Located in Oakwood Heights on Amboy Road, only a few blocks from my home, is Amundsen Circle.
Amundsen Circle consists of a circle of grass and trees, with this memorial to Captain Roald Amundsen at the center. It includes two benches and a small garden surrounding the boulder. The boulder apparently dropped off of a glacier during one of Captain Amundsen’s voyages, and the plaque on it explains the memorial. Captain Amundsen is credited with discovering the Northwest Passage and the South Pole, but he disappeared at sea. The location was acquired by New York City in 1928 and was named for Captain Amundsen on July 9, 1929. In 1933, the Norsemen Glee Club of Staten Island and the Norwegian Singing Society of Brooklyn placed a tablet on this site in honor of the pioneering Norwegian explorer. This became the memorial I visited today.
This piece of artwork certainly does speak to me. I believe it represents some of the rich history of the world as a whole, but also the history of Staten Island. Many people seem to forget that Staten Island was heavily involved in many historical events, such as the American Revolution and the Civil War. A memorial such as this physically shows the history of Staten Island while honoring a pioneering explorer. Captain Amundsen is a name rarely mentioned, but his contributions to the exploration of the world were critically significant, and I believe the combination of this boulder with the garden honors him excellently. As of 2020, I honestly do not believe this represents my neighborhood. I feel that the people here likely do not acknowledge Staten Island’s history or the history of exploration. It is quite likely that the majority of local people do not know who Captain Amundsen is. However, I believe this memorial was placed in my neighborhood because it stands at a major connection point. It stands where Amboy Road, one of the major roads of Staten Island, connects to Clark Avenue, which leads to historic Richmondtown. This emphasizes the importance of the location while honoring an explorer. It definitely does not fit perfectly and is a fairly odd location, but I believe it works well and adds some beauty and some history to an otherwise standard neighborhood.
It is true that Staten’s Islands historical significance is often undervalued and I am glad you found a monument to a part of it. It looks very serene and contemplative.
Having grown up in Oakwood from the age of eleven, we would play and walk through the circle daily on our way to PS 50 off Guyon Avenue. This memorial, I think, actually commemorates the fact that Norwegians comprised a large portion of the islands population that largely settled the island.