Staten Island
—  Borough of New York City  —
Richmond County
Staten Island streets with views of the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge and Brooklyn in the distance. In New York City, a borough is a unique form of government which administers the five fundamental constituent parts that make up the consolidated city The Verrazano-Narrows Bridge is a double-decked Suspension bridge that connects the boroughs of Staten Island and Brooklyn in New Brooklyn (named after the Dutch town Breukelen) is one of the five boroughs of New York City.
Location of Staten Island shown in yellow.
Coordinates: 40°34′34.61″N 74°8′41.42″W / 40.5762806, -74.1448389
Country	United States
State	New York
County	Richmond
City	New York City
Settled	1661
Government
- Borough president	James Molinaro
Area
- Total	102. New York ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous The City of New York Borough President (informally BP, or Beep in slang is an elective office in each of the five boroughs of New York City. James Molinaro, b March 11, 1931, is the current Borough President of Staten Island. Area is a Quantity expressing the two- Dimensional size of a defined part of a Surface, typically a region bounded by a closed Curve. 50 sq mi (265. The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. 5 km²)
- Land	58. Square Kilometre ( US spelling square kilometer) symbol km2, is a decimal multiple of the SI unit of 48 sq mi (151. 5 km²)
- Water	44. 02 sq mi (114 km²)
Population
- Total	477,377
- Density	7,587. Population density (in agriculture standing stock and Standing crop) is a measurement of Population per unit area or unit volume 9/sq mi (2,929. 7/km²)
Website: Official Website of the Staten Island Borough President

Staten Island (pronounced /ˌstætənˈaɪlənd/) is a borough of New York City situated primarily on the island of the same name. In New York City, a borough is a unique form of government which administers the five fundamental constituent parts that make up the consolidated city The City of New York It is separated from New Jersey by the Arthur Kill and the Kill Van Kull tidal straits, and from the rest of New York by New York Bay. New Jersey ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. The Arthur Kill (from the Middle Dutch word kille, meaning "riverbed" or "water channel" is a tidal Strait separating The Kill Van Kull is a tidal Strait approximately long and wide separating Staten Island and Bayonne New Jersey, USA. New York Bay is the collective term for the marine areas surrounding the entrance of the Hudson River into the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of about 477,377, Staten Island is the least populated of the five boroughs but is the third largest in area at 59 sq mi (153 km²).

The Borough of Staten Island is coterminous with Richmond County, the southernmost county in the state of New York. New York ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous Until 1975, the borough was officially named the Borough of Richmond. ^[1] Staten Island has been sometimes called "the forgotten borough" by inhabitants who feel neglected by the city government. The government of New York City is organized under the City Charter and provides for a "strong" mayor-council system. ^[2]

Staten Island is overall the most suburban of the five boroughs of New York City. The North Shore, especially the neighborhoods of St. George, Tompkinsville, and Stapleton, is the most urban part of the island; it contains the officially designated St. St George is a neighborhood located at the northeastern tip of Staten Island in New York City, USA, at the location where the Kill Van Kull Tompkinsville is a neighborhood in northeastern Staten Island in New York City in the United States. Stapleton is a neighborhood in northeastern Staten Island in New York City in the United States. George Historic District and The St. Paul’s Avenue-Stapleton Heights Historic District, which feature large Victorian homes. The South Shore has more suburban-style residential neighborhoods and is home to the two and one-half mile long F. D. R. Boardwalk, the fourth longest in the world. Historically, the central and southern sections of the island were once dominated by dairy and poultry farms, almost all of which disappeared in the 20th century.

