Staten Island (/ˈstætən/STAT-ən) is the southernmost of thefive boroughs ofNew York City, coextensive withRichmond County and situated at the southernmost point ofNew York. The borough is separated from the adjacent state ofNew Jersey by theArthur Kill and theKill Van Kull and from the rest of New York byNew York Bay. With a population of 495,747 in the2020 Census,[7] Staten Island is the least populated New York City borough but the third largest in land area at 58.5 sq mi (152 km2); it is also the least densely populated and mostsuburban borough in the city.
A home to theLenape Native Americans, the island was settled by Dutch colonists in the 17th century. It was one of the 12 original counties of New York state. Staten Island wasconsolidated with New York City in 1898. It was formerly known as theBorough of Richmond until 1975, when its name was changed to Borough of Staten Island.[8] Staten Island has sometimes been called "the forgotten borough" by inhabitants who feel neglected by thecity government and the media.[9][10] It has also been referred to as the "borough of parks" due to its 12,300 acres of protected parkland and over 170 parks.[11][12][13][14]
TheNorth Shore—especially the neighborhoods ofSt. George,Tompkinsville,Clifton, andStapleton—is the island's most urban area. It contains the designated St. George Historic District and the St. Paul's Avenue-Stapleton Heights Historic District, which feature large Victorian houses. TheEast Shore is home to the2+1⁄2-mile (4-kilometer)FDR Boardwalk, the world's fourth-longestboardwalk.[15] TheSouth Shore, site of the 17th-century Dutch andFrench Huguenot settlement, developed rapidly beginning in the 1960s and 1970s and is now very suburban. TheWest Shore along the protected waters of thekills (waterways) has the island's fewest residents but the most industrial development.
As in much of North America, human habitation appeared on the island fairly rapidly after theWisconsin glaciation. Archaeologists have recovered tool evidence ofClovis culture activity dating from about 14,000 years ago. This evidence was first discovered in 1917 in the Charleston section of the island. Various Clovis artifacts have been discovered since then, on property owned byMobil Oil.
The island was probably abandoned later, possibly because of theextirpation of large mammals on the island. Evidence of the first permanentNative American settlements and agriculture are thought to date from about 5,000 years ago,[16] althoughearly archaic habitation evidence has been found in multiple locations on the island.[17]
Rossville points are distinct arrowheads that define a Native American cultural period from theArchaic period to the EarlyWoodland period, dating from about 1500 to 100 BC. They are named for theRossville section of Staten Island, where they were first found near the old Rossville Post Office building.[18]
Skeletons unearthed atLenape burial ground in Staten Island, the largest pre-European burial ground in New York City
At the time of European contact, the island was inhabited by theRaritan band of theUnami division of theLenape. InLenape, one of theAlgonquian languages, Staten Island was calledAquehonga Manacknong, meaning "as far as the place of the bad woods", orEghquhous, meaning "the bad woods".[19]The name is spelled asEghquaons in the deed to Lubbertus van Dincklage for the purchase of Staten Island, 1657.[1] The area was part of the Lenape homeland known asLenapehoking. The Lenape were later called the "Delaware" by the English colonists because they inhabited both shores of what the English named theDelaware River.
The island was laced with Native American foot trails, one of which followed the south side of the ridge near the course of present-day Richmond Road andAmboy Road. The Lenape did not live in fixed encampments but moved seasonally, usingslash and burn agriculture.Shellfish was a staple of their diet, including the Eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica) abundant in the waterways throughout the present-day New York City region. Evidence of their habitation can still be seen in shellmiddens along the shore in the Tottenville section, where oyster shells larger than 12 inches (300 mm) are sometimes found.
Burial Ridge, a Lenape burial ground on a bluff overlookingRaritan Bay inTottenville, is the largest pre-European burial ground in New York City.[citation needed] Bodies have been reported unearthed at Burial Ridge from 1858 onward. After conducting independent research, which included unearthing bodies interred at the site, ethnologist and archaeologistGeorge H. Pepper was contracted in 1895 to conduct paid archaeological research at Burial Ridge by theAmerican Museum of Natural History. The burial ground today is unmarked and lies withinConference House Park.
The first recorded European contact on the island was in 1524 by Italian explorerGiovanni da Verrazzano who sailed throughThe Narrows on the shipLa Dauphine and anchored for one night.
The Dutch did not establish a permanent settlement onStaaten Eylandt for many decades. Its name derived from theStaten Generaal, the parliament of theRepublic of the Seven United Netherlands. From 1639 to 1655,Cornelis Melyn andDavid de Vries made three separate attempts to establish a settlement there, but each time the settlement was destroyed in conflicts between the Dutch and the local tribe.[2] In 1661, the first permanent Dutch settlement was established atOude Dorp (Dutch for "Old Village") by a small group of Dutch,Walloon, and FrenchHuguenot families,[20] just south of the Narrows near South Beach. Many French Huguenots had gone to the Netherlands as refugees from the religious wars in France, suffering persecution for their Protestant faith, and some joined the emigration to New Netherland.
At one point nearly a third of the residents of the Island spoke French.[21] The last vestige of Oude Dorp is the name of the present-day neighborhood ofOld Town adjacent to Old Town Road.[22] Staten Island was not spared the bloodshed which culminated inKieft's War. In the summer of 1641 and in 1642, Native American tribes destroyed Old Town.[23]
On July 10, 1657, the Native Americans signed a deed to Lubbertus van Dincklage, attorney of Henrick van der Capelle tho Ryssel, for the purchase of all indigenous lands on Staten Island.[1] However, this deed was annulled when the Dutch purchasers failed to deliver the promised goods for the land a few months later.[24]
In 1670, the Native Americans ceded all claims to Staten Island to the English in a deed to GovernorFrancis Lovelace. In 1671, in order to encourage an expansion of the Dutch settlements, the English resurveyedOude Dorp (which became known as 'Old Town') and expanded the lots along the shore to the south. These lots were settled primarily by Dutch families and became known asNieuwe Dorp (meaning 'New Village'), which later became anglicized asNew Dorp.
CaptainChristopher Billopp, after years of service in the Royal Navy, came to America in 1674 along with the newly appointed royal governor of New York and the Jerseys Sir Edmund Andros, in charge of a company of infantry.[25] The following year, he settled on Staten Island, where he was granted a patent for 932 acres (3.8 km2) of land. According to one version of an oft-repeated but false tale,[26] Captain Billopp's seamanship secured Staten Island to New York, rather than to New Jersey: the island would belong to New York if the captain could circumnavigate it in one day, which he did. This story is most likely untrue, due to conflicting information on the time Christopher Billopp took to complete the race and whether he received a personal prize or not. MayorMichael Bloomberg perpetuated the myth by referring to it at a news conference in Brooklyn on February 20, 2007.[26] Reliable historical documentation of the event is extremely sparse, however, and most historians conclude that it is entirely false. In 2007,The New York Times addressed the issue in a news article, which concluded that this event was heavily embellished over the years and almost certainly originated in local folklore.[26]YouTuberCGP Grey addressed the story of the Staten Island race and its historical discrepancies in a 2019 video,[27] in which he concluded that Gabriel Disosway, a local chronicler in Staten Island, was responsible for originating the false legend in the mid-1800s.[28]
In 1683, the colony of New York was divided into ten counties. As part of this process, Staten Island, as well as several minor neighboring islands, was designated asRichmond County. The name derives from the title ofCharles Lennox, 1st Duke of Richmond, an illegitimate son of KingCharles II. In 1687 and 1688, the English divided the island into four administrative divisions based on natural features: the 5,100-acre (21 km2) manorial estate of colonial governorThomas Dongan in the northeastern hills known as the "Lordship or Manor of Cassiltown", along with the North, South, and West divisions. These divisions later evolved into the four towns ofCastleton,Northfield,Southfield, andWestfield. In 1698, the population was 727.[29]
The government granted land patents in rectangular blocks of 80 acres (320,000 m2), with the most desirable lands along the coastline and inland waterways. By 1708, the entire island had been divided up in this fashion, creating 166 small farms and two large manorial estates, the Dongan estate and a 1,600 acres (6.5 km2) parcel on the southwestern tip of the island belonging to Christopher Billopp.[16] The first county seat was established in New Dorp in what was called Stony Brook at the time.[30] In 1729, the county seat was moved to the village of Richmond Town, located at the headwaters of theFresh Kills near the center of the island. By 1771, the island's population had grown to 2,847.[29]
Sir William Howe established his headquarters at the Rose and Crown Tavern at New Dorp Lane and Richmond Road prior to the invasions of Long Island and Manhattan.
