Abandoned New York City Farm Colony
Exploring Staten Island's 1898 hidden City, once a Utopian Vision where New York City Outcasts could have a self sustaining alternative city, and it was working! Until the Government, with the Advent of Social Security started dumping their poor out to Staten Island eventually in the 1950's turning it into a poor house, where it was finally abandoned in the 70's and became a notorious killing ground in the early 80's
9/7/20233 min read
Once a Utopian self sustaining city for the cast-outs of New York City it became a poor house after the advent of Social Security, and by the 1950's another Failed New York Institution finally closing in the 1970's it's now a beautiful masterpiece of Urban Decay
My first approach to the mythic New York City Farm Colony on Staten Island seemed like a forest mirage. I wondered if I had even found the place, but then in the woods? There it was the colors of spray paint on buildings.
After you see one building and if you have the guts to push on through what can seem some spooky woods you find abandoned roads and a whole other city that once existed, thrived, and died.
Located on Staten Island when Staten Island became a borough of New York City in 1898 the New York City Farm Colony became something of a Utopian city where the cast outs of society of the big city had a little city where 2000 folks managed to grow 5,000 vegetables?! How amazing is that? A group of people that seemed to fit in nowhere came together somewhere on Staten Island and became self sufficient! Of course as with all good things that a group of alternative thinkers come up with? Of course the government will misuse and screw that up. That's the other story, the sad story of this city outside New York City on Staten Island which is a reminder to good dreams turned night terror.
I gotta admit, some of the buildings gave me the hee-bee-jeebees and when I Urbex? I generally don't look into the hauntings until after I leave the site. If I read up on all the rumors about Staten Island? I don't think I would have had the guts to approach some of the more foreboding buildings, and of all the Urbexing I have done over the last five years? This place has a real ghost town vibe.
Paranormal activity has been reported in multiple buildings.
I'm super glad that I didn't learn until after my visit that this building was near the abandoned tunnels where Andre Rand set up camp and he was responsible for a string of child murders in the 70's and 80's. In 1987 the body of Jennifer Shwweiger was found not far from where her killer set up camp. Yeah, definitely glad I didn't read this prior to my visit. Having grown up on the Point Reyes National Seashore in the late 70's and 80's in California where I rode my horse daily on Sky Trail? That's where David Carpenter, the trailside killer did his dirty work, and so I get it, these creepy places where nobody would hear you scream.
We lived to tell the tale
With me? I do go to dark places, but I bring a lightness with me.