The borough is accessible to Brooklyn via the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge and to New Jersey via the Goethals Bridge, Outerbridge Crossing, and Bayonne Bridge. Brooklyn (named after the Dutch town Breukelen) is one of the five boroughs of New York City. The Verrazano-Narrows Bridge is a double-decked Suspension bridge that connects the boroughs of Staten Island and Brooklyn in New The Goethals Bridge (pronounced as ɡɑːθəlz connects Elizabeth New Jersey to Staten Island New York near the Howland Hook Marine Terminal, Staten Island The Outerbridge Crossing is a Cantilever bridge which spans the Arthur Kill. The Bayonne Bridge is the third longest steel arch bridge in the world and was the longest in the world at the time of its completion Staten Island has MTA bus service and an MTA rapid transit line, the Staten Island Railway, which runs from the ferry terminal at St. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority ( MTA) is a Public benefit corporation responsible for Public transportation in the U The Staten Island Railway (aka SIR and formerly known as SIRT is a Rapid transit line operating in the Borough of Staten Island, New York City George to Tottenville. Tottenville, area approx 17 square miles (44 km² is the southernmost neighborhood of Staten Island, New York City and New York State. The free Staten Island Ferry connects the borough to Manhattan and is a popular tourist attraction, providing views of the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island and lower Manhattan. The Staten Island Ferry is a passenger Ferry service operated by the New York City Department of Transportation that runs between Manhattan and Staten Manhattan Island, in New York Harbor, is much the largest part of the Borough of Manhattan, one of the Five Boroughs which form the City of New York Liberty Enlightening the World (La liberté éclairant le monde commonly known as the Statue of Liberty (Statue de la Liberté was presented Ellis Island, at the mouth of the Hudson River in New York Harbor Manhattan Island, in New York Harbor, is much the largest part of the Borough of Manhattan, one of the Five Boroughs which form the City of New York

Contents 1 History 1.1 Staten Island 1.2 Richmond County 1.3 The Revolution and Nineteenth Century 1.4 Consolidation with New York City 2 Geography 2.1 Adjacent Counties 3 Transportation 4 Government 5 Demographics 5.1 Culture 6 Sports 7 Hospitals 8 Education 9 Notable natives and residents 10 Notes 11 References 12 External links

History

Geographically, Staten Island was formed in the wake of the last ice age. An ice age is a period of long-term reduction in the Temperature of the Earth 's surface and atmosphere resulting in an expansion of continental Ice sheets In the late Pleistocene between 20,000 and 14,000 years ago, the ice sheet that covered northeastern North America reached as far south as present day New York City, to a depth of approximately the same height as the Empire State Building. The Pleistocene ('plaɪstəsin is the epoch from 18 million to 10000 years BP covering the world's recent period An ice sheet is a mass of Glacier Ice that covers surrounding terrain and is greater than 50000 km² (20000 mile²) The Empire State Building is a 102-story Art Deco Skyscraper in New York City at the intersection of Fifth Avenue and West 34th Street At one point, during its maximum reach, the ice sheet precisely ended at the center of present day Staten Island, forming a terminal moraine on the existing diabase sill. Moraine refers to any glacially formed accumulation of unconsolidated glacial debris (soil and rock which can occur in currently glaciated and formerly glaciated regions such as those The central moraine of the island is sometimes called the Serpentine ridge because it contains large amounts of that particular mineral. The serpentine group describes a group of common rock-forming hydrous Magnesium Iron phyllosilicate (()3 Minerals they

At the retreat of the ice sheet, Staten Island was connected by land to Long Island because The Narrows had not yet formed. Long Island is an island located in southeastern New York, USA, its western shores directly across from Manhattan, from which the island stretches See also Geography and environment of New York City The Narrows is the tidal Strait separating the boroughs of Staten Island and Brooklyn Geologists' reckonings of the course of the Hudson River have placed it alternatively through the present course of the Raritan River, south of the island, or through present-day Flushing Bay and Jamaica Bay. A geologist is a contributor to the Science of Geology, studying the physical structure and processes of the Earth and planets of the solar system The Hudson River, called Muh-he-kun-ne-tuk, the Great Mohegan by the Iroquois, or as the Lenape Native Americans called it in Unami The Raritan River is a major river of central New Jersey in the United States. Flushing Bay New York is a semienclosed body of water (a Bay) in the East River, located off the north shore of Long Island, near the neighborhood of See also Geography and environment of New York City Jamaica Bay is a Lagoon that lies in the shadow of New York City 's skyscrapers and is adjacent

As in much of North America, human habitation appeared in the island fairly rapidly after the retreat of the ice sheet. Archaeologists have recovered tool evidence of Clovis culture activity dating from approximately 14,000 years ago. Archaeology, archeology, or archæology (from Greek grc ἀρχαιολογία archaiologia – grc ἀρχαῖος archaīos The Clovis culture (sometimes referred to as the Llano culture) is a Prehistoric Paleoindian culture that first appears in the archaeological The island was probably abandoned later, possibly because of the extinction of large mammals on the island. In Biology and Ecology, extinction is the cessation of existence of a Species or group of taxa. Mammals ( class Mammalia) are a class of Vertebrate Animals characterized by the presence of Sweat glands, including sweat glands Evidence of the first permanent American Indian settlements and agriculture are thought to date from about 5,000 years ago (Jackson, 1995), although early archaic habitation evidence has been found in multiple locations on the island (Ritchie 1963)

