Friday, September 10, 2010

The Big House On Richmond Hill













The Gustav A. Mayer house sits on top a hill in New Dorp on Richmond Hill Rd. It was built in 1855 and made a land mark in 1989. The house was home to famed inventor Gustav A. Mayer, who moved his confectionery business to the Island from Manhattan. The house was originally built for David R. Ryers, and older man who was robbed by the New Dorp Highway Robbers in 1897.


Mayer was a entrepreneur who was very successful in the many things he took interest in. His shop was located in Stapleton to be close to the upscale section of Staten Island. Gustav was the inventor of the sugar wafer and also made desirable Christmas tree ornaments when they became a chic possession. He sold the sugar wafer to Nabisco who now owns the rights to the cookie. His ornaments where so desirable because of the shiny smooth tin and hand painted detail. He closed down his shop and moved his business into his house 


Members of the Mayer family still live at the location and are renovating the house to restore it to its original splendor. They upkeep the land it sits on the same way Gustav did when he ran the house.


3 comments:

  1. thats nice but what did he invent besides suger wafers and ornaments? he was rich and successful from that? he prolly made a killing selling the cookies to Nabisco but idk.

    ReplyDelete
  2. im not really sure other then he made random things in his store he was a confectionist made sweets and stuff as well as decorations very elaborate decorations... but yea deff made a killing on Nabisco

    ReplyDelete
  3. Wrong. Members of Mayer's family do not and have not owned the house for quite some time.

    ReplyDelete