Junk Removal in Rossville, Staten Island, NY

Rossville is a neighborhood in Staten Island, NY, and is one of the older communities on the island. It is located in the northeastern part of Staten Island on a peninsula that borders Prince’s Bay and formerly had abundant tidal marshlands.

Rossville is famous for its historical and preserved houses. Many previous houses in Rossville have been torn down to make way for new construction, but some of the oldest houses still stand.

Now, from Providence Street, from Richmond Avenue to Amboy Road, there are only two houses that date back before the Revolutionary War.

Rossville is separated from Fresh Kills by a berm that was built during the construction of the Arthur Kill Vertical Lift Bridge.

History

The first inhabitants of what is now Rossville were bands of Ciboney Indians, who called their settlement “Okitan.” The first European explorers to make contact with the Ciboney were the Dutch explorers Adrian Block and Hendrick Christiaensen at some time between 1611 and 1614. The first European settlers in Rossville arrived in the 18th century, many of them soldiers stationed at Fort Wadsworth (then called Fort Clinton) along the Narrows.

Rossville was part of New Dorp until 1884. It was named after Daniel Ross, who purchased part of a tract from the government in 1739 and built a house there two years later.

The area remained predominantly rural farmland through the mid-20th century. That changed with the construction of The Verrazano Narrows Bridge (opened November 21, 1964) and the surrounding communities.

Notable Places

Rossville is home to many landmarks and monuments.

Historically, Rossville’s main commercial center was Lucas Avenue.

Lonely Graves’ small mound contains the lonely grave of an unknown Confederate soldier who died in a skirmish at this location between Union soldiers and Confederate troops during the American Civil War on September 16, 1863. The local legend states that his final resting place is unmarked because Union soldiers robbed him for his valuable gold fillings.

The Rossville AME Zion Church is a historic African-American church dating from 1885 and was one of the first churches in the area to be built for an African American congregation. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2000. The church’s congregation dates back to January 3, 1818, when it was formed by African Americans in New York City.

Black’s Mill was constructed around 1830-1832 and is the only remaining tidal mill in New York state. The surviving building is one of very few remnants of Staten Island’s agricultural past.

Notable Residents

Rossville’s notable residents include Willie Mays (1931- ), Baseball Hall of Fame player, Arthur Miller (1915-2005), Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright, Louis Prima (1910-1978), musician and actor, and Sonny Werblin (1914-1984), New York Giants president.