{"id":80847,"date":"2025-12-25T13:21:31","date_gmt":"2025-12-25T13:21:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/80847\/"},"modified":"2025-12-25T13:21:31","modified_gmt":"2025-12-25T13:21:31","slug":"heartwarming-vintage-photos-of-staten-island-winters-past","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/80847\/","title":{"rendered":"Heartwarming vintage photos of Staten Island winters past"},"content":{"rendered":"

Editor\u2019s note: A version of this story was originally published in 2017. It has been updated by Nicolette Cavallaro.<\/p>\n

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. \u2014 As we brace ourselves for winter, thoughts of annual outdoor activities \u2014 like ice skating, sledding, snowmobiling, skiing and snowman-building \u2014 dance in our heads.<\/p>\n

As Staten Islanders, we\u2019re privy to plenty of wide open spaces, with spots like LaTourette Golf Course and Clove Lakes Park \u2014 all favorites for adults and children looking to partake in days of fun once the powdery stuff starts to fall.<\/p>\n

In years past, Jack\u2019s Pond in Great Kills, Clove Lakes\u2019 Martling\u2019s Pond in West Brighton, Willowbrook Pond, Brady\u2019s Pond in Grasmere and Old Mill Pond in Historic Richmond Town would draw dozens of children and adults with ice skates strapped to their feet as soon as the ponds would freeze over.<\/p>\n

It wasn\u2019t uncommon for skiers to fly off the Todt Hill Ski jump northeastward, sailing toward open ground — which is now the Staten Island Expressway.<\/p>\n

Then they\u2019d cross a dirt road to an incline near Aymar Avenue and Little Clove Road and then head back to the platform.<\/p>\n

Skiers would ask kids to carry bushel-baskets of snow to the tower and spread it out. If snow wasn\u2019t plentiful, they\u2019d line the slope with straw to continue jumping.<\/p>\n

Sadly, the wooden-slat ski jump was destroyed in a fire in the 1940s during World War II.<\/p>\n

But then there were those who preferred building a snowman and frolicking in the snow on their own block.<\/p>\n

What are some of your favorite winter locations on Staten Island?<\/p>\n

Todt Hill Ski Jump\"StatenSpectators watch as skiers perform tricks from a makeshift ski jump on Todt Hill in 1935.Staten Island AdvanceRaritan Bay\"StatenThe winter of 1934 was one of the coldest on record. It was so cold, in fact, that Raritan Bay’s shipping channel completely froze over, permitting folks to skate from Staten Island to New Jersey. Believe it or not, these ice skaters are sliding around Raritan Bay off Pleasant Plains in 1934.Advance file photoMartling\u2019s Pond\"StatenOn Dec. 27, 1948, ice skaters enjoy themselves on Martling\u2019s Pond in Clove Lakes Park.Staten Island Advance\"StatenThe race is on as several young sledders glide down a hill near Martling’s Pond on Dec. 30, 1960.Staten Island Advance\"StatenSkaters swarm to Martling’s Pond on January 30, 1961.Staten Island Advance\"StatenFour Park Department workers got out their shovels on Jan. 18, 1954, to clear Martling’s Pond so ice skaters could enjoy the Island’s winter wonderland.(Staten Island Advance)\"StatenSkaters young and old lace up and enjoy a brisk January day in 1954 at Martling\u2019s Pond.Staten Island AdvanceSledding\"StatenJason Cianciotto has it easy, thanks to his trusty sled dog, Tex.(Staten Island Advance\/Frank J. Johns) Staff-Shot\"StatenNew Brighton. Marketta Smith, 8, gives her little sister Shatasha, 3, a ride in a milk crate down York Avenue in New Brighton.Staten Island AdvanceSkiing \"StatenOn February 6,1978, skis were a good way to get around, as this couple demonstrates on Kingsley Street in West Brighton.Staten Island Advance\"StatenThe winter of 1982: Alan Lin cross country skiing on the street where he lives.(Staten Island Advance,Irving Silverstein). Staff-ShotPlowing\"StatenTony Debiase was busy driving a snow plow on the sidewalk along St Mary’s Ave, Rosebank in 1978.(Staten Island Advance\/Irving Silverstein) Staff-ShotCameron\u2019s Pond\"StatenIf you believe bicycling is a warm-weather sport, then spring must be just around the corner, or so this couple must believe as they ride across Camerons Pond in Grasmere. Other youths clear the snow from the ice for a quick game of hockey.SIA file photoSnowmen\"StatenEric Allen, left, and Michael Scaramuzzo now have a third for bridge during the 1978 blizzard.(Staten Island Advance\/ Frank J. Johns) Staff-Shot\"StatenThis 10-foot-tall snowman was found on Woodvale Avenue in Prince’s Bay just before Christmas 1995.Staten Island AdvanceJack\u2019s Pond\"StatenFive ducks make their way across a frozen Jack’s Pond in Great Kills in 1960 as young hockey players seem oblivious.Staten Island AdvanceThe Polar Bear Club\"StatenMembers of the Polar Bear Club from Coney Island warm up on the sand at South Beach during their New Year’s Eve beach party. Alexander Mottola on far right is Vice President of Polar Bear Club from Coney Island. Alex is only Staten Islander.Staten Island AdvanceSnowmobiles\"StatenWinter blizzard of 1978: Better than a car and easier than walking, is a snowmobile.Staff-Shot<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Editor\u2019s note: A version of this story was originally published in 2017. It has been updated by Nicolette…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":80848,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[39],"tags":[9,24,63,134,136,135,39981],"class_list":{"0":"post-80847","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-staten-island","8":"tag-new-york","9":"tag-new-york-city","10":"tag-nyc","11":"tag-staten-island","12":"tag-staten-island-headlines","13":"tag-staten-island-news","14":"tag-wayitwas"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/80847","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=80847"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/80847\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/80848"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=80847"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=80847"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=80847"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}