Most Staten Islanders were solidly supportive of the Crown, and the island played a significant role in theAmerican Revolutionary War. GeneralGeorge Washington once called Islanders "our most inveterate enemies".[31] As support of independence spread throughout the colonies, residents of the island were so uninterested that no representatives were sent to theFirst Continental Congress, the only county in New York to not send anyone. This had economic repercussions in the months up through 1776, when New Jersey towns such as Elizabethport,Woodbridge, andDover instituted boycotts on doing business with islanders.[32]
On March 17, 1776, the British garrison inBoston underSir William Howe evacuated the city and sailed forHalifax, Nova Scotia. From Halifax, Howe prepared to attack New York City, which then consisted entirely of the southern end ofManhattan Island. GeneralGeorge Washington led the entireContinental Army to New York City in anticipation of Howe's attack. Howe used the strategic location of Staten Island as a staging ground for the invasion. Over 140 British ships arrived over the summer of 1776 and anchored off the shores of Staten Island at the entrance to New York Harbor. Onboard them were approximately 30,000 British andHessian troops. Howe established his headquarters in New Dorp at theRose and Crown Tavern, near the junction of present New Dorp Lane and Richmond Road. There the representatives of the British government reportedly received their first notification of theDeclaration of Independence.
In August 1776, British forces crossed the Narrows to Brooklyn andoutflanked the Continental Army at theBattle of Long Island, resulting in the British control of the harbor and the capture of New York City shortly afterwards. Three weeks later, on September 11, 1776, Sir William's brother,Lord Howe, received a delegation of Americans consisting ofBenjamin Franklin,Edward Rutledge, andJohn Adams at theConference House on the southwestern tip of the island on the former estate of Christopher Billopp. The Americans refused a peace offer from Howe in exchange for withdrawing the Declaration of Independence, and the conference ended without an agreement
On August 22, 1777, theBattle of Staten Island occurred between British forces and several companies of the2nd Canadian Regiment fighting alongside other American companies. The battle was inconclusive, though both sides lost over a hundred soldiers as prisoners of war; the Americans soon withdrew. In early 1780, while theKill Van Kull was frozen over,William Alexander led an unsuccessful American raid from New Jersey on the western shore of Staten Island. It was repulsed in part by troops led by British CommanderFrancis Rawdon-Hastings, 1st Marquess of Hastings. In June 1780,Wilhelm von Knyphausen, a Hessian commander, led many raids and a full assault into New Jersey from Staten Island with the aim of defeating Washington and the Continental Army. Although the raids were successful in the Newark and Elizabeth areas, the advance was halted at Connecticut Farms (Union) and theBattle of Springfield.[33]
British forces remained on Staten Island for the remainder of the war, and kept their headquarters in neighborhoods such asBulls Head. The fewPatriots on the island fled after the Battle of Long Island, and the sentiment of those who remained was predominantlyLoyalist. Even so, the islanders found the demands of supporting the troops to be heavy. Several buildings, including churches, were chopped down to be used for firewood and other purposes, and the military's demand for resources resulted in an extensivedeforestation by the end of the war. The island was used as a staging ground for the final British evacuation of New York City on December 5, 1783. After their departure, many Loyalist landowners, such asChristopher Billop, the family of Canadian historianPeter Fisher, John Dunn, who foundedSt. Andrews, New Brunswick, andAbraham Jones, fled to Canada, and their estates were subdivided and sold. Staten Island was occupied by the British longer than any single part of the Thirteen Colonies.[34]
On July 4, 1827, the end of slavery in New York state was celebrated at Swan Hotel, in the West Brighton neighborhood. Rooms at the hotel were reserved months in advance as local abolitionists, including prominent free blacks, prepared for the festivities. Speeches, pageants, picnics, and fireworks marked the celebration, which lasted for two days.
In the early 19th century, New Jersey and New York disputed the location of their maritime boundary. The original charters were of no help because they were worded ambiguously. New York argued that the eastern edge of New Jersey was located at theHudson River's shoreline during high tide, which would give New York control of all the docks and wharves on the Hudson River. New Jersey argued that the maritime boundary should be down the middle of the Hudson River and then continue out to the Atlantic Ocean, which would give New Jersey control of the docks and wharves as well as Staten Island.Vice PresidentMartin Van Buren negotiated a compromise that established the maritime boundary in the middle of the Hudson River and gave Staten Island to New York.Ellis Island andBedloe's Island, both uninhabited at the time, also became controlled by New Jersey.[35]
From 1800 to 1858, Staten Island was the location of the largest quarantine facility in the United States. Angry residents burned down the hospital compound in 1858 in a series of attacks known as theStaten Island Quarantine War.[36] In 1860, parts of Castleton and Southfield were made into a new town,Middletown. The Village of New Brighton in the town of Castleton was incorporated in 1866, and in 1872 the Village of New Brighton annexed all the remainder of the Town of Castleton and became coterminous with the town.
An 1887 movement to incorporate Staten Island as a city was unsuccessful.[37]
New housing on Staten Island, 1973, photo byArthur TressUS Navy ships tied up at the home port pier duringFleet Week in 2007
The towns of Staten Island were dissolved in 1898 with the consolidation of theCity of Greater New York, as Richmond County became one of thefive boroughs of the expanded city. Although consolidated into the City of Greater New York in 1898, the county sheriff of Staten Island maintained control of the jail system, unlike the other boroughs, which had gradually transferred control of the jails to the Department of Correction. The jail system was not transferred until January 1, 1942. Staten Island is the only borough without a New York City Department of Correction major detention center.
