Staten Island
_History timeline:
1524: April
Giovanni da Verrazano, an Italian explorer sailing under the Sponsorship of King Francois I of France, becomes the first European to pass through the Narrows.
1609: September 3
Henry Hudson, an English explorer sailing under the sponsorship of Holland, enters New York Bay in the ship Halve Maen (Half Moon). He names the island Staaten Eyelandt in honor of the Dutch Parliament - the States General or Staaten.
1639: January 5
From the journal of Captain David Pietersen De Vries: "Anno 1639 The 5th January I sent my people to Staten Island to begin to plant a colony there and build." This is the beginning of the first European settlement on Staten Island. By 1641 the colony is abandoned due to conflicts with the Native Americans (The Pig War).
1670: April 13
Native Americans give up Staten Island in an agreement with the English Colonial Governor Francis Lovelace. Native American concepts of allowing the use of land without granting ownership (which they felt no individual was entitled to own) cloud the validity of such land agreements.
1747
First ferry established between Manhattan and the North Shore.
1783: December 5
The last British troop ship departs the newly formed United States from Staten Island. Staten Island crowds gather to jeer the departing warships as they pass through the Narrows. The last shot of the Revolutionary War is fired from a departing British vessel at the Staten Islanders. By the end of the war Staten Island was almost completely deforested to supply fuel for British army campfires.
1788
Staten Island is divided into four official townships: Northfield, Southfield, Westfield and Castleton.
1836: September 12
Aaron Burr, former Vice President of the United States, dies in Port Richmond.
1850
Italian born inventor Antonio Meucci comes to Staten Island from Cuba to develop and patent his telephone. His experiments with medical shock treatments had revealed the possibility of transmitting the human voice over electrical wires. Because Meucci lacked the funds to patent his invention the credit for the invention of the telephone eventually went to Alexander Graham Bell.
1854
Kreischerville is founded in Southwest Staten Island. It was the home of clay mining operations (the remnants of which are still visible at Clay Pit Ponds State Park) and brick manufacture.
1856: January 21
Staten Island Historical Society is founded.
1858: September 1
Fearing the spread of contagious disease a mob of Staten Islanders burn the Quarantine Hospital in Tompkinsville. The hospital served immigrants to the US who were thought to be too ill to enter the country.
1860: April 23
The first passenger train on the Staten Island Railroad begins operating between Eltingville and Clifton (Vanderbilt's Landing)
1860
Staten Island gets its first magnetic telegraph line.
1860 July
Richmond County Mirror, first newspaper printed on Staten Island is published.
1861-1865
During the Civil War Staten Island helps the Union War effort in several ways. Many Union regiments assemble on Staten Island to train before heading to battle including the Clinton Rifles, 178th and 145th Regiments. Staten Island ferryboats were mounted with cannons and served in the Union Navy. Colonel Robert Gould Shaw, longtime Staten Island resident, led an African American Regiment into battle.
1863: July 14
Civil War draft riots spread to Staten Island. Homes of African Americans in Stapleton are burned as blacks are unfairly blamed for causing the war. At least 5 are killed on Staten Island and many others injured.
1866: March 17
Noted Island photographer, Alice Austen, is born. The pioneering woman photographer captured thousands of images of Staten Island and New York City life. Her Rosebank home, "Clear Comfort", overlooking the Narrows is preserved as the Alice Austen Museum.
1871: July 30
The worst accident in the history of the Staten Island ferry occurs. A boiler explosion aboard the ferryboat Westfield II kills over 125 passengers and injures over 200 as it departs South Ferry.
1889: June 13
The first bridge from Staten Island to New Jersey is opened. The railroad bridge connects Howland Hook to Elizabeth New Jersey. It was later torn down to make room for the Goethals Bridge.
1898: January 21
Staten Island joins New York City. 73% of Staten Islanders approve the referendum that combines the Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens and Staten Island into a single city. Up to this point Richmond County had been administered as five townships.
