26 Comments
Apr 11Liked by Rob Stephenson

I love the idea of being killed by a falling tombstone. Is there a better way to go?

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I can think of a few...

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Apr 11Liked by Rob Stephenson

That groundhog photo!

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It was a stare down

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Apr 11Liked by Rob Stephenson

“It would make a great gift for your sister-in-law.” Lol

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After giving us a potential album cover a few weeks ago you’ve now given us a band name and a possible album title with Mexican Jets and (from on of this week’s photographs) Size Matters. Now I just have to form the band and make this happen.

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I would buy any record from a band called Mexican Jets. Put it out!

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Jun 27Liked by Rob Stephenson

Counterpoint: You should get a pan shot in every neighborhood.

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What a rich post yet again. I am sure that groundhog knows all about bones and special feasts LOL. I loved the photos of the #sistersnottwins houses - took me a while to realize they were indeed different houses and not the same being photographed at different times. Also, thanks for the gift recommendation for my sister-in-law- hehehe

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It really does make the perfect gift! Sistersnottwins club!

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founding
Apr 15Liked by Rob Stephenson

As always, so many interesting photos (and stories). More splits for your collection, old cemeteries (always favorites of mine), bread on a stump?, rusted out car with red shoes, gardener's office, eclipse in a pan in a cemetery. Love 'em all.

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I’m impressed you could identify the occupant of that office and glad someone found the stump loaf as weird as I did! Thanks Katie!

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founding
Apr 16Liked by Rob Stephenson

Google maps satellite view to the rescue. :) That first image was intriguing to say the least.

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Apr 14Liked by Rob Stephenson

Fascinating and hilarious as usual.

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Thanks Alex B!

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Apr 12Liked by Rob Stephenson

Love your humor, and the way it just comes out. Like I’m reading something serious and the next moment I’m laughing!

Interesting houses, split down the middle to make 2 addresses. Wonder how they started. Maybe 2 grown siblings deciding to literally halve the family home? Hopefully not sisters-in-law living side by side!

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Apr 12·edited Apr 13Author

Thanks Raquel! Never a good idea to share a house with your in-laws!

And I am obsessed with the split houses, I've been photographing them for years (https://www.robstephenson.com/splits).

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Just discovered your substack. What a treasure! Thank you...

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Thanks Eliza! So glad you found me!

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The good thing about being a historian of the city of New York is that you never seem to run short of new stories to tell...

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It really is amazing. I'm always worried I won't find anything interesting to write about in a particular neighborhood and then I'm always trying to figure what I can cut

so it's not too long!

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Rob, your storytelling is mesmerizing and your photographs are real works of art! What a great time I had visiting Graniteville through this post. Really memorable. You're a one-man National Geographic.

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One man National Geographic! I might have to put that on my business card. Thanks Renato!

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The murder house where "The Witch of Staten Island" committed the crimes (supposedly) still stands on a small section of Richmond Avenue cut off from the main part of that large thoroughfare just east of Morningstar Road. The house doesn't look all that much different from contemporary drawings of the home in the 1840s. My verdict: Polly Bodine was guilty, but I can't come up with a good reason why she did it.

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