A bustling waterfront. That’s Clifton Staten Island. This isn’t just any neighborhood. It’s a place where history whispers on the wind. A place shaped by Cornelius Vanderbilt’s ferry. A place where the original National Institutes of Health once stood.
Imagine Clifton in 1817. A new town was laid out. It was bigger than the neighborhood we see today. Much of the land belonged to the Vanderbilts. Cornelius a young man started a ferry to Manhattan. It ran from the waterfront near present-day Vanderbilt Avenue. This established a vital connection. It linked Staten Island to the heart of New York City.
Bayley Seton Hospital sits north of Vanderbilt Avenue. Did you know it used to be the US Public Health Service Hospital? This building housed the very first offices of the National Institutes of Health. Before it moved to Bethesda Maryland. A fascinating piece of history hidden in plain sight.
Fast forward to the 1840s. The Townsend family built a magnificent home. It had turrets. Locals called it Townsend Castle. It stood at the corner of Townsend and Tompkins Avenues. The 1870s saw a building boom. Elegant homes sprang up near the water. Many Victorian houses remain. They stand as testaments to Clifton’s prosperous past.
The 1880s found Staten Island largely rural. Yet near Clifton a Frenchman named Paul Chaulmier had a goat farm. He pastured 438 goats. He supplied goat’s milk to wealthy New Yorkers. A surprising detail in Clifton’s story.
By the 1950s Clifton was a thriving middle-class community. It was home to civil servants. Firemen teachers and doctors made up its population. The Fox Hills Golf Club once covered the area where Park Hill Apartments now stand. It hosted many tournaments until it closed in 1935.
The Verrazano-Narrows Bridge opened in the 1960s. People moved to Park Hill Apartments. It was initially a private complex. It became federally subsidized housing later on. Sadly crime increased in the 1970s. The area became known as Crack Hill.
However things have improved. Crime has fallen dramatically. Community activists work to bridge divides. They run after-school programs. These programs help curb gang violence and promote a more peaceful environment.
From the late 1980s onwards Clifton became home to a large Liberian community. Many settled near Targee Street. This created a vibrant new culture. One rooted in West African traditions and cuisine.
Clifton’s story is one of transformation. From a rural goat farm and golf course to a diverse thriving community. It’s a neighborhood that embraces its past. It looks forward to the future. This is Clifton a neighborhood with a rich and ever-evolving identity. A place where history continues to unfold. And a place I hope you’ll explore further.