1899: Feb. 6
First library opens in Tottenville, gift of Andrew Carngie
1904: February 9
Curtis High School opens in St. George. Named for the writer, editor, orator George William Curtis.
1905: October 25
The City of New York takes control of the Staten Island Ferry due to dangerous conditions created by private ferry operators.
1912: June 21
Abel Kiviat, a Curtis High School Track Star, wins the Olympic silver medal for the 1,500-meter run in Stockholm, Sweden. He also captures gold with the U.S. 3,000-meter relay team. He is the cabinmate of track great Jim Thorpe on the ship to Sweden.
1914-1918
World War I. More than 5,000 Staten Islanders join the armed services, more men per capita than any county in the United States. 160 are killed in action. 9,000 workers are employed building steel cargo ships for the war effort at the Standard Shipbuilding Company on Shooter's Island.
1918: June
Staten Island Advance begins daily publication
1923
Ground is broken in St. George and Brooklyn for a subway line connecting the two boroughs. It is never completed.
1929
The Staten Island Stapleton's, a long time Island semi-professional team, joins the National Football League.
1931: November 15
The Bayonne Bridge opens connecting Elm Park, Staten Island and Bayonne New Jersey. It is the longest Steel Arch Bridge in the world when it is completed, just slightly longer than the Sydney Harbor Bridge in Australia.
1936: June 10
The Staten Island Zoo, in Barrett Park, opens.
1941-1945
Staten Island fights World War II. A submarine net stretching from Miller Field across the Narrows prevents attacks by German submarines in New York Harbor. Troops train at Miller Field before being sent to fight in Europe and Africa. 250 Italian Army prisoners of war are housed on Staten Island. Island Anti-aircraft batteries defend New York City against potential air attacks.
1946: June 25
Raging fire consumes St. George ferry terminal; killing three, injuring 280 and destroying 17 trains
1948: April 22
New York City's first drive-in theater opens in New Springville
1950
The Korean War begins. Fears of an air attack on New York City bring Staten Island anti-aircraft batteries back to full strength. The Korean War Veterans Memorial Parkway, formerly the Richmond Parkway, now honors Staten Islanders who served in the Korean conflict.
1964: November 21
The Verrazano-Narrows Bridge connecting Staten Island and Brooklyn opens. It was at the time the largest suspension bridge in the world, the design had to incorporate the curvature of the earth and seasonal expansions and contractions which drop the roadway twelve feet lower in the summer than the winter. The bridge began a massive building and population boom on the Island that continues into the present day.
Geography:
Staten Island is separated from New York by the New York Bay.
There are 156 parks on Staten Island.
Staten Island is the only one of five borougs of New York that doesn't have subways.
Staten Island has a lot of small uninhabited islands in addition to the main island.
There are
The Isle of Meadows (at the mouth of Fresh Kills
Prall's Island (in the Arthur Kill)
Shooters Island (in Newark Bay; part of it belongs to New Jersey)
Swinburne Island (in Lower New York Bay)
Hoffman Island (in Lower New York Bay)
On Staten Island lies the highest natural point of all the five boroughs. The Todt Hill (pronounced Tote hill) has an elevation of 410 ft (125 m)
Staten Island has 156 parks managed by the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation in Staten Island including:
Conference house park
And Clove Lake Park in which the largest living thing in Staten Island is - the 107 feet tall tulip tree with its 300 years old life.
Demography:
In 2010 there were 468,730 people living in Staten Island, which is an increase of 5.6% since 2000.
Staten Island is the only borough with a non-Hispanic majority.
According to the 2010 Census, 64.0% of the population was non-Hispanic White, 10.6% Black or African American, 0.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 7.5% Asian, 0.2% from some other race (non-Hispanic) and 2.6% of two or more races. 17.3% of Staten Island's population was of Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish origin (of any race).
In 2009, approximately 20.0% of the population was foreign born, and 1.8% of the populace was born in Puerto Rico, U.S. Island areas, or born abroad to American parents. 78.2% of the population was born in the United States. 28.6% of the population over five years of age spoke a language other than english at home, and 27.3% of the population over twenty-five years of age had a bachelor's degree or higher.