The construction of theVerrazzano-Narrows Bridge, along with the other three major Staten Island bridges, created a new way for commuters and tourists to travel from New Jersey to Brooklyn, Manhattan, and areas farther east onLong Island. The network of highways running between the bridges has effectively carved up many of Staten Island's old neighborhoods. The bridge opened many areas of the borough to residential and commercial development from the 1960s onward, especially in the central and southern parts of the borough, which had been largely undeveloped. Staten Island's population doubled from 221,991 in 1960 to 443,728 in 2000.[38] Nevertheless, Staten Island remained less developed than the rest of the city. ANew York Times article in 1972 stated that despite the borough having 333,000 residents, parts of the island still maintained a bucolic atmosphere with woods and marshes.[39]
Throughout the 1980s, a movement tosecede from the city steadily grew in popularity, notably championed by longtime New York state senator and formerRepublican Party mayoral nomineeJohn J. Marchi. The campaign reached its peak during the mayoral term ofDavid Dinkins (1990–1993), after the U.S. Supreme Court invalidated theNew York City Board of Estimate, which had given equal representation to the five boroughs. Dinkins and the city government opposed a non-binding secession referendum, contending that the vote should not be permitted by the state unless the city issued ahome rule message supporting it, which the city would not.GovernorMario Cuomo disagreed, and the vote went forward in 1993. Ultimately, 65% of Staten island residents voted to secede through the approval of a newcity charter making Staten Island an independentcity, but implementation was blocked in theState Assembly.[40][41]
Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge from the South Beach on Staten Island
Fresh Kills and its tributaries are part of the largest tidal wetland ecosystem in the region. Its creeks and wetlands have been designated a Significant Coastal Fish and Wildlife Habitat by theNew York State Department of Environmental Conservation. Opened along Fresh Kills as a "temporary landfill" in 1947, theFresh Kills Landfill was a repository of trash for the city of New York. The landfill, once the world's largest man-made structure,[42] was closed in 2001,[43] but it was briefly reopened for the debris fromGround Zero following theSeptember 11 attacks in 2001. It is beingconverted into a park almost three times the size ofCentral Park and the largest park to be developed in New York City in over 100 years.[44] Plans for the park include a bird-nesting island, public roads, boardwalks, soccer and baseball fields, bridle paths, and a 5,000-seat stadium.[45] Today, freshwater and tidal wetlands, fields, birch thickets, and a coastal oak maritime forest, as well as areas dominated by non-native plant species, are all within the boundaries of Fresh Kills.
The geology of Staten IslandSerpentinite shown in rock cut alongI-278 in Staten Island byTodt Hill marked on USGS geological map
During thePaleozoic Era, thetectonic plate containing the continent ofLaurentia and the plate containing the continent ofGondwanaland were converging, theIapetus Ocean that separated the two continents gradually closed, and the resulting collision between the plates formed theAppalachian Mountains. During the early stages of this mountain building known as theTaconic orogeny, a piece of ocean crust from the Iapetus Ocean broke off and became incorporated into the collision zone and now forms the oldest bedrock strata of Staten Island, theserpentinite.
This strata of the Lower Paleozoic (approximately 430 million years old) consists predominantly of the serpentine minerals,antigorite,chrysotile, andlizardite; it also containsasbestos andtalc. At the end of the Paleozoic era (248 million years ago) all major continental masses were joined into the supercontinent ofPangaea.
ThePalisades Sill has been designated aNational Natural Landmark, being "the best example of a thickdiabasesill in the United States". It underlies a portion of northwest Staten Island, with a visible outcropping inTravis, off Travis Road in theWilliam T. Davis Wildlife Refuge. This is the same formation that appears in New Jersey and upstate New York along theHudson River inPalisades Interstate Park. The sill extends southward beyond the cliffs inJersey City beneath the Upper New York Harbor and resurfaces on Staten Island. The Palisades sill date from theEarly Jurassic period, 192 to 186 million years ago.
Staten Island has been at the southern terminus of various periods ofglaciation. The most recent, theWisconsin glaciation, ended approximately 12,000 years ago. The accumulated rock and sediment deposited at the terminus of the glacier is known as the terminal moraine present along the central portion of the island. The evidence of these glacial periods is visible in the remaining wooded areas of Staten Island in the form ofglacial erratics andkettle ponds.[46]
At the retreat of the ice sheet, Staten Island was connected by land to Long Island, as the Narrows had not yet formed. Geologists' reckonings of the course of the Hudson River have placed it alternatively through the present course of theRaritan River, south of the island, or through present-dayFlushing Bay andJamaica Bay.
Location of Staten Island (red) within New York City (remainder yellow)Population density and elevation above sea level in Greater NYC, U.S. (2010). Staten Island is especially vulnerable tosea level rise.Aerial view of Staten Island from the east at night
According to theU.S. Census Bureau, Richmond County has a total area of 102.5 square miles (265 km2), of which 58.5 square miles (152 km2) is land and 44.0 square miles (114 km2) (43%) is water.[47] It is the third-smallest county in New York by land area and fourth-smallest by total area.
Although Staten Island is a borough of New York City, the island is geographically part of New Jersey.[48] Staten Island is separated from Long Island by the Narrows and from mainland New Jersey by the Arthur Kill and the Kill Van Kull. Staten Island is positioned at the center ofNew York Bight, a sharp bend in the shoreline between New Jersey and Long Island. The region is considered vulnerable to sea-level rise.[49] On October 29, 2012, the island experienced severe damage and loss of life along with the destruction of many homes duringHurricane Sandy.[50][51]
In addition to the main island, the borough and county also include several small uninhabited islands:
The highest point on the island, the summit ofTodt Hill, elevation 401 ft (122 m), is also the highest point in the five boroughs, as well as the highest point on theAtlantic coastal plain south ofGreat Blue Hill inMassachusetts and the highest point onthe coast proper south ofMaine's Camden Hills.Ward's Point in the neighborhood of Tottenville is the southernmost point in the state of New York.
Staten Island is the only borough in New York City that does not share a land border with another borough (Marble Hill in Manhattan is contiguous with the Bronx). The borough has a land border withElizabeth andBayonne, New Jersey, on uninhabited Shooters Island. It has several maritime borders with New Jersey communities, such asPerth Amboy Cliffwood Beach section of Old Bridge,Union Beach andKeansburg.
A deer found inCharleston, Staten Island; the deer may be part of a 40-large herd in Clay Pit Ponds State Park Preserves
Staten Island includes thousands of acres of federal, state, and local park land, including the "greenbelt" and "blue belt" park systems and theGateway National Recreation Area, in addition to hundreds of acres of private wooded areas. The National Park Service maintains full-time wildland firefighters to patrol Staten Island sites in wildfire brush trucks.
The parks on Staten Island are managed by various state, federal and local agencies.
Lemon Creek Tidal Wetland Wildlife Management Area
Blosers Wetland Wildlife Management Area
Goethal Pond Wetland
Bridge Creek Tidal Wetland
Old Place Creek Tidal Wetland
Oakwood Beach Wetland
Sharrots Shoreline Natural Resource Area
Sawmill Creek Wetland
The 359 acres (145 ha) of NYS Department of Environmental Conservation land throughout the island are patrolled byNew York State Department of Environmental Conservation Police officers and one NYS DEC Forest Ranger, who has the dual task of law enforcement and fire suppression.
TheFresh Kills Landfill was the world's largestlandfill before closing in 2001,[54] although it was temporarily reopened that year to receive debris from theSeptember 11 attacks.[55] The landfill is being redeveloped asFreshkills Park, an area devoted to restoring habitat. The park will become New York City's second largest public park when completed.[56]
As of the 2018 Estimate, 22.2% of residents are foreign born. 11.9% of residents live below the poverty line, the lowest of the five boroughs. Average per capita income was $33,922, while median household income was $76,244. There are 181,199 housing units, with a 69.5% owner occupancy rate, the highest of the five boroughs, as well as a median value of $460,200. There are 166,150 households, with 2.82 persons per household.
