Updated: July. 12, 2026, 4:15 p.m. | Published: July. 11, 2026, 5:50 a.m.
Sandy Ground is the nation’s oldest free Black settlement continuously inhabited by descendants. Advance Local Express Desk
By Amanda Faublas | afaublas@siadvance.com
EDITOR’S NOTE
This story is part of an ongoing journalistic initiative to rally the community and the country around a critical, but endangered, historical site: Sandy Ground, the nation’s oldest free Black settlement still inhabited by descendants of its pioneers.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — In Sandy Ground, the nation’s oldest continuously inhabited free Black settlement, family history is woven into nearly every street, home and story passed down through the generations.
Among those memories is Cooper’s Tavern, a neighborhood institution that longtime residents remember not simply as a bar, but as a cherished gathering place where friendships were forged, stories were shared and community ties were strengthened.
For decades, the tavern served as a social hub welcoming residents from all walks of life and bringing together neighbors across racial, family and social lines. Whether stopping in to catch up with friends, celebrate milestones or unwind after a long day, patrons found more than food and drinks — they found a sense of belonging.
Although the building no longer stands, members of the Cooper family recently reflected on the tavern’s enduring legacy, recalling it as one of Sandy Ground’s liveliest and most beloved gathering spots, a place remembered as much for its characters and warm atmosphere as for the family members who kept it running.
The tavern was operated by brothers Melvin, Elmer, Ralph and Kenny Cooper, and became a familiar gathering spot for residents looking for good company and a sense of community.
“It was one of the hot spots out here,” recalled descendant Ralph Cooper.
For the Cooper family, the tavern was never just about serving drinks. It was a place where neighbors gathered after work, after games and on weekends. It was connected to the community’s broader recreational life, including local softball teams, and reflected the unity that many residents associated with Sandy Ground.
“It wasn’t about Black and white,” said Ralph Cooper. “It was about having a nice time, going to a place and enjoying the atmosphere and the good company that was there. That was one of the things that we learned in Sandy Ground… we’re a community.”
That sense of mutual respect was what made the tavern a welcoming gathering place for people from all walks of life.
“We didn’t have any problems in the bar,” said Ralph Cooper. “Everybody came with respect and everybody left with respect.”
The building itself added to the tavern’s charm. Family members described the building as old, unusual and almost cinematic — a weathered structure that looked like it belonged in another era.
“It was kind of spooky, like Halloween,” said descendant Darren Ganzy.
Despite that rough appearance, relatives remembered the building fondly. Its character added to the experience and helped make it a recognizable part of the Sandy Ground landscape.
A family legacy of entrepreneurship
For the Cooper family, the tavern was also part of a larger story of entrepreneurship in Sandy Ground.
Relatives traced that spirit back to Sadie and John Cooper, who operated a store in the neighborhood. Family members described the couple as hardworking and generous, with a home that welcomed relatives, neighbors and children throughout the community.
“I would say that would be the beginning of our family entrepreneurship” said descendant Vickie Cooper Taylor, noting that several family members went on to own businesses, property or other ventures.
That tradition continued through generations, with members of the Cooper family going on to own businesses, property and other ventures — eventually leading to the creation of one of Sandy Ground’s best-known establishments.
Surviving disaster
Cooper’s Tavern also became part of Sandy Ground’s history because it survived one of the area’s most devastating events.
According to Staten Island Advance reporting at the time, the April 1963 brush fires that swept through Rossville destroyed numerous homes and damaged large portions of the Sandy Ground community.
Cooper’s Tavern before and after fire. (Courtesy of Newsbank)Newsbank
In a report following the fires, Staten Island Advance/SILive.com writer James G. Ferreri recalled driving through the neighborhood after the fires and seeing the devastation. Among the destruction, one familiar landmark remained standing: Cooper’s Tavern.
“When we reached that part of town, my Dad shouted, ‘Cooper’s is still standing,’” Ferreri wrote. “We were all happy and relieved to see the old wood-frame building, its wooden stairs still intact among the smoking ruins of houses and trees all around it.”
The moment reflected the tavern’s significance beyond its role as a gathering place. It had become a fixture of the neighborhood — something residents recognized and took comfort in seeing remain.
The fire that ended Cooper’s Tavern
More than a decade later, Cooper’s Tavern came to an abrupt end.
According to reports at the time, the tavern burned on Jan. 2, 1983, and police arrested Joseph Mandato, 23, of Rossville, in connection to the blaze.
Advance reports said Mandato, who lived next door to the tavern and worked at Bayley Seton Hospital, was accused of telling neighbors he was responsible for the fire.
Authorities said the incident followed an earlier dispute at the tavern. A brick had been thrown through one of the building’s windows after an argument over a bill.
Mandato later returned to the tavern after visiting other bars and allegedly set fire to wood at the rear of the building.
The tavern was closed and unoccupied when the fire was discovered. By the time firefighters arrived, the building had suffered extensive damage, with the roof and interior floors collapsing into the basement.
Mandato was later indicted on arson and criminal mischief charges. Another report stated he also faced accusations of attempting to intimidate a potential witness through phone calls and threats.
He eventually pleaded guilty to attempted arson and was sentenced to six months in jail and five years’ probation, the Advance reported.
A Rossville resident turns his face from intense heat as he runs to the rear of Cooper’s Tavern in Rossville. (Staten Island Advance)Staten Island Advance
The tavern was never rebuilt.
Because the building was city-owned and the Cooper family leased the property, relatives said rebuilding was financially out of reach.
“It was city property,” Ralph Cooper said. “They financially, couldn’t afford to.”
Later Advance reporting stated that an insurance company settled a fire damage claim with the building owners for $65,000 and sought reimbursement from the defendant’s father.
Real estate brokers later purchased the tavern and surrounding three-acre property in 1981 for $145,000.
A legacy that remains
But while the building disappeared, the memories surrounding Cooper’s Tavern remained.
For the Cooper family, the tavern represents more than a lost structure. It was part of a larger story about Sandy Ground — a community shaped by family ties, entrepreneurship and neighbors who looked out for one another.
It was a place where generations gathered after work, after games and on weekends. A place where people from different backgrounds came together, not because of what separated them, but because of what they shared.
Today, Cooper’s Tavern lives on through the stories passed down by those who remember it — a reminder of the businesses, gathering spaces and family traditions that helped define Sandy Ground.
Though the wood-frame building is gone, its place in the community’s history remains standing.
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