The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-05-17

Here and there throughout the great
suburban area adjacent to the built up
portion Of New York city n tract Of and
will be found which has never fallen
under the hand u the professional sua-
urban developer. In most csis"a II VIII
he found that the property IL owned by
one Of the well known old Now York
families, ono Of whore ancestors pur-
chased # for mere song two or three
generations ago Perhaps that man ~
years ago could pc" N the far distance
a crowded population on Manhattan
Island spreading out into surrounding
sections ana giving great value TO the
then almost worthless land. ana It may
be as likely that the man from whom
tho present members Of the family get
their property took II reluctantly IN pay
rncnt OF some dcb- rc,cr dreaming that
In few generations that land would he
worth a kings ransom. Some ~ these
old estate properties 10 Just AZ Wild and
undevclopcd as the day M" origin ]
owner took them over. Others owned
been developed into charming home sec
tions. ranking among the most attractive
and most desirable In this Vicinity.
Kew Gardens, lying next to Richmond
I'M. In the Borough of Queens and adj
jaoent TO beautiful Forest Park. IL one
Of the latter. II IL n family matter
family pride Is behind its Improvement
and upbuildlng and II has IA mos: In
teresting history.
II IL Just abuut frty years ago that
the story Of this property began, which
II 10 be retod here. Queens county
now the Borough Of Queens. was Just as
near Manhattan Island then in point ot
miles rs It is to-day and tho property
that IL now Kew Gardens, lying at al
most the exact centre Of tho borough
was Just M attractive by reason OF It's
natural beauties aH Il IN to-day. But
because It had no railroad and beoa use
people who did business In Manhattan
found there plenty OF room for homes a
reasonable cost and without crowdlng
Kew Gardens, AZ II IN now, might Just
az we'll have been 900 miles from the
business section as nine miles, for all
the attraction 1t had for homcscekcrs.
II was at about this time that one
Edward Richmond. n In ndscapc architect
Of note. In travelling about this part OF
the world came upon the high ridge Of
hills that bIseots the present Borough OF
Queens and at once decided that he had
found there the garden spot Of New
York. He found the easy rolling hills
we'll covered by fine growth Of trees
and from the higher points he looked
abroad to see the city In the distance
on one hand the ocean To the south and
the waters OF Long Island Sound To the
north. Quickly the idea developed In
his mind OF turning this section into IA
country home district OF the highes.
type. and to get the necessary financial
backing for his scheme he went to ALBION
j. Man, then prominent New York
lawyer
That was the beginning OF the Rich.
mond Hin Of to-day. There was n tract
that appealed strongly TO Mr.. Richmond
because OF Its unusual loca ion and nat
urnl attractions, which he induced Mr..
Man to purchase. 1t took It's railroad
service from the Long Island Railroad,
then very modest steam road, and II
WAS on one Of the principal thorough
tsvee leading out Of Long Island City.
To this tract Mr. Man gave the name
Richmond HIll, and for II he planned
a development which would make II dis
tlnctive as country home community.
At first the growth Of the place was
necessarily slow, for then there was no
such movement az population ont of the
city as there IL now TO MIR, Richmond
was assigned the work Of carrying out