At the 2010 Census, there were 468,730 people living in Staten Island, which is an increase of 5.6% since the 2000 Census.Staten Island is the only New York City borough with anon-Hispanic White majority. According to the 2010 Census, 64.0% of the population was non-HispanicWhite, down from 79% in 1990,[67] 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 ofHispanic or Latino 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. Approximately 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.[68]
According to the 2009American Community Survey, the borough's population was 75.7% White (65.8% non-Hispanic White alone), 10.2% Black or African American (9.6% non-Hispanic Black or African American alone), 0.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 7.4% Asian, 0.0% Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander, 4.6% from Some other race, and 1.9% from Two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race made up 15.9% of the population.[69] According to the survey, the top ten European ancestries were the following:
The borough has the highest proportion of Italian Americans of any county in the United States. There is a significantJewish community mainly in theWillowbrook area. Since the 2000 census, a largeRussian community has been growing on Staten Island, particularly in the Rossville, South Beach, and Great Kills area. There is also a significantPolish community mainly in the South Beach and Midland Beach area and there is also a largeSri Lankan community on Staten Island, concentrated mainly on Victory Boulevard on the northeastern tip of Staten Island towards St. George. TheLittle Sri Lanka in theTompkinsville neighborhood is one of the largest Sri Lankan communities outside of the country ofSri Lanka.[70][71] The island has more Liberians than anywhere outsideLiberia[72] and has included three Liberian heads of state:David D. Kpormakpor,Ruth Perry, andGeorge Weah. The borough is also home to aChinanteco-speakingIndigenous Mexican American community.[73]
Per the 2009 American Community Survey, the median income for a household was $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. Theper capita income for the borough was $23,905. About 7.9% of families and 10.0% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 13.2% of those under age 18 and 9.9% of those age 65 or over.
As of 2010[update], 70.39% (306,310) of Staten Island residents age 5 and older spoke only English at home, while 10.02% (43,587) spoke Spanish, 3.14% (13,665) Russian, 3.11% (13,542) Italian, 2.39% (10,412) Chinese, 1.81% (7,867)other Indo-European languages, 1.38% (5,990) Arabic, 1.01% (4,390) Polish, 0.88% (3,812) Korean, 0.80% (3,500)Tagalog, 0.76% (3,308) Sinhala, 0.62% (2,717)Urdu, 0.57% (2,479)other Indic languages, and African languages were spoken as afirst language by 0.56% (2,458) of the population over the age of five. In total, 29.61% (128,827) of Staten Island's population age 5 and older spoke a first language other than English.[75]
Since New York City's consolidation in 1898, Staten Island has been governed by the New York City Charter that provides for a "strong"mayor-council system. The centralized New York City government is responsible for public education, correctional institutions, libraries, public safety, recreational facilities, sanitation, water supply, and welfare services on Staten Island.
The office ofBorough president was created in the consolidation of 1898 to balance centralization with local authority. Each borough president had a powerful administrative role derived from having a vote on theNew York City Board of Estimate, which was responsible for creating and approving the city's budget and proposals for land use.
The Office of Borough President became one focal point for opinions over theVietnam War when former intelligence agent and peace activistEd Murphy ran for office in 1973, sponsored by the Staten Island Democratic Association. Murphy's combat veteran status deflected traditional right-wing attacks on liberals, and the campaign facilitated the emergence of more liberal politics on Staten Island. InBoard of Estimate of City of New York v. Morris (1989), theSupreme Court of the United States declared the Board of Estimate unconstitutional on the grounds that Brooklyn, the most populous borough, had no greater effective representation on the board than Staten Island, the least populous borough, a violation of theFourteenth Amendment'sEqual Protection Clause pursuant to the high court's 1964 "one man, one vote" decision.[78]
Since 1990 the Borough president has acted as an advocate for the borough at the mayoral agencies, the City Council, the New York state government, and corporations. Staten Island's Borough President isVito Fossella, aRepublican who was elected in November 2021. Fossella is the only Republican borough president in New York City.
Staten Island's politics differ considerably from the rest of New York City. While the other four boroughs tend to be strongly Democratic, Staten Island is considered the most conservative, and the only one where Republicans usually do well.[79] Although in 2005 44.7% of the borough's registered voters were registered Democrats and 30.6% were registered Republicans, the Republican Party holds a majority of local public offices. Staten Island is the base of New York City's Republican Party in citywide elections.
The main political divide in the borough is demarcated by the Staten Island Expressway; areas north of the Expressway tend to be more liberal while the south tends to be more conservative. Local party platforms center on affordable housing, education andlaw and order. Two out of Staten Island's threeNew York City Council members are Republicans.
In national elections, Staten Island is a Republican-leaning county. Staten Island has voted for a Democratic presidential nominee only four times since 1940: in 1964, 1996, 2000, and 2012. In the2008 presidential election, RepublicanJohn McCain won 52% of the vote in the borough to DemocratBarack Obama's 48%. In2012, the borough flipped and was won by incumbent Democrat Barack Obama, who took 51% of the vote to RepublicanMitt Romney's 48%. This made the borough one of the few parts of the country where Barack Obama gained as compared to 2008.[80] The Democratic Party's gains on the island in the 2010s proved ephemeral. In2016, RepublicanDonald Trump carried Staten Island by 15.1%, the largest margin of any presidential candidate since1988. With 56.1% of the island-wide vote, Trump became the first-ever presidential candidate to receive over 100,000 votes out of Staten Island. The borough stayed Republican on election day2020, delivering 56.9% and a record of more than 123,000 votes to President Donald Trump.[81][82] His margin expanded significantly in2024 when he got 63.9% of the vote. Kamala Harris became the first Democrat to not get at least 40% of the vote since Bill Clinton in1992. In all three elections, Staten Island was the only borough where Trump got at least 40 percent of the vote.
As of 2023, Staten Island lies entirely withinNew York's 11th congressional district, which also includes part of southwestern Brooklyn. It is currently represented by a Republican,Nicole Malliotakis, who was elected in 2020.[83] The 11th district had been represented by DemocratMax Rose, until Malliotakis defeated him 53% to 47%.[84]
Party affiliation of Staten Island registered voters
Staten Island representation in thestate assembly has oneDemocrat and threeRepublicans. The 62nd,[85] 63rd,[86] and 64th[87] districts are represented by RepublicansMichael Reilly, Sam Pirozzolo, andMichael Tannousis. The 61st[88] district has an elected Democrat,Charles Fall. Staten Island is split between twostate Senate districts. Most of the island used to be represented by RepublicanJohn J. Marchi,[89] the longest-serving legislator in state history; but is now represented by RepublicanAndrew Lanza; while the North Shore belongs to the district of DemocratJessica Scarcella-Spanton.[90] In 2018,Matthew Titone, aDemocrat who at the time was a member of theNew York State Assembly for the 61st District, was elected Surrogate Judge for Richmond County, which covers all of Staten Island. He was succeeded byCharles Fall, also a Democrat, and the first African American elected to the Assembly from Staten Island.
Until 2009, Staten Island was included with Brooklyn as part of New York State's 2nd Judicial District. In that year, Staten Island secured Judicial Independence when a new law was signed, creating New York's 13th Judicial District. Since 2009, Staten Island voters have had the opportunity to elect 5 Justices to the New York State Supreme Court.
