Found 49 blog entries tagged as history.

Right in the heart of Staten Island, just minutes away from the Staten Island Mall, lies Lighthouse Hill, a quaint neighborhood full of greenery and large, open houses. Lighthouse Hill lies right between a large array of parks and is only minutes away from both the mall and historic Richmond Town, giving residents a way to experience any range of environments. The hill's name comes from Staten Island Range Lighthouse, also called the Ambrose Channel Range Light, or affectionately called the Staten Island Light. The lighthouse is the rear range lighthouse companion to the West Bank Lighthouse. 

About the lighthouse

A 90-foot tower built in 1912, it sits about 5 miles northwest of its companion, 141 feet above sea level on Lighthouse Hill (also called…

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The Miller Field Hangar

Before its military days, Miller Field was home to one of the most prominent American families of the 19th century. In 1836, Cornelius "Commodore" Vanderbilt began purchasing farmland in New Dorp and owned most of what became Miller Field by 1843. The farmland was inherited by his son William, who transferred this property to his son, George Washington Vanderbilt in 1885. By 1906, he moved the 24 room "White House" to the center of the farm. George Washington Vanderbilt's claim to fame is for building Biltmore in North Carolina. Biltmore is still today, the largest home in America. The "White House" was a periodic home to him until his death in 1914. Vanderbilt's heirs sold the property to the federal government in…

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Tottenville is the southernmost neighborhood of Staten Island, New York City and New York State, with an area of approximately 1.7 square miles.

Locale

Tottenville, a region on Staten Island's southwestern waterfront, can be rich in contrasts. Old Civil-War era houses sit near modern new mansions. Cars can fill up every parking spot on the street, but in another part, a pedestrian may be alone on a street with only birds for company. In another are old tugboats are aground in an old dirt lot while shoppers shop for Italian delicacies in a marketplace. There is modern, there is old, there is large, there is small, But this is definitely a very peaceful and quiet community.

Tottenville is bordered mostly by water, the Arthur Kill, and Raritan Bay,…

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This historic landmark was built in 1853-54. This home was constructed for Richard G. Smith, located in Stapleton, Staten Island. This was the first of many homes that helped grow Stapleton into the community it is today.This home was built Greek Revival style. This is an absolutely gorgeous two and a half story home. This home lays on a brick foundation. There is an above ground basement, floor to ceiling windows, two chimneys located on the east wing, a shed and garage which are located separately from the home. From the outside we see the beautiful columns and red shutters that gives this home a unique look. The cobble stone driveway was a beautiful touch as well. On September 9th,1980 the Landmarks Preservation Commission held a public hearing and…

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This historic home is one among the row of houses along Westervelt Avenue designated, Horton's Row. The row of houses was constructed between 1880 and 1882 by Harry Horton, a prominent New York City banker and broker. It consisted of twelve identical attached masonry row houses, which were built as an affordable option for middle-class families on Staten Island. However, out of the twelve, 413 Westervelt is one of the four that remained intact.

Horton purchased the land for Horton's Row in 1870, but did not begin its construction until about a decade later. During the time, it was common to see many mansions and large estates among this portion of New Brighton, so Horton decided to create more affordable houses. The buildings are believed to have been…

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The William Cass house, also known as The Crimson Beech, is a historical home located on Lighthouse Hill. This house received its name from an old copper beech tree that once sat on the land which William and Catherine Cass acquired for their home. The tree remained there for 10 years until a hurricane destroyed it and a new one was planted. 

The architect behind this house, and many other important buildings around the country, such as the Guggenheim Museum, is Frank Lloyd Wright. Although he is more known for his larger architectural masterpieces, he also created many houses for middle-class people in the mid 1900s, after the Great Depression ended. The houses he built were primarily in 2 styles, the Marshall Erdman Prefabricated Houses #1 and #2,…

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In Staten Island's very own Historic Richmond Town, lies the Seaman Cottage. It was built by Henry I. Seaman from 1836 to 1837. It originally resided on the south side of Center Street between St. Patrick's Place and Moore Street, at 218 Center Street. Now it has been relocated to the north side of Center Street between Court and St. Patrick's Place, at 441 Clarke Avenue. 

Seaman first purchased the land in 1836 after marrying his second cousin, Katherine Seaman, heir to the Seaman-Kortwright family real estate fortune. As a result of this, he has the ability to pursue a number of business ventures, including the development of the Seaman Cottage.

This home is a Cottage from the Greek Revival Era from the late 18th to early 19th century. A cottage…

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The Britton Cottage is located at the foot of Court Place. It was originally located in New Dorp Beach but was moved to Historic Richmond Town in 1965. This is a one and a half story wood-framed house that was built around the 1670's. Additions to the house were made to the house later on. The house was first conveyed to Obadiah Holmes in 1677, Holmes was a clerk. It was believed that the house was used as a public building as well as a residential living area. In 1695 the cottage was conveyed to Nathaniel and Elizabeth Britton, they helped establish the English Presbyterian Church in Staten Island,1729.  They lived in the cottage until 1714. Thomas Walton then resided in the cottage and few more people after. Eventually it was inherited by Harriet Lord…

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The Vanderzee- Harper House is located at 327 Westervelt Avenue, in the St. George area of Staten Island. The house was built circa 1887 in the Queen Anne style with Shingle style details. After purchasing the property which the house now sits on, Margaret Shields and her husband Gordon Doane Vanderzee maintained ownership until 1920, followed by occupancy of renters and later the family of Thomas Harper. Harper owned the home for over twenty-five years, therefore why he is acknowledged in the house's name. Although the Vanderzee's remained owners until 1920, they relocated to Philadelphia in 1895, five years after the birth of their son.The house was officially designated a landmark by the Landmarks Preservation Commission on August 11, 2009 . Recently…

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This home located at 70 Satterlee Street, is among one of the five historic homes situated on The Conference House Park, in Tottenville. In the late 1820s sea captain, Henry Biddle moved to Staten Island with his mother, who unfortunately died a little after a year later. Following that in 1831 he married Harriet Butler and they had two sons, William Henry and Charles Stevens. Following Harriet's death in 1842, Henry remarried in 1845, to Margaret, and during this period he constructed what is now known as the Henry Hogg Biddle House. This Greek Revival style home provides a beautiful panoramic view of the Raritan Bay and Arthur Kill, and still remains a crucial part in Staten Island's history. Last year, the house was actually used as an art exhibit,…

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