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Livingston

Just to the west of R.H. Tugs, the Livingston station supposedly sat at the foot of Bard Avenue. There's a convenience store there, where track resumes its natural state and proceeds west.

Between Bard and Davis Avenues, the track procedes dramatically over another eroded section of fill. The area also features some concrete waterfront structures, perhaps having something to do with the sewer overflow outlet, or perhaps just the foundations of some long-defunct structures.

Snug Harbor was founded on 1801 bequest of farmland by Robert Richard Randall that was delayed by an extended dispute over the will. It finally opened in 1833 to provide a haven for "aged, decrepit and worn out sailors." Over the 19th century the facility expanded to 50 buildings housing over 900 residents from around the world. Residency and financial support declined in the mid 20th century. The few remaining residents were relocated to North Carolina in the 1960s. With the historic property falling into disrepair and being coveted by developers, the New York City Landmark's Commission got the facility listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The 83-acre facility was purchased by the city in 1973 and transformed into the Snug Harbor Cultural Center and Botanical Garden, an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution.

For a more detailed history of Snug Harbor, see Gerald J. Barry's The Sailors' Snug Harbor: 1801-2001

Just to the east of sits Neville House, a country residence built around 1770 by John Neville, a retired naval officer. In the 19th century it was used as a tavern that likely received much of its patronage from the retired sailors living next door. When I visited in 2009, it was in pretty bad shape.

The area of New Brighton near Snug Harbor is an area of pleasant, older single-family homes, becoming a little more dense and less affluent as you move west into Livingston and West Brighton.

Next: West Brighton