Richmond Hill

Carl Ballenas, Nancy Cataldi, Richmond Hill Historical Society

• Publisher: Arcadia Publishing
• Year: 2002
• Print ISBN: 9780738510316
• eBook ISBN: 9781439628416
• Topic: History
• Subtopic: North American History
• Index: History

Picturesque Richmond Hill evolved after the Civil War on land where orchards once blossomed and cattle once grazed.Nestled in the shadow of New York City, it is one of the city's first planned communities. The Victorian era saw the construction of Queen Anne-style mansions, and the opening of the Brooklyn Bridge in 1883 brought expansion and increased traffic. Soon, newspapers began boasting about the many parks, grassy lawns, tasteful homes, and proud residents heralding a promising future. Richmond Hill contains more than two hundred vintage photographs to illustrate the unique history of the community. The oldest eatery in Queens, the Hofbrau Restaurant, was the favorite hangout of Mae West, Babe Ruth, and many others. Baseball great Phil Rizzuto made Richmond Hill his home, as did the Marx Brothers, author Amelia Edith Barr, and photojournalist Jacob Riis. Important political events took place in Richmond Hill, such as the newly rediscovered address made in 1903 by Pres. Theodore Roosevelt, as well as cultural milestones, such as the composition of "When Irish Eyes Are Smiling" at the Hofbrau Restaurant. Richmond Hill includes these and countless other stories that make up its rich, unique history.

Four

ON THE STREET WHERE WE LIVE

A real and lasting foundation had been laid on which to build up a town of fine houses and public buildings, wide streets with beautiful trees giving them shade and coolness, and, last but not least, a community of real homes where the tired city worker can find the rest he needs, and where his wife and children can live in peace and quiet, enjoying the fresh air and pleasant surroundings.

—Richmond Hill Record, 1913

THE OLNEY HOUSE. This home was built c. 1893 and shows how far apart houses were at that time. The house is on 108th Street near Park Lane South and still stands today. (Courtesy Rita Smith.)

HOUSES FOR SALE, GARFIELD AVENUE (106TH STREET). A 1913 real estate advertisement pitches this house well: “Buy this home for $4,350. If you are paying $23 or more for rent, then you can afford to own this swell detached house. Has seven delightful rooms and tiled bath, arranged for absolute comfort. Has parquet floors, furnace heat, dining room with plate shelf and panels, costly chandeliers, duplex shades and abundance of closet room. Convenient to the trolleys and all other forms of transit. Only $500 cash down!” (Courtesy Marianne Veidt.)

WRAPAROUND PORCH. Located south of Jamaica Avenue around 120th Street, these types of houses had wraparound porches on which residents could catch a summer breeze. In houses that had second-floor porches, people actually slept there when the heat was unbearable. (Courtesy Ann Mancaruso.)

THE BRIGGS FARMHOUSE. “We today announce the death of one of our oldest and most respectable citizens, Captain Jeremiah Briggs. He was warm-hearted, kind and generous with a pleasant word and a smile for all, he attracted friends wherever he went and to the poor and unfortunate he gave a word of sympathy and a helping hand. His life was an active and careful one and he leaves behind a name upon which no blot remains.” —Long Island Democrat, 1876. (Courtesy Tamm and Ivan Idrobo.)

THE MAGNIFICENT MANSION. An early-20th-century mansion stands in the snow on 120th Street. “The residences in and around Richmond Hill are designed and constructed to meet the requirements of people of good taste, appreciative of aesthetic beauty, and combine with pleasing architectural design, artistic interior finish and those up-to-date conveniences which add so much to the comfort of the modern home.” —Industrial Recorder, 1905. (Courtesy Ann Mancaruso.)

THE INTERIOR OF THE MAGNIFICENT MANSION. This wonderful early-20th-century Victorian featured ornate woodwork with intricate designs on the fabrics. The entrance portico was very attractive for the times. (Courtesy Ann Mancaruso.)

A HOUSE ON JEFFERSON STREET. This house is located at 89-35 116th Street. This area of Richmond Hill South consisted of similar houses built on small plots of land. The mass production of this style took place in the 1920s, and many grown children of European immigrants living in Brooklyn eagerly purchased these new houses. (Courtesy Ron Layer.)

THE SPANISH TILE ROOF. Built on Richmond Hill Drive (117th Street), which is now part of Kew Gardens, this house boasted an enclosed front porch, canvas awnings, and a terra-cotta roof. It was demolished a few years ago and replaced with a nine-story assisted-living apartment building. (Courtesy the Richmond Hill Historical Society.)

THE INTERIOR OF THE OLNEY HOUSE. ...

Table of contents

• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Table of Contents
• ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
• INTRODUCTION
• One - EARLY VILLAGE LIFE
• Two - BUSINESS AND SOCIETY
• Three - AN OLD-TIME PICTURE GALLERY
• Four - ON THE STREET WHERE WE LIVE
• Five - SIMPLE PLEASURES
• Six - A COMMON FAITH AND TEMPLES OF EDUCATION
• Seven - THE CELEBRATED OF RICHMOND HILL
• Eight - OUR RENAISSANCE