Sandy Ground is one of the nations founded by freed African Americans, established by a cadre of black oystermen from Snow Hill, Maryland, in the 1830s. Sandy Ground, established initially by free black farmers and joined later by oystermen and their families who came up from Maryland in the 1850’Many of these oystermen had regularly travelled to New York Harbor, selling their shellfish in Manhattan markets, then harvesting Staten Island oyster seed upon their return. Following a wave of repressive laws passed by white Marylanders in the 1820s, many of these Chesapeake oystermen packed their boats and moved northward, settling on a sandy hummock half way between Arthur Kill and Raritan Bay where land was relatively cheap. Sandy Ground reached its height of population and power during the late 19th century when over 150 African American families called the hamlet their home. Buoyed by a booming oyster industry, residents owned homes, property, boats, and businesses. Farmers worked what had been considered “useless” land into impressive hauls of eggplants, asparagus, sweet potatoes, and strawberries.

Sandy Ground was settled in 1833 by African-American oystermen fleeing the restrictive industry laws of Maryland. Located at Bloomingdale Road, between Rossville and Charleston, it became the first free black community in New York.