Grasmere, Staten Island facts for kids
Grasmere is a quiet neighborhood on the East Shore of Staten Island, one of the five boroughs of New York City, New York. Even though major roads cross through it, Grasmere has kept its peaceful, suburban feel. The area, along with nearby Concord, used to have many lakes and ponds. These looked a lot like the famous Lake District in England, which includes a village also called Grasmere. The name "Grasmere" for this neighborhood is often linked to Sir Roderick Cameron. He was an American who came from Canada and was even knighted by Queen Victoria.
Getting Around Grasmere
You can easily travel through Grasmere using public transportation. The Staten Island Railway has a stop right in the neighborhood called Grasmere station. The distance between Grasmere station and the next stop north, Clifton station, is the longest gap between any two stations on the entire railway system!
Grasmere also has local bus service. The S78, S79 SBS buses run along Hylan Boulevard. The S53 bus travels on Clove Road. If you need to go further, express buses are available. These include the SIM1, SIM7, and SIM10 on Hylan Boulevard. The SIM15 uses Targee Street (going north) and Richmond Road (going south). The SIM3C and SIM35 run on Narrows Road. Finally, the SIM30 bus travels on Tompkins Avenue.
Cool Places to See
Grasmere has a few interesting spots. The main office for the Staten Island Advance newspaper is located here. This is the daily newspaper for Staten Island. You can find their executive offices at 950 Fingerboard Road.
Another special place is Brady's Pond. This pond is privately owned. It sits south of the Staten Island Expressway, between the Staten Island Railway and Hylan Boulevard. Several homes in Grasmere are right next to the pond. The Cameron Club of Staten Island owns and manages Brady's Pond. Only members of this club can access the pond. However, there is a public park in the neighborhood called Brady's Pond Preserve. It is located at the northwest corner of the pond.
Who Lived in Grasmere?
Many interesting people have lived in Grasmere over the years.
- In music, A. J. Pero, who was the second drummer for the band Twisted Sister, grew up on West Fingerboard Road.
- In television, Glenn Scarpelli from the 1975 TV show One Day At A Time grew up on Normalee Road.
- Matthew Mirones, a former member of the New York State Assembly, lives in Grasmere. He also used to be the President of the Grasmere Civic Association.
- Cassius Marcellus Coolidge, the artist famous for his "Dogs Playing Poker" paintings, lived in Grasmere later in his life.
- Sir Roderick Cameron, a shipping executive from the 1800s, started a horse-breeding farm in the area.
- David Carr is a current member of the New York City Council. He represents the 50th District, which includes Grasmere.
