Clawson Playground (Staten Island)

Twenty-seven members of the Clawson family are buried in the Church of St. Andrew’s here on Staten Island, their epitaphs recorded in a book in the church. The colonial-style Clawson Homestead on New Dorp Lane was built in 1795 by Jonathan Clawson (1738-1816) and enlarged in 1825 by Reuben Clawson, who lived there until his death in 1872. Clawson Playground was named in honor of this Staten Island clan.

In the late 19th century, this neighborhood was a seaside resort. Early in the 20th century, the streets from 1st Street (now Acorn) to Mill Road and those from Oak Avenue to Brook and Elm were first developed. The streets of the grid were numbered, while the avenues were given the names of trees and women. The neighborhood became known by the name of the development company and has remained Oakwood to this day.

The City acquired this site, at Adelaide Avenue and Clawson Road, on April 21, 1955, and the playground opened on June 29, 1959. Students from P.S. 50 and neighborhood residents enjoy the park’s varied recreation facilities, including a grassy playing field, an asphalt ball field, basketball courts, and an outdoor classroom. Evergreens in the park are frequently decorated for the holiday season.