Each of the city's five counties (coterminous with each borough) has its own criminal court system andDistrict Attorney, the chief public prosecutor who is directly elected by popular vote.Michael McMahon, aConservative Democrat, is the current District Attorney.[91]
Staten Island has three City Council members, the smallest number among the five boroughs. As of 2023, the island's city council delegation comprises two Republicans and one Democrat. The borough also has three administrative districts, each served by a localCommunity Board. Community Boards are representative bodies that field complaints and serve as advocates for local residents. In the 2009 election for city offices, Staten Island elected its first black official,Debi Rose, who defeated the incumbent Democrat in the North Shore city council seat in a primary and then went on to win the general election.
In New York City mayoral elections, Staten Island has traditionally been reliably Republican, having last voted Democratic for incumbent mayorEd Koch in1985. Staten Island's high Republican turnout is considered one of the major factors that helpedRudy Giuliani win in1993 against incumbent Democratic mayorDavid Dinkins, and alsoMichael Bloomberg in2001 againstMark Green.
Secession from New York City has been a long-timehot-button issue on Staten Island. The "Greater City" exists as a result of actions of theNew York State Legislature, and, as such, could be reduced in size by the same mechanism. A non-bindingreferendum was held in 1993 to consider whether it should be allowed to secede from the city. The New York City government and MayorDavid Dinkins opposed the vote, contending that the referendum should not be permitted by the state unless the city issued ahome rule message supporting it, which the city would not.GovernorMario Cuomo disagreed, and the vote went forward. Ultimately, 65% of Staten Island residents voted to secede through the approval of a new citycharter making Staten Island an independentcity, but implementation was blocked in theState Assembly.[92]
The Staten Island secession movement was defused by the election of Rudy Giuliani as New York City mayor on the same ballot. He had campaigned on the promise that Staten Island's grievances would be addressed. Giuliani's plurality in his narrow victory over Dinkins was aided by overwhelming support from Staten Island. Two of the borough's biggest demands were closing theFresh Kills Landfill and making theStaten Island Ferry free, both of which were done. However, after the election ofBill de Blasio as Mayor in 2013 and the success of theBrexit vote in the United Kingdom in 2016, interest in secession was revived. In 2019 and 2022, New York City councilman Joe Borelli announced his plan to introduce another set of bills to study the feasibility of secession.[92]
In 2009, Borough presidentJames Molinaro started a program to increase tourism on Staten Island. This program included a new website, a "Staten Island Attractions" video that is aired in both the Staten Island and the Manhattan Whitehall ferry terminals, as well as informational kiosks at the terminals, which supply printed information on Staten Island attractions, entertainment and restaurants.[citation needed]
Empire Outlets New York City, is a 350,000-square-foot (33,000 m2) retail complex constructed in theSt. George neighborhood of Staten Island. Empire Outlets features 100 designer outlets. It is the firstoutlet mall in New York City. The mall is located next to theSt. George Terminal, a major ferry, train, and bus hub.[citation needed]
Staten Island's Arts District is located in the North Shore region with many locations to see music and experience art. The Snug Harbor Cultural Center and Botanic Gardens (1000 Richmond Terrace) is home to The Staten Island Museum, The Staten Island Children's Museum, Heritage Farm, The Newhouse Gallery, The Chinese Scholar's Garden and the Great Hall. The St. George Theater is a historic landmark seated theater within walking distance from the ferry and, it hosts many touring music artists. ArtSpace, located at Navy Pier Court is run by the local arts council with revolving exhibits by local artists. Staten Island's only community radio station, Maker Park Radio, is located in the Stapleton neighborhood of Staten Island. The Alice Austen House is a historic landmark and photography gallery with a view of Manhattan. Although Staten Island lacks venues, one can see many live music artists at local restaurants and spaces on most weekends. There are also numerous theaters on the Island.
Staten Island is known as the borough of parks because of its numerous parks. Some well known parks are Clove Lakes, Silver Lake, Greenbelt and High Rock. Paulo's Peak (formerly Moses Mountain), a hill known for its view of the borough, is the location whereRobert Moses wanted to build theRichmond Parkway before protests defeated this arrangement. It is now a key point of Staten Island for tourists.[citation needed]
Artists and musicians have been moving to Staten Island's North Shore so they can be in close proximity to Manhattan while having an affordable space to live and work.[10][93][94] Filmmakers, most of whom work independently, also play an important part in Staten Island's art scene, which has been recognized by the local government. Staten Island Arts (formerly The Council on the Arts and Humanities for Staten Island) is Staten Island's local arts council and helps support local artists and cultural organizations with regrants, workshops, folklife and arts-in-education programs, and advocacy.[95] Conceived by theStaten Island Economic Development Corporation to introduce independent and international films to a broad and diverse audience, the Staten Island Film Festival (SIFF) held its first four-day festival in 2006.
Historic Richmond Town is New York City's living history village and museum complex. Visitors can explore the diversity of the American experience, especially that of Staten Island and its neighboring communities, from the colonial period to the present. The village area occupies 25 acres (100,000 m2) of a 100-acre (0.40 km2) site with about 15 restored buildings, including homes, commercial and civic buildings, and a museum.
The island is home to theStaten Island Zoo. Zoo construction commenced in 1933 as part of the Federal Government's works program on an eight-acre (three-hectare) estate willed to New York City. It was opened on June 10, 1936, the first zoo in the U.S. specifically devoted to an educational mandate. In the late 1960s, the zoo maintained the most completerattlesnake collection in the world with 39 varieties.
TheNational Lighthouse Museum undertook a major fundraising project and opened an educational center at St. George in 2015.[98] TheStaten Island Museum (art, science, and history) opened a new branch in Snug Harbor in 2015.[99]
Lydia Sigourney published her poem "Autumn on Staten Island" in her volume,Scenes in my Native Land, 1845. It is accompanied by her observations after a visit there in 1843.[102]
World War One poetAlan Seeger, who fought with the French Foreign Legion and was killed in the Battle of the Somme and author of "I Have a Rendezvous with Death" grew up at St. Marks Place above the ferry stop on Staten Island in the last decade of the 19th century. His poem "The Old Lowe House" described property that would become Low Terrace, St. George.[103]Ki Longfellow was born on the island. Longfellow is the author ofThe Secret Magdalene and other books. Her Sam Russohistorical detectivenoir novels are based in and aroundStapleton.
Lois Lowry, the author ofThe Gossamer,The Giver, and many other books, attended school on Staten Island. WriterPaul Zindel lived in Staten Island during his youth and based most of his teenage novels in the island.George R. R. Martin basedKing's Landing on the view of Staten Island from his childhood home inBayonne, New Jersey.[104]
Staten Island has a local music scene. These venues in the North Shore are part of the art movement mentioned above. Local bands include many punk, ska, hardcore punk, indie, metal, and pop punk bands. Staten Island is known internationally for its hip hop culture from the critically acclaimedWu-Tang Clan.
Musicians who were born or live on Staten Island and groups which formed on Staten Island are found atlist of people from Staten Island.