In 2009, 27.3% of the borough's population had a Bachelors degree ore higher.[23]
According to the survey, the top ten European ancestries were the following:
Italian: 34.7%
Irish: 14.2%
German: 5.7%
Russian: 3.8%
Polish: 3.4%
English: 1.6%
Ukrainian: 1.3%
Norwegian: 1.0%
Greek: 1.0%
French: 0.9%
Since 200 a large russian community has been growing on Staten Island. There is also a significant polish community mainly in the South Beach and Midland Beach area and there is also a large Sri Lankan community on Staten Island, The ”Little Sri Lanka” in the Tompkinsville neighborhood of Staten Island is one of the largest Sri Lankan communities outside of the country of Sri Lanka.
In terms of religion, the population is largely Roman Catholic. There is a growing presence of Egyptian Copts.
The median income for a household is $55,039, and the median income for a family was $64,333. Males had a median income of $50,081 versus $35,914 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $23,905. About 7.9% of families and 10.0% of the population were below the poverty line including 13.2% of those under age 18 and 9.9% of those age 65 or over.
Fun Facts:
The Staten Islands unemployment rate is close to the double amount since 2007
Staten Island has the highest percentage of substance addicted youth in NYC and 5 times the average rate of death from drug overdoses.
Staten Island has by far the highest percentage of gun owners in NYC (13.2 out of 1,000 people compared to 3 out of 1,000 in other boroughs)
Staten Island is the only borough with no public hospital and no subway system.
The Island Zoo has a reptile exhibit.
There are over 30 different bus-lines.
Over 60.000 passengers a day travel with the Staten Island ferry.
The largest public park in New York is about to be build in Staten Island.
The movies The Godfather, GoodFellas, The Other Guys and School Of Rock have all been filmed in Staten Island.
A tulip tree in Clove Lake Park is the largest living thing in Staten Island. It is 107 feet tall and over 300 years old.
Famous people born in Staten Island: Christina Aguilera, Paul Newman, Steven Seagal.
1524: April
Giovanni da Verrazano, an Italian explorer sailing under the Sponsorship of King Francois I of France, becomes the first European to pass through the Narrows.
1609: September 3
Henry Hudson, an English explorer sailing under the sponsorship of Holland, enters New York Bay in the ship Halve Maen (Half Moon). He names the island Staaten Eyelandt in honor of the Dutch Parliament - the States General or Staaten.
1639: January 5
From the journal of Captain David Pietersen De Vries: "Anno 1639 The 5th January I sent my people to Staten Island to begin to plant a colony there and build." This is the beginning of the first European settlement on Staten Island. By 1641 the colony is abandoned due to conflicts with the Native Americans (The Pig War).
1670: April 13
Native Americans give up Staten Island in an agreement with the English Colonial Governor Francis Lovelace. Native American concepts of allowing the use of land without granting ownership (which they felt no individual was entitled to own) cloud the validity of such land agreements.
1747
First ferry established between Manhattan and the North Shore.
1783: December 5
The last British troop ship departs the newly formed United States from Staten Island. Staten Island crowds gather to jeer the departing warships as they pass through the Narrows. The last shot of the Revolutionary War is fired from a departing British vessel at the Staten Islanders. By the end of the war Staten Island was almost completely deforested to supply fuel for British army campfires.
1788
Staten Island is divided into four official townships: Northfield, Southfield, Westfield and Castleton.
1836: September 12
Aaron Burr, former Vice President of the United States, dies in Port Richmond.
1850
Italian born inventor Antonio Meucci comes to Staten Island from Cuba to develop and patent his telephone. His experiments with medical shock treatments had revealed the possibility of transmitting the human voice over electrical wires. Because Meucci lacked the funds to patent his invention the credit for the invention of the telephone eventually went to Alexander Graham Bell.
1854
Kreischerville is founded in Southwest Staten Island. It was the home of clay mining operations (the remnants of which are still visible at Clay Pit Ponds State Park) and brick manufacture.
