I fear I may be the kind of person who enjoys munching on handfuls of freshly picked gooseberries while engaging in a rousing game of whist over cups of tea in the garden. Too bad the Sunnyside of yore isn’t around for me to find out!
I may not visit US and even if I do, these places may not be on my list of places to visit. I'm glad, you are bringing them to us. With a tiny history and lots of stories. Thankyou Rob!
Thanks Pritesh, I know what you mean! I feel like a tourist here myself most of the time though most of these neighborhoods won't make it into the guidebooks.
Great work, as always. I lived in Sunnyside, SI for a good 10 years but never saw that small cemetery pictured in the article. Do you know where that location is? IMHO, Sunnyside is one of the nicer communities on the north shore and easily accessible to numerous bus lines along Victory Blvd to the St. George Ferry Terminal, and express bus service to Manhattan.
Anyone looking for a good general overview of SI history should read Dorothy Valentine Smith's “Staten Island: Gateway to New York” published in 1970. I dog-eared that book when I was a kid and used it in my many travels around the island.
Thanks Eddie! The cemetery is Woodland Cemetery which is just northeast of Highland Avenue. Arguably part of Silver Lake, but since John King Vanderbilt deeded the land for the cemetery, I included as part of the neighborhood. https://woodlandcemeterysi.com/about-us/
After reading Dorothy Smiths' great article in the SI Historian, I had to order the book. Glad to know it has a positive review!
Forgot about nearby Woodland Cemetery. I've walked through it a few times, it can be quite creepy on a November afternoon. Enjoy the book! I'm out in Los Angeles and still check it out of the LA Library once or twice a year.
Sometimes, when I read these, I think, "I should explore the city more and visit some of these neighborhoods!" Other times, I think, "I'm glad Rob went so I don't have to."
Surprisingly yes! You would think a man who is an accomplished thespian, can ballroom dance, smash concrete blocks with his bare hands, owns an IHOP and comes in at #44 on the" Most Influential Staten Islanders" list would be taken, but no. He is single and looking to mingle.
For much of the latter part of his life, the noted American author Washington Irving lived at an estate named Sunnyside located in the upstate Hudson River Valley area of New York he chronicled in many of his best known stories. As you noted, the Staten Island neighborhood didn't adopt the name because of that, but maybe the Queens one did...
It looks like the Queen's Sunnyside predates Irving's Sunnyside, but there is a Staten Island connection. The real life Ichabod Crane is buried in New Springville in SI. He and Irving were stationed together during the War of 1812. And, Irving was the great uncle to Alexander Duer Irving who lived with with his wife in Grymes Hill, one neighborhood over from Sunnyside.
In 1896, they moved to the Sunnyside estate on the Hudson.
I fear I may be the kind of person who enjoys munching on handfuls of freshly picked gooseberries while engaging in a rousing game of whist over cups of tea in the garden. Too bad the Sunnyside of yore isn’t around for me to find out!
I mean, who isn't?
I may not visit US and even if I do, these places may not be on my list of places to visit. I'm glad, you are bringing them to us. With a tiny history and lots of stories. Thankyou Rob!
Thanks Pritesh, I know what you mean! I feel like a tourist here myself most of the time though most of these neighborhoods won't make it into the guidebooks.
The strapped sunflowers killed me.
I loved those too! You should see the rest of the house!
So many fascinating rabbit holes to follow. I ended up buying the arowana book. Looks fascinating. I'd only ever seen one on Animal Crossing.
Oh, that's so great! If I was't so far behind on the 4 books I'm currently reading, I would order it too. Looking forward to a review.
Great work, as always. I lived in Sunnyside, SI for a good 10 years but never saw that small cemetery pictured in the article. Do you know where that location is? IMHO, Sunnyside is one of the nicer communities on the north shore and easily accessible to numerous bus lines along Victory Blvd to the St. George Ferry Terminal, and express bus service to Manhattan.
Anyone looking for a good general overview of SI history should read Dorothy Valentine Smith's “Staten Island: Gateway to New York” published in 1970. I dog-eared that book when I was a kid and used it in my many travels around the island.
Thanks Eddie! The cemetery is Woodland Cemetery which is just northeast of Highland Avenue. Arguably part of Silver Lake, but since John King Vanderbilt deeded the land for the cemetery, I included as part of the neighborhood. https://woodlandcemeterysi.com/about-us/
After reading Dorothy Smiths' great article in the SI Historian, I had to order the book. Glad to know it has a positive review!
Forgot about nearby Woodland Cemetery. I've walked through it a few times, it can be quite creepy on a November afternoon. Enjoy the book! I'm out in Los Angeles and still check it out of the LA Library once or twice a year.
Sometimes, when I read these, I think, "I should explore the city more and visit some of these neighborhoods!" Other times, I think, "I'm glad Rob went so I don't have to."
So what category does this fall into?
This one is in the latter, though I don’t enjoy them any less. Maybe more?
I grew up nearby in the Sunset Hill section of West Brighton. Sunnyside has a fresh spring water source that is unfortunately inaccessible to the public, guarded by DEC. Approximate location here https://maps.app.goo.gl/g7hSsSSaNEQFFji49?g_st=com.google.maps.preview.copy
That liquor store used to be a drive thru Taco Bell a longggg time ago, at least pre-1999
I read about the spring. Does the Marine Corps League have access?
The former Taco Bell explains the strange glass atrium that the liquor store has! I always though drive through liquor stores were a bad idea.
I think just the DEP** (not DEC) has access to the spring.
Is Grandmaster Kim single do you think?
Surprisingly yes! You would think a man who is an accomplished thespian, can ballroom dance, smash concrete blocks with his bare hands, owns an IHOP and comes in at #44 on the" Most Influential Staten Islanders" list would be taken, but no. He is single and looking to mingle.
IMAGINE dating a man who owns an IHOP!
If only they served a Cobb Salad
Haha my fave pic is white house-red truck!
When you don't factor in the size of your garage before jacking up your new truck.
For much of the latter part of his life, the noted American author Washington Irving lived at an estate named Sunnyside located in the upstate Hudson River Valley area of New York he chronicled in many of his best known stories. As you noted, the Staten Island neighborhood didn't adopt the name because of that, but maybe the Queens one did...
It looks like the Queen's Sunnyside predates Irving's Sunnyside, but there is a Staten Island connection. The real life Ichabod Crane is buried in New Springville in SI. He and Irving were stationed together during the War of 1812. And, Irving was the great uncle to Alexander Duer Irving who lived with with his wife in Grymes Hill, one neighborhood over from Sunnyside.
In 1896, they moved to the Sunnyside estate on the Hudson.
https://statenisland.pastperfectonline.com/photo/282CDEC2-3BEF-4602-A688-221367411138