TheSpectrum cable news channelNY1 airs a weekly show calledThis Week on Staten Island, hosted by Anthony Pascale. The magazine-style show takes content from NY1's hourly newscasts called "Your Staten Island News Now". A documentary series,A Walk Around Staten Island withDavid Hartman and Barry Lewis, premiered onpublic television stationWNET on December 3, 2007. The hosts profile Staten Island culture and history, including major attractions such as theStaten Island Ferry,Historic Richmond Town, theConference House,Snug Harbor Cultural Center and its Chinese Scholars Garden as well as many more sites.[105]
TheFox andWB sitcomGrounded for Life (2001–2005) was centered on a family of Irish heritage living on Staten Island.[106] All four cast members oftruTV hidden camerareality TV showImpractical Jokers (2011–) hail from Staten Island.Joe Gatto,James "Murr" Murray,Brian "Q" Quinn, andSal Vulcano are four friends who originally met while attendingMonsignor Farrell High School, where they formed the improv comedy troupeThe Tenderloins.Impractical Jokers features many references to Staten Island and filming often takes place in the borough. On February 6, 2023, the borough declared the first Monday of every February "Impractical Jokers Day" in honor of the show.[107][108]
TheFXcomedy horror seriesWhat We Do in the Shadows (2019–) is centered on a group of vampires who live on Staten Island.[109] The fact that they live on Staten Island and not more centrally in New York City is a common joke within the series, and their attempts to take over the entire borough have resulted in control of only five houses, according to the group.
TheSt. George Theatre serves as a cultural arts center, hosting educational programs, architectural tours, television and film shoots, concerts, comedy,Broadway touring companies, and small and large children's shows. Artists who have performed there includethe B-52's,Jonas Brothers,Tony Bennett, andDon McLean. In 2012, the NBC musical dramaSmash series filmed several scenes there.[110]
The Ritz Theater inPort Richmond, amovie theater andvaudeville venue now a home-improvement showroom, once hosted the biggest names inrock and roll andshow business. The theater was built by Isle Theatrical and opened in 1924.[111] From 1970 to 1972, the theater had an arrangement with aManhattan club that enabled them to bring top names, many of whom are now in theRock and Roll Hall of Fame, to the location.[112][113] The Stadium Theatre was a 1,037-seat movie theater inTottenville from 1927 to 1957. In January 1969 it re-opened as the New Stadium Theatre and was a rock-music venue, but by the 1970s it had become the site of aroller rink.[114]
The Lane Theater inNew Dorp opened on February 10, 1938, and was operated by Charles, Lewis and Elias Moses.[111][115] The theater's interior has beenlandmarked since November 1988. Starting in 1998, several concerts were hosted;[116] and the theater briefly hosted "The EleMent" nightclub in 2001. After renovations were completed in summer 2009, Uncle Vinnie's Comedy Club opened there, operating until 2011.[117] In 2012 the building became the home of the Crossroads Church.[118]
TheStaten Island Yankees played in theNew York–Penn League from 1999 to 2020; the team was a Class-A Minor League affiliate of theNew York Yankees before being eliminated during the restructuring of Minor League Baseball. The Yankees have stated they hope to assist in creating a new team for Staten Island in the independentAtlantic League. Staten Island is now home to theStaten Island FerryHawks of the Atlantic League and playing their home games at Staten Island University Hospital ballpark.[119]
Staten Island's Mid-Island Little League won the1964 Little League World Series inWilliamsport, Pennsylvania. Three Mid-Island Little League teams and six overall from Staten Island have reached the tournament since it started in 1947.[120] Staten Island Little League was the island's first Little League. Its "founding fathers"; Buddy Cusack, Jiggs Seaman, John Marino, Joe Darcy Sr., Joe "Babe" Darcy Jr., Ed Elliott, and Jim Darcy, built Hy Turkin Field (and additional fields) inDongan Hills and have been inducted as a group into theStaten Island Sports Hall of Fame.[121]
In 2015, theNew York Post listed Staten Island's all-time basketball team as:Warren Fenley,Kyle McAlarney, Bill Murtha,Kevin O'Connor, Kenny Page.[122] As of 2014, McAlarney was Staten Island's all-time high-school boys' scoring leader with 2,566 points.[123]
TheDaily News Golden Gloves Tournament started in 1927. It is believed that Eppie Alonzo, who lived and trained at the Mount Loretto Home for Boys, is the first Staten Islander to win a Daily News Golden Gloves championship. Alonzo won his division in 1949 and again in 1950. Other Staten Islanders who have won a Daily News Golden Gloves championship include: Gabe Perillo Jr. (1974),Kevin Rooney (1975), Al Tobe (1975), Johnny Verderosa (1975, 1976), Gary Stark Jr. (2000, 2001, 2002), Amanda Walsh (2008), Nafisa Umarova (2012), Chad Trabuscio (2012), Anthony Caramanno (2008, 2010, 2012).[128]
The New York Predators of the semi-pro Regional American Football League have called Staten Island home since their inception in 1998. Owned by Bill Simo, they play most home games at St. Peter's H.S.[132]
A 1905 golf match withIsaac Mackie (right) at Fox Hills Golf Club, Staten Island
Staten Island has fourgolf courses.La Tourette, Silver Lake, and South Shore are public, whileRichmond County Country Club is the only private country club in New York City. The New York City Amateur[133] is conducted annually at La Tourette Golf Course by the Staten Island Golf Association.[134]
By some estimates, Staten Island has been the site of nearly a dozen golf courses.
Harbour Hills Golf Links near Brighton, Lafayette, and Prospect Avenue inNew Brighton opened in 1878 and is said to have conducted the island's first golf tournaments. In 1898, the club opened a new clubhouse opposite the Brighton Heights Inn along Castleton Avenue.[135] In 1904, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle Almanac reported that the club had 250 members and had been officially incorporated in 1896.[136] Today most of the property is known as Goodhue Park and Allison Pond Park.
Clovena Club was in the vicinity of Clove Road and Victory Boulevard in 1897.[137]
Staten Island Cricket and Base Ball Club had a course inLivingston and was a Charter member of the Metropolitan Golf Association. Besides the "baseball" name, it is also seen in journals at the time as Staten Island Country Club and Staten Island Cricket Club. As with other clubs making the transition from cricket to golf, the organization completed planning for what would become the Fox Hills Golf Course by identifying the 110-acre (45 ha) site and hiring an architect, but abandoned golf in 1899.
