 
  
Part
of a Long Island Rail Road Advertisement, "Points of Interest", which illustrated
the Richmond Hill Club in the 1890's
The illustration
is part of a larger area of illustrations depicting other points of interest
in Richmond Hill from the Long Island Rail Road's Advertisement. Unfortunately,
this structure no longer exists but there are still some "points of interest"
that still exist in Richmond Hill today that were shown back in the 1890's
from the LIRR advertisement such as "Doyle's Triangle
Hotel" which would later become the Triangle Hofbrau, and "Dr.
W. C. Fiske's Office and Residence" which was also known as the "Lefferts
Farm Cottage".
Over
time as Richmond Hill grew so did the Richmond Hill Club which would add
another wing on the left of the building as seen in the illustration from
the Long Island Rail Road's advertisement.
Due
to the sparseness of development which is evident in the photo, and it
appears that Hillside Avenue is still a dirt road, (Hillside Avenue was
constructed from Richmond Hill to 175th Street, Jamaica in 1870) not surprising
that the Richmond Hill Club would soon become one of the featured highlights
along the Long Island Rail Road for sightseers as well as some other points
of interest in Richmond Hill during the late 1890's as it developed into
a new community.
 
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About the Richmond
Hill Club
Courtesy of the Carl
Ballenas Collection
(Photograph
of the Richmond Hill Club, circa 1888-89 on Hillside Avenue between Lefferts
Blvd. and 121st Street)
In
the vast foreground is Hillside Avenue between what would become Lefferts
Blvd and 121st Street. In the background is Jamaica Avenue with only a
few buildings along side it.
This
building was originally the first school house of Richmond Hill known as
Public School #8 (Note the school bell tower) which was originally located
on Lefferts Avenue (Blvd) between Hillside Avenue and Central (85th) Avenue
directly across from the Church of the Resurrection.
When
the growing population needed a larger school built, the developers decided
rather than demolish the school house, they would relocate the structure
to Hillside Avenue between Lefferts Blvd. and 121st Street and convert
the old school house into the Richmond Hill Club for the male residents
of Richmond Hill where they could conduct meetings and socialize. The photo
above shows when the building was finally relocated. The new school to
be built was the Johnson School on Johnson Avenue (118th St.) which is
today called Public School #51 on 117th Street between Jamaica and 89th
Avenues. The original PS #51 was a wooden structure and was replaced and
relocated by the 1920's on 117th Street where it still remains today. The
present school building has also been renovated through the years as well
as the school yard with new brightly colored facilities. There is however,
still seen today atop the flight of stairs that lead to the entrance of
the school, a pedestal with a brass bell on it which is the original school
bell from the first school house Public School #8.
Doyle's
Triangle Hotel
Lefferts
Farm Cottage
Metropolitan
Ave. & 118th St
About
Richmond Hill High School
Historic
Places of Interest in Richmond Hill
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