‘The Victorian Era Legacy of Stapleton Heights, Staten Island’ Webinar

In the early 1800s, the Staten Island neighborhood of Stapleton Heights was nothing more than a family farm — but by the end of the century, it had become the center of Staten Island’s commerce and industry, and a magnet for the most prominent families of the day. This is the story of how a sleepy neighborhood overlooking New York Harbor transformed into one of the most prosperous regions in the country.

Join New York Adventure Club for a virtual exploration of Staten Island’s historic Stapleton Heights neighborhood — once described as “NYC’s handsomest, healthiest, and most accessible suburb,” Stapleton was known for its tree-lined streets of custom-built houses, some of which are still standing nearly 200 years later.

Led by NYC Tour Guide and Staten Island resident Claude Toback, our digital showcase of this incredible Victorian Era neighborhood will include:

• The rise of 19th-century Stapleton Heights from farmland to business hub, and how individuals like ferry operator Cornelius Vanderbilt and Daniel Tompkins (four-term New York State Governor & 6th U.S. Vice President) played a role in its development boom
• Victorian Era homes and their famous residents, including Mary Outerbridge (who introduced tennis to the US), Otto Loeffler (architect/painter), and Albin and Henry Warth (inventors extraordinaire)
• A look inside and out of some of NYC’s finest homes, from a Mediterranean style villa to the Bechtel Mansion, which was featured as the home of Enoch “Nucky” Thompson in the HBO show Boardwalk Empire
• Other historic sites that are still standing in the neighborhood, including the beautifully quaint St Paul’s Memorial Church, Trinity Lutheran Church and its impressively ornate tower, and the sprawling grounds of the Seaman’s Retreat

Afterward, we’ll have a Q&A with Claude — any and all questions about Stapleton Heights, Staten Island are welcomed and encouraged!

See you there, virtually! $10.