifth Avenue Station, the Highbrook Avenue Bridge, and Embankments After Failure of New York, Westchester & Boston Railway.

Thu., Sep. 22, 2016:  Pelham's Highbrook Avenue Bridge Listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Thu., Sep. 01, 2016:  Excavation Contractors Smith Brothers and the Beginnings of Pelhamwood in the Early Spring of 1909.

Tue., Mar. 01, 2016:  Unusual 1909 Advertising Pamphlet for Pelhamwood.

Tue., Feb. 02, 2016:  Early Pelhamwood Advertisements with Important Sketches of the New Development.

Tue., Nov. 10, 2015:  The New Development of Pelhamwood as it Was in 1913.

Wed., May 20, 2015:  Early History of the Pelhamwood Clock.

Mon., Mar. 16, 2015:   Newspaper References and Advertisements Regarding Development of Pelhamwood.

Mon., Mar. 16, 2015:  Newspaper References and Advertisements Regarding Development of Pelhamwood.

Fri., Sep. 26, 2014:  1909 Advertisements Show How the New Development of Pelhamwood Was Marketed to New Yorkers.

Sat., Jan. 25, 2014:  Putting the Finishing Touches on the Lovely New Church in Pelhamwood in 1923.  

Fri., Feb. 19, 2010:  1909 Newspaper Advertisement for the New Development of Pelhamwood.

Mon., Feb. 1, 2010:  Obituary of Richard B. Ferris of Pelhamwood. 

Thu., Oct. 11, 2007:  Biographical Data and Photographs of Clifford B. Harmon Who Developed Pelhamwood. 

Tue., Jul. 10, 2007:  An Early Event in the History of Pelhamwood. 

Thu., Jun. 21, 2007:  Information About "Aeronautic" Exploits of Clifford B. Harmon Who Developed Pelhamwood in Pelham. 

Thu. Aug. 10, 2006:  The New Development of Pelhamwood Gets Approval for its Proposed Sewage System in 1912. 

Tue., Nov. 15, 2005:  Plaque Dedicated at the Historic Pelhamwood Clock Tower. 

Mon., Sep. 12, 2005: Pelhamwood Association Celebrated its 30th Anniversary in 1942. 

Thu., May 12, 2005: Clifford B. Harmon, Developer of Pelhamwood.

Archive of the Historic Pelham Web Site.

Home Page of the Historic Pelham Blog.
Order a Copy of "Thomas Pell and the Legend of the Pell Treaty Oak."