1856: January 21
Staten Island Historical Society is founded.
1858: September 1
Fearing the spread of contagious disease a mob of Staten Islanders burn the Quarantine Hospital in Tompkinsville. The hospital served immigrants to the US who were thought to be too ill to enter the country.
1860: April 23
The first passenger train on the Staten Island Railroad begins operating between Eltingville and Clifton (Vanderbilt's Landing)
1860
Staten Island gets its first magnetic telegraph line.
1860 July
Richmond County Mirror, first newspaper printed on Staten Island is published.
1861-1865
During the Civil War Staten Island helps the Union War effort in several ways. Many Union regiments assemble on Staten Island to train before heading to battle including the Clinton Rifles, 178th and 145th Regiments. Staten Island ferryboats were mounted with cannons and served in the Union Navy. Colonel Robert Gould Shaw, longtime Staten Island resident, led an African American Regiment into battle.
1863: July 14
Civil War draft riots spread to Staten Island. Homes of African Americans in Stapleton are burned as blacks are unfairly blamed for causing the war. At least 5 are killed on Staten Island and many others injured.
1866: March 17
Noted Island photographer, Alice Austen, is born. The pioneering woman photographer captured thousands of images of Staten Island and New York City life. Her Rosebank home, "Clear Comfort", overlooking the Narrows is preserved as the Alice Austen Museum.
1871: July 30
The worst accident in the history of the Staten Island ferry occurs. A boiler explosion aboard the ferryboat Westfield II kills over 125 passengers and injures over 200 as it departs South Ferry.
1889: June 13
The first bridge from Staten Island to New Jersey is opened. The railroad bridge connects Howland Hook to Elizabeth New Jersey. It was later torn down to make room for the Goethals Bridge.
1898: January 21
Staten Island joins New York City. 73% of Staten Islanders approve the referendum that combines the Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens and Staten Island into a single city. Up to this point Richmond County had been administered as five townships.
1899: Feb. 6
First library opens in Tottenville, gift of Andrew Carngie
1904: February 9
Curtis High School opens in St. George. Named for the writer, editor, orator George William Curtis.
1905: October 25
The City of New York takes control of the Staten Island Ferry due to dangerous conditions created by private ferry operators.
1912: June 21
Abel Kiviat, a Curtis High School Track Star, wins the Olympic silver medal for the 1,500-meter run in Stockholm, Sweden. He also captures gold with the U.S. 3,000-meter relay team. He is the cabinmate of track great Jim Thorpe on the ship to Sweden.
1914-1918
World War I. More than 5,000 Staten Islanders join the armed services, more men per capita than any county in the United States. 160 are killed in action. 9,000 workers are employed building steel cargo ships for the war effort at the Standard Shipbuilding Company on Shooter's Island.
1918: June
Staten Island Advance begins daily publication
1923
Ground is broken in St. George and Brooklyn for a subway line connecting the two boroughs. It is never completed.
1929
The Staten Island Stapleton's, a long time Island semi-professional team, joins the National Football League.
1931: November 15
The Bayonne Bridge opens connecting Elm Park, Staten Island and Bayonne New Jersey. It is the longest Steel Arch Bridge in the world when it is completed, just slightly longer than the Sydney Harbor Bridge in Australia.
1936: June 10
The Staten Island Zoo, in Barrett Park, opens.
1941-1945
Staten Island fights World War II. A submarine net stretching from Miller Field across the Narrows prevents attacks by German submarines in New York Harbor. Troops train at Miller Field before being sent to fight in Europe and Africa. 250 Italian Army prisoners of war are housed on Staten Island. Island Anti-aircraft batteries defend New York City against potential air attacks.
1946: June 25
Raging fire consumes St. George ferry terminal; killing three, injuring 280 and destroying 17 trains
1948: April 22
New York City's first drive-in theater opens in New Springville
1950
The Korean War begins. Fears of an air attack on New York City bring Staten Island anti-aircraft batteries back to full strength. The Korean War Veterans Memorial Parkway, formerly the Richmond Parkway, now honors Staten Islanders who served in the Korean conflict.
