Richmond Road, north side, adjoining (to the east) New Dorp Lane, showing the Patten House. It was built in 1836 by Colonel John Patten as a hostelry to accommodate the crowds who came to see the New Dorp races. It was the headquarters of General Van Buren, commanding the State Militia of this military district. Commodore Vanderbilt was a frequent visitor here. It was also the headquarters of the Owls Club of which Wm. H. Vanderbilt, Senator "Sam" Frost and Judge Daniel Clawson were members. It closed as a public hostelry in 1887, after which it was used by Father McGlynn as a branch of a Roman Catholic institution. Later it was used as a tenement house by Italian ragpickers. It was condemned by the Board of Health as a hazard to health and safety and was finally razed in 1902. See the "New York Tribune", June 29, 1902, illustrated supplement, p. 5.
About 1900
By Eugene G. Putnam
From Staten Island Museum Collection through P. L. Sperr
Photo from the New York Public Library - Milstein Collection
