All about STATEN ISLAND
Staten Island is one of the five boroughs of New York City, located on an island southwest of the rest of New York City. Since it is the most remote of the boroughs it is often the subject of humor by the other residents of New York City. Until the 1960s it was possible to visit farms on Staten Island. Until 1975, the borough was formally named Richmond. With just 440,000 residents Staten Island is the least populated of the five boroughs and one of the least ethnically diverse populations in New York City. Staten Island has the highest percentage of population of residents with Italian background in the entire country.
With the opening of the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge in 1964, the population of Staten Island has risen steadily. The Verranzano-Narrows Bridge connects Staten Island to the borough of Brooklyn. The famous Staten Island Ferry connects Staten Island to lower Manhattan. There are three bridges that connect Staten Island to New Jersey. The Bayonne, Outerbridge Crossing and the Goethals bridges cross over the Arthur Kill and the Kill Van Kull.
As an island, Staten Island was formed in the last ice age. At one point, during its maximum reach, the ice sheet ended at the center of present day Staten Island, forming a terminal moraine. The central moraine of the island is sometimes called the Serpentine ridge because it contains large amounts of that particular mineral.
The first recorded European contact with the island was in 1524 by Giovanni da Verrazano who sailed through the Narrows. In 1609, Henry Hudson established Dutch trade in the area and named the island Staaten Eylandt after the Staten-Generaal, the Dutch parliament.
At the end of the Second Anglo-Dutch War in 1667, the New Netherlands colony was ceded to England and what was now anglicized as Staten Island became part of the new English colony of New York.
The island played a significant role in the American Revolution. In the summer of 1776, the British forces under William Howe evacuated Boston and prepared to attack New York City. Howe used Staten Island as a staging ground for the attack. Howe established his headquarters in New Dorp. It is here that the representatives of the British government reportedly received their first notification of the Declaration of Independence.
Except for the areas along the harbor, however, the borough remained relatively underdeveloped until the building of the Verrazano Narrows Bridge in 1964, which is considered the watershed event in the history of the borough, since it opened up the island to explosive suburban development by giving it direct road access to Brooklyn. The Verrazano, along with the other four major Staten Island bridges, created a new way for commuters and travelers to reach Brooklyn, Long Island, and Manhattan by car from New Jersey, and the network of highways running between the bridges has effectively carved up many of the borough's old neighborhoods.
The Alice Austen House is a National Historic Landmark. The life and work of an early female photographer is maintained and displayed at this museum. A visit to historic Richmond Town will allow you to experience the life of citizens on Staten Island during a time in the past that can only be imagined in a preserved environment like you find among these 25 acres that make up the historic Richmond Town.
No trip to Staten Island would be complete without a ride on the world famous Staten Island ferry. The ferry will carry foot passengers for free and charge around $3.50 per car. If you take the ferry to Manhattan then you can connect to the subway system and travel around Manhattan taking in the sights. Scheduled trips take about 25 minutes and afford the traveler with breath taking views of New York skyline, the Statue of Liberty and the bridges of lower Manhattan. When you consider the high cost of Manhattan hotels, a visit to New York City may mean that you stay in Staten Island and take the ferry across to Manhattan. You can add value to your trip by saving money on the hotel room and enjoying a harbor cruise at the same time.