Fox Hills Golf Course was one of the island's first true 18-hole courses. It opened in 1900 with over 200 members and had nearly 275 members by 1904. Fox Hills was semi-private, and attracted players from around theNew York metropolitan area to its location in Clifton off Vanderbilt Avenue and Targee Street, where its clubhouse was one of the largest in the country. Prolific golf architectTom Bendelow was selected to develop the course's original layout.[138] Fox Hills's head professional, ScotsmanIsaac Mackie, worked withWalter Travis in 1906 to revamp the golf course, and in 1928Donald Ross made additional changes. Mackie played in at least 12U.S. Opens from 1901 to 1921, and won the Eastern PGA Championship in 1908 at Fox Hills. From 1899 through 1926 the Staten Island Amateur was played annually at either Fox Hills or Richmond County Country Club. Like many private golf courses of that era, theGreat Depression, as well as the growing number of public courses, contributed to the end of the club and Fox Hills closed in 1935.[139][140][141][142]
Tysen Manor Golf Course, which was located on 100-acre (40 ha) site between Hylan Boulevard, Mill Road, New Dorp Lane, and Tysens Lane, was in existence from 1928 until 1936. The course was operated by Henry H. Nutt. Tavern on the Green, a restaurant that closed in 1976, was originally the golf course's clubhouse, near the location of the current post office on Hylan Boulevard.[143]
Mayflower Country Club's golf course, designed byDevereux Emmet with Alfred H. Tull,[144][145] was built on a 147-acre (59 ha) tract inHuguenot in 1928.[146][147] The club had designs for sporting facilities that included an indoor swimming pool and tennis courts, but member funding dried up once thestock market crashed in 1929. Regardless, Frank B. Sterner & Co. built the country club's clubhouse for $200,000 in 1930, and the first annual club championship was conducted in September 1931.New York City took over the site in 1966 and opened South Shore Golf Course in 1967.[148]
Willowbrook State School Golf Course was a 9-hole layout on Forest Hill Road that opened in May 1945 and closed in the 1960s. The Metropolitan section of theProfessional Golfers' Association of America (PGA) funded construction of the golf course atHalloran General Hospital in support of theU.S. Army and the war effort.Robert Trent Jones Sr. designed a layout that consisted of all par-3s on 23 acres (9.3 ha). Jones modeled the holes on what he thought were the great par-3s of the world and the unique course opened with complimentary reviews.[149][150]
Frank Hannigan was the USGA Executive Director and a TV golf analyst for ABC. He wrote for theStaten Island Advance as a golf columnist and was influential in bringing the US Open to Shinnecock Hills and Bethpage State Park, and promoted the creation of the New York City Amateur.[154] Staten Island native Joe Moresco was President of the Metropolitan section of the PGA in 1969 and 1970, was the Section's Professional of the Year in 1971 and is a member of the PGA Metropolitan Section Hall of Fame, along with Jim Albus.[155]
From 1953 until 1972stock car races were held weekly from May until October at a 1/5th-mile asphalt racetrack on Staten Island. The local dairy, owned by the Weissglass family, financed promoter Gabe Rispoli with $700 so he could make improvements to an existing sporting facility that became known as Weissglass Stadium.[157][158]
There was a controversial plan by theInternational Speedway Corporation (ISC) to build an 82,000-seat race track[159] on the island that would host National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) races by 2010. The ISC abandoned the plan in 2006 citing financial concerns, and sold the 676-acre (274 ha) parcel in 2013.[160]
TheNew York City Marathon is a foot race run over a 42.2 km (26.2 mi) course through the five boroughs of New York City. The marathon starts each year on Staten Island.
The Ocean Breeze Track and Field Athletic Complex is a state-of-the-art indoor track and field facility in Ocean Breeze Park that is part of theSouth Beach section of Staten Island. On November 19, 2015, the complex became the first facility in the United States to be recognized as a certifiedInternational Amateur Athletic Federation (IAAF) facility.[163] A project under Mayor Bloomberg's Design Excellence initiative, the athletic complex was designed as part of the PlaNYC 110-acre Ocean Breeze regional park.[164] The project, launched in 2007, encountered several delays, including a four-month setback due to Hurricane Sandy that exposed the vulnerability of generators, transformers, and electronic control rooms all of which had to be raised to avoid storm-surge flooding.[165]
In 1961, a lifeguard became the first person to swim around Staten Island.[166] In 2023, Leslie Hamilton became the first woman to swim around Staten Island, which she did by swimming 37 miles in 14.5 hours.[166]
Tennis is said to have made its United States debut on Staten Island. The first American National championship was played at the Staten Island Cricket and Baseball Club (now known as the Staten Island Cricket Club) in September 1880.[167] Tennis was introduced in Staten Island byMary Ewing Outerbridge.[168]
Public middle schools include Intermediate Schools 2,7, 24, 27, 30,34,49, 51, 61,72 and 75; and 861, a K–to–8 school; as well as part of thePetrides School (which runs fromkindergarten throughhigh school).
TheCollege of Staten Island is one of the eleven senior colleges of theCity University of New York (CUNY). The college offers associate's and bachelor's degrees, and also offers master's and doctoral-level study.
Wagner College is a co-educational private liberal arts college with an enrollment of 2,000 undergraduates and 500 graduate students.
From 1964 to 1977, Staten Island contained the longestvertical lift,steel arch, andsuspension bridges in the world: the Arthur Kill Vertical Lift Bridge, Bayonne Bridge, and Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge, respectively. The Arthur Kill Bridge still holds the title for longest vertical lift bridge, while the Bayonne and Verrazzano bridges are now the 5th- and 14th-longest in their respective categories.
I-278 (Staten Island Expressway) westbound at Clove Road in Staten Island
As of 2015, 82% of Staten Island households owned a car, the highest rate of any borough. Citywide, the rate was 45%.[171] Unlike the other four boroughs, Staten Island has no large, numberedgrid system for its roads.New Dorp's grid has a few numbered streets, but they do not intersect with any numbered avenues. Some neighborhoods organize their street names alphabetically. In addition to the island's highways (I-278, NY 440,Korean War Veterans Parkway), the borough's neighborhoods are connected bya number of heavily trafficked roads includingHylan Boulevard, the longest street in New York City.[172]
TheStaten Island Ferry is the only transportation directly from Staten Island to Manhattan, roughly a 25-minute trip.[173] TheSt. George Terminal, first opened in 1886,[174] was rebuilt in 1951[175] and again in the 2000s.[176] The ferry has been fare-free since 1997. The Staten Island Ferry transports over 60,000 passengers per day. It runs 24/7 every 15 to 20 minutes during weekday rush hours and every 30 minutes at other times.[177] The ferries and both of its terminals are patrolled by a combination of the New York City Department of Transportation, New York City Police Department, United States Coast Guard and private security contractors.[178]
AnNYC Ferry route operates between St. George Terminal and Manhattan's West Side since August 2021, calling at Battery Park City/Vesey Street and terminating at Pier 79/Midtown West.[179] This route is operated separately from the Staten Island Ferry and charges a fare.
TheStaten Island Railway, currently the borough's only passenger railroad, traverses the island 24/7 from its northeastern tip to its southwestern tip. The Staten Island Railway opened in 1860[180][181][182] and was owned and operated by theBaltimore and Ohio Railroad (B&O) until July 1, 1971, when the line was bought by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority.[183] The Staten Island Railway continued to have its own railway police, the Staten Island Rapid Transit Police, until 2005 when the 25-officer police force was consolidated into theMetropolitan Transportation Authority Police Department.[184][185]
A 5-mile (8 km)right of way exists along the north shore of Staten Island. ThisNorth Shore Branch of the Staten Island Railway was built, owned, and operated by the B&O, which used it for passenger service until 1953. It then became a B&O freight line until the 1980s, when service was stopped. There have been proposals to revive the abandoned right-of-way for passenger service as a rail line or for use asbus rapid transit.[189] There is also a proposal to build aWest Shore Light Rail alongNew York State Route 440, running from the Staten Island Railway main line on the South Shore, to theHudson–Bergen Light Rail in Bayonne, New Jersey.[190] TheSouth Beach Branch of the Staten Island Railway, which transported summer vacationers toSouth Beach, Staten Island, also ceased service in 1953.[191]
MTA Regional Bus Operations provides local and limited bus service with over 30 lines throughout Staten Island. Most lines feed into theSt. George Terminal in the northeastern corner of the borough. Three lines (theS53,S93 andS79 SBS) provide service over theVerrazzano Bridge toBay Ridge, Brooklyn. The S79 SBS is the onlySelect Bus Service route in the borough. Beginning September 4, 2007, the MTA began offering bus service from Staten Island toBayonne, New Jersey, over theBayonne Bridge via theS89 limited-stop bus, allowing passengers to connect to theHudson–Bergen Light Rail's34th Street station, giving Staten Island residents a new route into Manhattan. Despite Staten Island's proximity to New Jersey, the S89 is the only route directly into New Jersey from Staten Island via public transportation.[192]
Express bus service to Manhattan (via the Verrazzano Bridge or Goethals Bridge) is also available for a $7.00 fare each way. TheSIM1C,SIM3C,SIM4C andSIM33C are the only express routes to run outside of weekday commuter hours.[193]
Conrail Shared Assets Operations operates freight rail service for customers ofCSX Transportation and theNorfolk Southern Railway via theTravis Branch, with a 38-acre (15 ha) intermodal on-dock rail facility on theWest Shore of Staten Island, which connects to the National Rail System via the Arthur Kill Rail Bridge to New Jersey. In addition to the intermodal on-dock rail yard, the Conrail Staten Island Rail line also connects to the Sanitation Department's waste transfer station. Conrail railroad police officers patrol and respond to emergencies along the freight line.
