605 Walnut Lane,
Haverford, PA

On March 26, 1871, the Pennsylvania Railroad completely removed its tracks between Ardmore and Rosemont. It installed a new rail line a half mile to the northeast, making travel through the area more efficient (1). Repositioning the rail line allowed for safe access to additional building lots and enabled the construction of Walnut Lane, Railroad Avenue, and Oakley Road. Until thennow, only family members and Haverford Friends Quaker Meeting owned property on Haydock's land.

1876 G.M. Hopkins Atlas

In 1874, Haydock's son, Samuel M. Garrigues left his job as a Civil Engineer for the Pennsylvania Railroad and partnered with his brother John to form a civil engineering and land surveying company called S. M. Garrigues and J. S. Garrigues, Civil Engineers." They set up shop next to the Bryn Mawr Post Office in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania (2).

The two Garrigues brothers set off subdividing the northeast section of their father’s 159-acre farm.

The above sketch, dated February 28, 1874, was created by one of the Garrigues brothers and shows the dimensions of the house that Ambrose S. Cline (house painter) built at 605 Walnut Lane, Haverford, PA. (3).

Walnut Lane was first granted as a public right-of-way in October 1873. By December 1873, the public thoroughfare still had not yet been named. according to a deed of sale between Haydock Garrigues and John Russell. They simply referred to the public road as the "scenic street.” Circa 1877, Walnut Lane was named after the grove of Walnut trees Haydock Garrigues had planted in the area.

Sources:

1. Twenty-Fifth Annual Report, Pennsylvania Railroad Company, February 20, 1872, reporting on the previous year.

2. Brochure on the history of Yerkes Engineering Co: "Since 1874 Yerkes Engineering Co." No publish date or copyright notice.

3. 1880 census shows Ambrose Cline lived in this house with his family and was neighbors with John Russell and his family.