Lavish Estate Turned Private Country Club

Richmond County Country Club

Did You Know?

The Richmond County Country Club is one of the rare surviving mansions on Staten Island. Built in the 1850s, the residence was a private house and was later, in 1888, taken over by the Richmond County Country Club. The club has been using it continuously ever since. The property was acquired by the Clubhouse from a lavish estate of Junius Brutus Alexander,  a shipping magnate who enjoyed watching his ships enter New York Harbor from his porch. Originally an establishment for fox hunting, today the RCCC is a 124-acre golf course that sits in the heart of Todt Hill and is the oldest private country club in New York City. The RCCC is a traditional, family-oriented, full service country club that boasts first class amenities including a championship 18-hole golf course with spectacular Atlantic Ocean views, pro shop, driving range and practice area, eight Har-Tru tennis courts, a swimming pool, a fitness center, a snack bar and two clubhouses (main and golf).

Todt Hill is home to the Richmond County Country Club,  it is considered to be one of the community jewels.  Located near the northeastern shore of Staten Island, and boarded by Grant City and Dogan Hills, Todt Hill is considered one of the most affluent and expensive areas in Staten Island. The history behind Todt Hill’s name has many different origins, three of which are very well known.  An article from the mid 1800’s stated that Todt Hill was once called “Todt of Death Hill” due to the many deaths of Indians and Dutch in that location. The second possible origin states that the name “Todt Hill” came from an anecdote, an incident occurred in which a young girl put a toad in a pocket of a boy who had been bothering her on the hill. This then turned into a joke, warning others to check their pockets on “Toad Hill”.

Richmond County Country Club

However, the first Europeans to settle in the area were attracted by the rich deposits of iron ore. Iron mining began as early as the 1600s and became so dominate in the early days, the area was known as Yserberg or Iron Hill and finally Todt Hill. During the Revolutionary War, the British used Todt Hill as a lookout and signal station since its high elevation made it easier to see for miles ahead. After World War II ended, a receiving station for a radio-telephone network was opened. This was used to communicate with ships and vehicles with radio-telephones services, as well as the police and fire department. The area of Todt Hill was created by a glacier and much of the landscape was shaped by these strip mines and carved by the miners, including some of the beautiful terrain of the Richmond County Country Club Golf Course. It’s more than a place to socialize and play golf, it’s a place where you can create an extension of your family, an alliance with similar values. As well as a place with a strong sense of community that can have a big impact on one’s future.