Annadale Green

This site and its environs were originally part of the Township of Westfield, which was established by the British in 1688 and covered about one-third of Staten Island. The name Annadale comes from Anna S. Seguine (b. 1828Α) who was married to Stephen Seguine (b. 1823Α), treasurer of the Staten Island Railroad.

A Staten Island Railroad station was built in the area and Erastus Wiman (1834-1904), the man who oversaw much of Staten Island’s transportation improvements during the 19th century, including the St. George Ferry Terminal and the Staten Island Rapid Transit Company, named the station and the vicinity for Mrs. Seguine in the 1860s. In 1898, when Staten Island became part of New York City, the Township of Westfield became the Fifth Ward while this specific section retained the name Annadale.

Located at the intersection of Annadale Road and Jefferson Boulevard, this park fell under the jurisdiction of the Staten Island Borough President. In 1962, it was transferred to Parks in order to facilitate changes being made throughout town. These included a newly laid out street system and the installation of sidewalks. In 1997, the park’s pavement and paths were improved with $37,952 of funding from Mayor Giuliani. One year later, the name of this site was changed from Annadale Park to Annadale Green.

In 1953, a war memorial was erected on this site. It honors the 12 residents of Annadale who gave their lives in World War II and the Korean War. The bronze tablet was originally posted near the mall on Jefferson Boulevard, but when Annadale was redesigned in 1962, it was moved to its present location and mounted on a boulder. Each Memorial Day and Veterans Day, the Beauvais-Hudson Post No. 126 of the American Legion holds a ceremony at this site. This service includes the placement of a wreath on the memorial, as well as a traditional three-gunshot salute with the playing of Taps.

Today, Annadale Green is a focal point for the center of town. Shops, restaurants, and the train station surround the park’s open space. The Annadale Garden Club, a volunteer organization, beautifies the park throughout the year: decorating it for the Fourth of July, Easter, and Halloween, and dressing an English White pine (Pinus strobus) each holiday season. Aesthetically and functionally, Annadale Green is reminiscent of a colonial town square, and enhances the small-town atmosphere that still endures here.