Staten Island is the only borough without aNew York City Department of Correction major detention center. The Department of Corrections only maintains court holding jails at the three court buildings on Staten Island for inmates attending court. The various police agencies on Staten Island maintain in-house holding jails for post arrest detention prior to transfer to a corrections jail in another borough.
The Staten Island county sheriff operated a jail system on Staten Island until 1942, when the Staten Island jail system was transferred from the county sheriff's department to the New York City Department of Corrections and eventually closed. In 1976, the New York State Department of Correctional Services opened theArthur Kill Correctional Facility of Staten Island, but the facility was closed in 2011.
Staten Island has acquired a number of nicknames over the decades, some connected to the notion that it is considered an afterthought by other New York City residents. The "Forgotten Borough" was first used nearly 100 years ago in aNew York Times article that quoted a real estate executive. The phrase was more used during the secession movement of the 1990s, and came into greater use in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy.[194]
The island has also been referred to as the "borough of parks" due to its vast swaths of protected parkland and green spaces.[11][12][13] The island has 12,300 acres of protected parkland and over 170 parks.[14] The hip-hop groupWu-Tang Clan, which originates from Staten Island, coined the nickname "Shaolin Land" (later simply Shaolin) for Staten Island as part of their slang.[195] Some have also taken to calling the island "The Rock", a moniker more commonly associated withAlcatraz, with this nickname's first appearance in print being aNew York Times article in 2007.[196]
^abRussell Shorto,The Island at the Center of the World: The Epic Story of Dutch Manhattan and the Forgotten Colony that Shaped America. First Edition. New York City: Vintage Books (a Division of Random House, 2004),ISBN1-4000-7867-9
^Moynihan, Colin."F.Y.I."Archived April 17, 2020, at theWayback Machine,The New York Times, September 19, 1999. Retrieved December 17, 2019. "There are well-known names for inhabitants of four boroughs: Manhattanites, Brooklynites, Bronxites and Staten Islanders. But what are residents of Queens called?"
^Brown, Chip (January 30, 1994)."Escape From New York".The New York Times.Archived from the original on June 16, 2013. RetrievedJanuary 14, 2008.Given their status as residents of "the forgotten borough" – the sorry Cinderella sister in New York's dysfunctional family – maybe the giddiest aspect of all was the attention.
^abBuckley, Cara (October 7, 2007)."Bohemia by the Bay".The New York Times.Archived from the original on June 16, 2013. RetrievedJanuary 14, 2008.Even as New York's hip young things invade and colonize neighborhoods near, far and out of state, Staten Island has stayed stubbornly uncool. It remains the forgotten borough.
^Scheltema, Gajus and Westerhuijs, Heleen (eds.),Exploring Historic Dutch New York. Museum of the City of New York/Dover Publications, New York (2011)ISBN978-0-486-48637-6
^"Fresh Kills". New York City Department of City Planning. 2009. Archived fromthe original on November 24, 2009. RetrievedOctober 20, 2009.
^Isachsen, Yngvar W. "Continental Collisions and Ancient Volcanoes: The Geology of Southeastern New York", Educational Leaflet No. 24, The New York State Educational Department.
^"Statement and Return Report"(PDF). NYC Board of Elections. December 27, 2012.Archived(PDF) from the original on July 25, 2013. RetrievedDecember 30, 2012.
^Dickenson, Richard (2003). "VIII: The Cosmopolitan Period: Since 1898".Holden's Staten Island: The History of Richmond County: Revised Resource Manual. Wiley Online Library: Center for Migration Studies. pp. 178–179.doi:10.1111/j.2050-411X.2003.tb00307.x.ISBN1-57703-028-1.
^"How Car-Free Is NYC?"(PDF). Tri-State Transportation Campaign. April 2017.Archived(PDF) from the original on December 20, 2018. RetrievedJanuary 29, 2019.
^Blumenthal, Ralph (November 6, 2009)."In Five Boroughs, Seeing Paris's Famed Avenue".The New York Times. RetrievedFebruary 26, 2019.Staten Island boasts the longest street in any borough, Hylan Boulevard, running some 14 miles
^"Ferries & Busses". New York City Department of Transportation.Archived from the original on July 23, 2009. RetrievedJuly 14, 2009.
John Jacob Clute (1877),Annals of Staten Island, from its discovery to the present time, New York: C. Vogt,OL24554570M
John Disturnell, ed. (1877),"Staten Island",Summer Resorts and Watering Places ... within fifty miles of the city of New York, New York: J. Wiley & Sons
Selden C. Judson (1886),Illustrated Sketch Book of Staten island, New York, its industries and commerce, New York: S.C. Judson,OL24505964M
Campbell, Reau (1889),Rides and Rambles on Staten Island, New York: C.G. Crawford,OL23330352M
Kobbé, Gustav (1890),Staten Island: a Guide, New York: G. Kobbé,OL23340017M
Daniel Van Pelt (1898),Leslie's History of the Greater New York, vol. 2, New York, U.S.A: Arkell Pub. Co.,OCLC1850560
chapter 20: Richmond, or Staten Island: Olden Times
chapter 21: Richmond, or Staten Island: Present Century
"Borough of Richmond",Appleton's Dictionary of New York and Vicinity (27th ed.), Appleton, 1905
Ingersoll, Ernest (1906),"Greater New York: Staten Island",Rand, McNally & Co.'s Handy Guide to New York City, Brooklyn, Staten Island, and other districts included in the enlarged city (20th ed.), Chicago: Rand, McNally,OCLC29277709
Richmond Borough Association of Women Teachers. (1909),Staten Island and Staten Islanders, New York: Grafton Press,OL7099909M
Frank Bergen Kelley (1913),"Borough of Richmond",Historical Guide to the City of New York (2nd ed.), New York: Frederick A. Stokes Company,OCLC4723529 City History Club of New York
Calvin D. Van Name (1921),Staten Island: a report by the President of the Borough of Richmond to the Mayor,OL7117824M
.jpg)
.jpg)
.svg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
_from_the_overpass_for_Clove_Road_in_Staten_Island%2c_New_York_City%2c_New_York.jpg)
