Staten Island Blog Looks To The Hills

Ben Braw House - 1935
Ape Shall Not KIll Ape takes a look at some of St. George, Staten Island's hills. I have included a few of the photos here, but take a look at the post for more information and antique maps.

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Look to the Hills

Perhaps you've noticed that the North Shore of my beloved Staten Island is littered with hills? Well it is.

Once they were all refuges for wealthier seeking insulation from the rest of us. Elevation lifted them away and above us. In that time great mansions covered many of those hills (see the Ben Braw pictures). Later, meaner times lead to the demolition of those manorial estates and the subdivision of their property as is seen in the differences between the map of the C. A. Low Estate and the photo of the same place twenty-five years later.

Fort Hill - 1933 (Note: You can see the tower of Forgotten Borough's Fort Hill Castle on the hill, behind, and to the left of the tudor home).
Pavillion Hill - 1933