1964: November 21
The Verrazano-Narrows Bridge connecting Staten Island and Brooklyn opens. It was at the time the largest suspension bridge in the world, the design had to incorporate the curvature of the earth and seasonal expansions and contractions which drop the roadway twelve feet lower in the summer than the winter. The bridge began a massive building and population boom on the Island that continues into the present day.
Geography:
Staten Island is separated from New York by the New York Bay.
There are 156 parks on Staten Island.
Staten Island is the only one of five borougs of New York that doesn't have subways.
Staten Island has a lot of small uninhabited islands in addition to the main island.
There are
The Isle of Meadows (at the mouth of Fresh Kills
Prall's Island (in the Arthur Kill)
Shooters Island (in Newark Bay; part of it belongs to New Jersey)
Swinburne Island (in Lower New York Bay)
Hoffman Island (in Lower New York Bay)
On Staten Island lies the highest natural point of all the five boroughs. The Todt Hill (pronounced Tote hill) has an elevation of 410 ft (125 m)
Staten Island has 156 parks managed by the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation in Staten Island including:
Conference house park
And Clove Lake Park in which the largest living thing in Staten Island is - the 107 feet tall tulip tree with its 300 years old life.
Demography:
In 2010 there were 468,730 people living in Staten Island, which is an increase of 5.6% since 2000.
Staten Island is the only borough with a non-Hispanic majority.
According to the 2010 Census, 64.0% of the population was non-Hispanic White, 10.6% Black or African American, 0.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 7.5% Asian, 0.2% from some other race (non-Hispanic) and 2.6% of two or more races. 17.3% of Staten Island's population was of Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish origin (of any race).
In 2009, approximately 20.0% of the population was foreign born, and 1.8% of the populace was born in Puerto Rico, U.S. Island areas, or born abroad to American parents. 78.2% of the population was born in the United States. 28.6% of the population over five years of age spoke a language other than english at home, and 27.3% of the population over twenty-five years of age had a bachelor's degree or higher.
In 2009, 27.3% of the borough's population had a Bachelors degree ore higher.[23]
According to the survey, the top ten European ancestries were the following:
Italian: 34.7%
Irish: 14.2%
German: 5.7%
Russian: 3.8%
Polish: 3.4%
English: 1.6%
Ukrainian: 1.3%
Norwegian: 1.0%
Greek: 1.0%
French: 0.9%
Since 200 a large russian community has been growing on Staten Island. There is also a significant polish community mainly in the South Beach and Midland Beach area and there is also a large Sri Lankan community on Staten Island, The ”Little Sri Lanka” in the Tompkinsville neighborhood of Staten Island is one of the largest Sri Lankan communities outside of the country of Sri Lanka.
In terms of religion, the population is largely Roman Catholic. There is a growing presence of Egyptian Copts.
The median income for a household is $55,039, and the median income for a family was $64,333. Males had a median income of $50,081 versus $35,914 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $23,905. About 7.9% of families and 10.0% of the population were below the poverty line including 13.2% of those under age 18 and 9.9% of those age 65 or over.
Fun Facts:
The Staten Islands unemployment rate is close to the double amount since 2007
Staten Island has the highest percentage of substance addicted youth in NYC and 5 times the average rate of death from drug overdoses.
Staten Island has by far the highest percentage of gun owners in NYC (13.2 out of 1,000 people compared to 3 out of 1,000 in other boroughs)
Staten Island is the only borough with no public hospital and no subway system.
The Island Zoo has a reptile exhibit.
There are over 30 different bus-lines.
Over 60.000 passengers a day travel with the Staten Island ferry.
The largest public park in New York is about to be build in Staten Island.
The movies The Godfather, GoodFellas, The Other Guys and School Of Rock have all been filmed in Staten Island.
A tulip tree in Clove Lake Park is the largest living thing in Staten Island. It is 107 feet tall and over 300 years old.
Famous people born in Staten Island: Christina Aguilera, Paul Newman, Steven Seagal.