Bonnie Meadow Rd, AKA Dick Van Dyke Show Way

If you’re my age or older, you probably recall the the old Dick Van Dyke show. Dick Van Dyke Played Rob Petrie and his TV wife Laura was played by the great Mary Tyler Moore. You may not recall the exact address, but the Petrie family lived at  fictitious 148 Bonnie Meadow Road, New Rochelle.  Bonnie Meadow Road actually does exist! 9 out of 10 Westchester residents over the age of 50 know the show was set in New Roc, but even I didn’t know the address. 

In my travels, I actually drove past Bonnie Meadow Road the other day, and I found out that it had been also named Dick Van Dyke show Way. This made me curious, so I did a little googling, and I found out that the local residents petitioned the city of Rochelle to rename the street for the iconic sitcom after Mary Tyler Moore passed away. The approval was around 2018. 

That’s not all. Carl Reiner, the producer of the show (and father of Mike Reiner, who played Meathead on All in  the Family)  lived on 48 Bonnie Meadow Road back in the 1950s. He often stated that the show was based on many of his experiences living in suburban Rochelle at that time. 

As I drove down the street, it was very clear to me that the on the set of show was obviously based on split branches that still exist on the street today.

Art imitates life!