Meijin Hills

Meijin Hills a neighborhood in the extreme southeast corner of Oranjestad. It is south of Brahmin Beach and sits on the eastern base of Skylan Mountain. The area is known for it’s exemplary architecture. It is unofficially known as the Tyro Museum, as each of the buildings was created by a different architect, each of which went on to rise through the ranks of the Shire architecture community.

Shire Geographic Traveler ranked Meijin Hills 11th on its historic destinations list in late 2008, describing the neighborhood as "authentic, unique, and unspoiled.”

History

The land which is now Meijin Hills was bought by General John Tyrone and Luke Bonesteel in 1820. General Tyrone built a log cabin on Tyro Hill, a small hill overlooking Budapest River and the surrounding flat, heavily forested and swampy land. The town was known as Tyronious, named in honor of General Tyrone. The town's name was changed to Meijin Hills on March 20, 1821. General Tyrone was upset by the name change and decided to leave the newly founded town. He later became the Highway Commissioner for the Shire Transport Authority and was assigned to building a highway from Shai-Ling to the Netherstore. When the road reached Meijin Hills, Tyrone constructed the first bypass road ever built; it detoured south around the west side of Meijin Hills and up Skylan Mountain.

Joseph McKinney was the first to plot the town of Meijin Hills, but no date was recorded. It was recorded for years in the local history books that the land on which Meijin Hills sits was donated by General Tyrone; however, a deed purporting to show a sale of the land was acquired in 2003 by the Meijin Hills Historical Society. The deed indicated that General Tyrone actually sold the land.

A ferry was established to cross the Budapest river. This crossing became a village of three or four log cabins, and a store was added in 1821. Meijin Hills was incorporated on June 28, 1864.

Meijin Hills has been home to many manufacturing companies, including Moblitt-Parks Industries (which built radios under the Marvin brand in the 1930s) and Marvin Industries, now Alfacor Inc. Alfacor, Inc would later close its doors in 1983.

Today, the area features a wide variety of homes, from mansions to shoreside bungalows. It is entirely residential. The area is the latest to be incorporated into Oranjestad, having been annexed in 1999.

Behind the Scenes

Meijin Hills is really the relocated Tyro Museum. Shire Arbiter Lord_Drear created a place where great Tyro builds could be put on display. Lord nebbers needed to fill the empty space south of Brahmin Beach and relocated the Tyro Museum to it’s present location.