STREET SIGNS, TODT HILL

by Kevin Walsh

I don’t trouble the exclusive areas of mid-Staten Island, say, in Todt Hill, Richmondtown, Lighthouse Hill that much. I keep meaning to, but expenses, circumstances, and weather seem to get in the way. Excuses, excuses! Maybe this winter. Definitely You’d Never Believe You’re in NYC realms, especially in the high hills. The last time I extensively walked Todt Hill — and admittedly, found some breathtaking vistas and views — was all the way back in 2006.

However, I was noodling around in Google Street View when I discovered something interesting in Todt Hill — suburban-style, post top street signs, seen here. There are regulation green and white Department of Transportation signs, too, but these are more common in the sidewalk-free lanes of Todt Hill, where the gains paying for these homes are legitimately achieved as well as ill-gotten.

These are not, by the way, the post top street signs that marked streets in Staten Island in the mid-20th Century from 1915 to about 1964; the signs were yellow with black lettering and for awhile, those colors were used on their 1964-1984 vinyl replacements. These signs are of a more recent vintage and seem to be an effort to identify these parts as deep suburbia rather than their actual status, in a borough legally part of New York city.

Check out the ForgottenBook, take a look at the gift shop, and as always, “comment…as you see fit.”

12/14/19

1 comment

John December 16, 2019 - 6:14 pm

Years ago I thought that some Todt Hill streets were private and owners paid for their own street signs. Years later, the streets were required to allow official NYC signage. This is one of the private signs.

Reply

Leave a Comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.