Todt Hill

Todt Hill (/ˈtoʊt/ TOHT)^[1] is a 401-foot-tall (122 m) hill formed of serpentine rock on Staten Island, New York. It is the highest natural point in the five boroughs of New York City and the highest elevation on the entire Atlantic coastal plain from Florida to Cape Cod.^[2] The summit of the ridge is largely covered in woodlands as part of the Staten Island Greenbelt, although much of the surrounding area is developed and residential.^[3] It is considered one of the most exclusive and most expensive areas of Staten Island.^[4]

Todt Hill
Todt Hill view
Highest point
Coordinates	40°36′08″N 74°06′44″W / 40.60222°N 74.11222°W / 40.60222; -74.11222
Geography
Location of Todt Hill on Staten Island Show map of New York City Todt Hill (New York) Show map of New York

History

The name Todt comes from the German word "Tod" for "death" and may refer to the cemetery (the present Moravian Cemetery, opened in 1740 and now the island's largest cemetery^[5]) on the southwestern foot of the ridge near the town of New Dorp that has been in use since colonial days. An alternate explanation is that the name was given by early Dutch settlers because of treeless rocky exposures on the hilltop,^[6] caused by the soil of the Staten Island Serpentinite locality.

At the beginning of the 20th century, many houses designed by the architect Ernest Flagg were built in the area. A significant part of Todt Hill is now included in the Staten Island Greenbelt.

Geography

The term Todt Hill is now often used to include the upscale developments in the hills along the eastern side of the ridge, which most island geographers classify as part of the neighborhood of Dongan Hills.

Two small, natural ponds are found on Todt Hill, and a Roman Catholic priory is located near the summit. Staten Island Academy, a private school, moved its campus to Todt Hill in the 1960s. There is a golf course adjoining the Moravian Cemetery, each of which has a man-made pond. Otherwise the hill is either parkland or private homes. There is no public transit available on Todt Hill, and most of the streets, including Todt Hill Road, the neighborhood's main thoroughfare, lack sidewalks.

The point of highest elevation is the unmarked rise in the street level at the intersection of Dalemere Road and Chapin Avenue.^[7]

Demographics

Todt Hill consists of the two census tracts 177 and 181, although census tract 177 incorporates part of Emerson Hill. According to the 2010 census,^[8] the demographics of Todt Hill were 80% non Hispanic White, 1% Black, 11% Asian, and 1% Multiracial. Hispanics of any race made up 7% of the population. The median household income of the area is roughly $120,000. Todt Hill is one of Staten Island's most affluent areas.

As of 2011, the district houses about 11,000 inhabitants. The population density was approximately 1,400 people per square kilometer.^[9]

Notable residents

• The Gambino crime family boss Paul Castellano lived there, in a house noted for its intended resemblance to the White House.^[10] His family continued to live on Todt Hill after his death, but moved in 2000.
• Mob Wives reality television star Drita D’avanzo grew up in the Todt Hill Houses.^[11]
• Former New York Mets relief pitcher John Franco currently lives on the hill.
• The Corleone family compound from The Godfather was filmed on Todt Hill.^[12]
• Frank Matthews, a notorious drug kingpin in the 1970s, lived on Todt Hill.
• Frank Cali, acting boss of the Gambino crime family, was killed outside his home in Todt Hill on March 13, 2019.^[13][14]

Transportation

Todt Hill is served by multiple bus routes on Richmond Road, including the S74, S76, S84 and S86 local buses, and the SIM15 express bus.^[15]

References

1. Flegenheimer, Matt (5 September 2011). "Todt Hill in Staten Island Offers a Different New York". The New York Times. Retrieved 6 April 2018 – via NYTimes.com.
2. Sanderson, Eric (2009). Mannahatta A Natural History of New York City. Harry N. Abrams. pp. 83–84.
3. "Historywww.library.csi.cuny.edu". cuny.edu. Retrieved 6 April 2018.
4. "Top 3 Most Expensive Staten Island Homes Sold in 2011". statenislandlifestyle.com. 10 January 2012. Retrieved 6 April 2018.
5. Douglas Keister (2011). Stories in Stone New York: A Field Guide to New York City Area Cemeteries and Their Residents. Gibbs Smith. pp. 177, 256. ISBN 978-1423621027.
6. Frank, Dave. "Geology of National Parks". 3dparks.wr.usgs.gov. Retrieved 6 April 2018.
7. "Todt Hill - Staten Island, New York". Atlas Obscura. 2022. Retrieved 3 February 2022.
8. "Mapping America: Every City, Every Block". The New York Times. 13 December 2010. Retrieved 6 April 2018 – via NYTimes.com.
9. "Todt Hill neighborhood in Staten Island, New York". city- data.com. Retrieved 29 December 2014.
10. Raab, Selwyn (2005). Five Families : The Rise, Decline, and Resurgence of America's Most Powerful Mafia Empires (1st ed.). New York: Thomas Dunne Books. ISBN 0-312-30094-8. neo-Federal.
11. Andrea Boyarsky (April 8, 2011). "New television show 'Mob Wives' follows four Staten Island women and their lifestyles". SILive.com. Staten Island Advance. Retrieved June 8, 2011.
12. Victor, Daniel (March 14, 2019). "Todt Hill on Staten Island: Frank Cali's Neighborhood Is Known for Mob Ties". The New York Times. Retrieved August 7, 2021.
13. Wilson, Michael; Weiser, Benjamin (March 14, 2019). "Frank Cali, the Slain Gambino Boss, Was a 'Ghost' Who Avoided the Limelight". The New York Times. Retrieved August 7, 2021.
14. "Frank Cali of Gambino Crime Family Murdered In New York At Age 53". Def Pen. Retrieved March 14, 2019.
15. "Staten Island Bus Map" (PDF). Metropolitan Transportation Authority. January 2020. Retrieved December 1, 2020.

• Jackson, Kenneth T., ed. (2010). The Encyclopedia of New York City (2nd ed.). New Haven: Yale University Press. ISBN 978-0-300-11465-2.