The History

Glen Farms was conceived and initially developed by Dr. George E. Brinton in the early 1950’s. A professor of French at the University of Delaware, Dr. Brinton had already experienced some real estate development in the Newark area. His enthusiasm and eagerness to create a country community, where families could enjoy an aesthetic openness with preserved community activity areas, is the real reason Glen Farms is here today.

Glen Farms is a semi-rural area of country-like homes in Cecil County, MD, two and one-half miles west of the city limits of Newark, DE, and about nine miles from Elkton. In the 1960’s and 70’s the original tract was expanded to include the sections known as Glen Westover and Glen Kyle. The community comprises approximately three hundred acres with a winding system of roads providing access to the more than two hundred fifty homesites. Stands of beech, oak and pine abound in the area. Ponds, lakes, and gentle rising slopes cut by streams, among them the headwaters of the beautiful Christiana Creek, add to the beauty of the site. Much has been done to preserve the natural setting, affording a serene and colorful atmosphere throughout the seasons.

Soon after the first homes were established and occupied, homeowners formed the Glen Farms Civic Association (GFCA) to promote the general welfare and common interests of the residents. GFCA is fully incorporated as a non-profit organization under the laws of the State of Maryland and is supported by voluntary dues.

In 1967, Mrs. Brinton donated the tennis court and adjacent lot to the Civic Association as a living memorial to her late husband. Landscaping and a stone bench placed by the community complete the memorial. The George E. Brinton Memorial Park, as the area is known, was dedicated on October 22, 1967. The park area was the geographic center of the early ‘Farms,’ and was planned by Dr. Brinton to be a community activity area. It is most fitting that the park, as it now serves us, also serves as a remembrance of the legacy he so generously created. A few years later, Mrs. Brinton, before passing, and Harlan Williams generously made it possible for the Glen Farms Civic Association to become the owner of Lake George and a large tract of land adjacent to it.

During the mid-1970’s, the 53-acre Robert Thompson farm between Glen Farms and the Delaware state line was developed into 67 homesites known as Tara. Although closely associated with Glen Farms, Tara retained its separate identity through the ensuing years, but without its own civic association. Our common interests prompted GFCA in 2004 to expand its representation and services to include Tara residents.

Dr. Brinton’s spirit and ideas live on with us as a reminder of his tremendous personality. We regret that all those living in Glen Farms today did not have the opportunity of knowing this man. Those of us who did realize that to know him was a wonderful experience in itself. Residents of Glen Farms are indeed indebted to both Dr. and Mrs. Brinton for a large part of what makes Glen Farms such a pleasant place to live.