Tom Crimmins Realty Blog - Tom Crimmins Realty, Ltd.

1695 — Voorlezer’s House, now the nation’s oldest school building, is built

Built in 1696, the Voorlezer's House is the oldest schoolhouse in America. The clapboard house is also the oldest relic from the Dutch settlement on the Island from the 17th century. The word "voorlezer" comes from the Dutch which means "one who reads to other."

History

The house had three purposes: serve as a church, a school from boys and girls, and a residency. The house had numerous homeowners but the longest family lived in the Voorlezer's House for 150 years.

The school's population were children between the ages of 7 and 12. The parents paid for their children to learn reading, writing, arthimetic, religion and Dutch history. Arthimetic was taught to both boys and girls so they would learn how to maintain a home and business when they…

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White Playground

White Playground in Short Acres was named honoring Staten Island WWI vet John Edward White.

Born in Fort Wadsworth, Staten Island, White served as a trainman for the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad in St. George, Staten Island. Never marrying, White enlisted in the United States Army to fight in WWI, and became a member of the Allied Expeditionary Force. He gave his life assisting in the defeat of Germany.

White Playground is located in the Staten Island neighborhood of Fort Wadsworth, which takes its name from the nearby military installation overlooking the Narrows. At 300 years of age, Fort Wadsworth is the oldest continually manned United States military reservation, and, along with Fort Hamilton on the opposite side, monitors movement in the New…

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Events for November 1st Weekend

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Nov. 1, 1683 — Staten Island is first named Richmond County after Duke of Richmond

King Charles of England named Richmond Country, after Charles Lennox Duke of Richmond, who was Charles II’s illegitimate son.

What's In A Name?

Staten Island, and the other boroughs, became a part of Greater New York City in 1898; Staten Island then became known as the Borough of Richmond. Less then one hundred years later, the Borough of Staten Island suffered another name change. The Borough of Staten Island became the island’s official name in 1975.

There is a rumor that Staten Island became a part of Greater New York City because a New York sailing team beat a New Jersey team when they sailed around the island in one day.

Then And Now

Richmond County was a rural community; it was well known for farms, mills and shell fishing. Although…

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Tips on Keeping Your Pumpkin Alive this Halloween

Every year families go pumpkin picking in search for the right jack-o'-lantern to ornate their porch. You take the time to carve the best face and cross your fingers hoping it won't rot and mold.

Let's first identify why Jack's scary face turns into a frown after a week or two. The pumpkin guts that you throw out actually keep the vegetable from rotting; without those guts, the pumpkin becomes dehydrated and fungus attacks the inside. It's important when you pick your pumpkin that there are no gouges or bumps, and avoid soft spots! Imperfections can make Jack different from the others, but he will also become the first to be invaded by bacteria.

Try To Buy Fresh

Choosing a pumpkin from the local grocery store is convenient, but not the best…

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Spooktacular Souvenir Family Portrait Booth Raises $1500 for Staten Island Zoo

Tom, Ryan and Suzanne Crimmins (left to right)

Staten Island Zoo had a fun and fright filled weekend with their sold out Spooktacular. Some attractions included a doll house and Transylvania tour. Tom Crimmins Realty's very own Tom Delese had hosted a souvenir family portrait booth which was inspired by a pop-up Halloween card. All money and donations that were raised were given to the zoo.

"I bought six Halloween cards to get an idea from," said Delese. "I wanted something that I wanted to step into. I wanted to step into a graveyard."

The idea originated nine years ago when Delese, a former toy and industrial designer, worked at the Staten Island Advance. The Advance offered Spooktacular keychains and newspaper as…

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Halloween Events for October 25th Weekend

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Weekend Events of October 19th

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Tips On Becoming A Young Real Estate Investor

What 20 something-year-old isn’t dying for the right opportunity to leave their parents’ home? It is difficult to leave though because you may not have a lot of disposable income, have poor credit and perhaps even student loans.

However, investing in property at a young age can bring you a lot of advantages. When you invest long-term, you will start building your financial independence.

Some might believe that it is impossible for a young person to start investing so early in life, but investing in your 20s is completely possible. You will need a little bit of money to get started, but often you can purchase your first property with as little as 3.5% down.

If you want to get started early, here are some tips that will help you along the way:

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Westerleigh Park

John Vanderbilt first purchased Westerleigh Park, and the neighborhood of Westerleigh, in 1848. In 1887, Vanderbilt sold the 25-acres of Westerleigh to Christopher S. Williams and William H. Boole; Williams and Boole bought the property in hopes of a summer retreat courtesy of National Prohibition Campground. Originally named as the National Prohibition Park, the neighborhood changed their name to correspond with the Westerleigh Collegiate Institute of Staten Island. This was the first institute that provided a kindergarden-college education. 

Westerleigh became popular around the time of the temperance movement; which is why the park was an…

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