Annadale is a middle-class neighborhood on the South Shore of the

borough A borough is an administrative division in various English language, English-speaking countries. In principle, the term ''borough'' designates a self-governing walled town, although in practice, official use of the term varies widely. History ...

Staten Island Staten Island ( ) is the southernmost of the boroughs of New York City, five boroughs of New York City, coextensive with Richmond County and situated at the southernmost point of New York (state), New York. The borough is separated from the ad ...

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

History

The community received its present name circa 1860, and is named after Anna Seguine, a descendant of French

Huguenot The Huguenots ( , ; ) are a Religious denomination, religious group of French people, French Protestants who held to the Reformed (Calvinist) tradition of Protestantism. The term, which may be derived from the name of a Swiss political leader, ...

s who were among the South Shore's earliest settlers; this settlement is also responsible for the neighborhood immediately to the southwest of Annadale being named

, and the Seguine family also lends its name to Seguine Avenue, the principal north–south thoroughfare on the east side of Prince's Bay, the next neighborhood southwest of Huguenot. In 1929, immigrants from

Spain Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...

purchased land along the Annadale shoreline, and founded a settlement that became known as the Spanish Camp, or Spanish Colony. First tents, and later bungalows, were built at the site. The site was purchased and buildings demolished at the end of the 20th century so that several large, upscale homes could be constructed.

Geography

Annadale once had abundant woodland, but much of it was cleared in the last three decades of the 20th Century to make room for new homes. However, a city park in the heart of the neighborhood was converted into a wildlife preserve; known as Blue Heron Park Preserve, it covers 222 acres (898,000 m²), much of it consisting of ponds, swamps and small streams which empty into nearby

Raritan Bay Raritan Bay is a bay located at the southern portion of Lower New York Bay between the U.S. states of New York and New Jersey and is part of the New York Bight. The bay is bounded on the northwest by New York's Staten Island, on the west b ...

. The northwestern part of Annadale is now often regarded as a separate neighborhood known as Arden Heights. Southeast Annadale also harbors its own identity separate from the rest of the neighborhood. This section of Annadale is most often associated with Blue Heron Park.

Public libraries

New York Public Library The New York Public Library (NYPL) is a public library system in New York City. With nearly 53 million items and 92 locations, the New York Public Library is the second-largest public library in the United States behind the Library of Congress a ...

operates the Huguenot Park Branch, which serves Annadale and other neighborhoods, at 830 Huguenot Avenue at Drumgoole Road East. The branch opened in January 1985.

Transportation

Annadale is served by the

Staten Island Railway The Staten Island Railway (SIR) is a rapid transit, railroad line in the New York City borough (New York City), borough of Staten Island. It is owned by the Staten Island Rapid Transit Operating Authority (SIRTOA), a subsidiary of the Metropol ...

's Annadale Station, at Amboy Road/Annadale Road. It is served by the local buses and the express buses. Korean War Veterans Parkway passes through Annandale.

References

Neighborhoods in Staten Island Populated coastal places in New York (state) {{StatenIsland-geo-stub