In the Sixteenth century, the island was part of a larger area known as Lenapehoking that was inhabited by the Lenape, an American Indian people who speak their own languages within the Algonquian languages group, and who were later named the "Delaware" by Europeans. For indigenous peoples in the United States other than Hawaii and Alaska see also Native Americans in the United States. Lenapehoking is a term ascribed to the American Indians known as Lenape (called Delaware Indians by Europeans) as the word in their The shannon (later named Delaware Indians by Europeans were in the 17th century organized bands of Native American peoples with shared cultural and linguistic Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples from the regions of North America now encompassed by the continental United States The Delaware languages, also known as the Lenape languages, are Munsee and Unami, two closely related languages of the Eastern Algonquian The Algonquian (also Algonkian, and pronounced both and) languages are a subfamily of Native American languages that includes most of the languages in the Algic ^[3] The band that occupied the southern part of the island was called the Raritan. Raritan is a Native American place name in the Lenape language. To the Lenape, the island was known as Aquehonga Manacknong and Eghquaons (Jackson, 1995). The island was laced with foot trails, one of which followed the south side of the ridge near the course of present day Richmond Road and Amboy Road. The Lenape did not live in fixed encampments, but moved seasonally, using slash and burn agriculture. Slash and burn consists of cutting and burning of Forests or Woodlands to create fields for Agriculture or Pasture for Livestock, or The staples of their diet included shellfish, including the oysters that are native to both Upper New York Bay and Lower New York Bay. Shellfish is a Culinary and Fisheries term for those aquatic Invertebrate animals that are used as Food: various species of molluscs The common name oyster is used for a number of different groups of Bivalve Mollusks most of which live in marine habitats or Brackish water. See also Geography and environment of New York City Upper New York Bay, sometimes called Upper New York Harbor or the Upper Bay, is See also Geography and environment of New York City Lower New

Staten Island

The first recorded European contact with the island was in 1524 by Giovanni da Verrazzano, who sailed through The Narrows. Giovanni da Verrazzano (c 1485 &ndash c 1528 was an Italian Explorer of North America, in the service of the French crown. See also Geography and environment of New York City The Narrows is the tidal Strait separating the boroughs of Staten Island and Brooklyn In 1609, Henry Hudson established Dutch trade in the area and named the island Staaten Eylandt after the Staten-Generaal, the Dutch parliament. Henry Hudson' (1570 &ndash 1611 was an English Sea explorer and Navigator in the early 17th century "United Netherlands" redirects here For the "Kingdom of the United Netherlands" see United Kingdom of the Netherlands. The States-General ( Staten-Generaal) is the Parliament of the Netherlands.

Although the first Dutch settlement of the New Netherlands colony was made on nearby Manhattan in 1620, Staaten Eylandt remained uncolonized by the Dutch for many decades. New Netherland (Dutch Nieuw-Nederland, Latin Novum Belgium or Nova Belgica) 1614–1674 is the name of the former Dutch territory on the eastern coast Manhattan Island, in New York Harbor, is much the largest part of the Borough of Manhattan, one of the Five Boroughs which form the City of New York From 1639 to 1655, the Dutch made three separate attempts to establish a permanent settlement on the island, but each time the settlement was destroyed in the conflicts between the Dutch and the local tribes.

In 1661, the first permanent Dutch settlement was established at Oude Dorp (Dutch for "Old Town"),^[4] just south of the Narrows near South Beach, by a small group of Dutch, Walloon, and Huguenot families. Dutch ( is a West Germanic language spoken by around 24 million people 22 million of which are from the Netherlands, Belgium and Suriname See also Geography and environment of New York City The Narrows is the tidal Strait separating the boroughs of Staten Island and Brooklyn South Beach is the name of a neighborhood located on the East Shore of Staten Island, one of the five boroughs of New York City, USA. Walloons (Wallons Walons are a Romance people living in Belgium principally in Wallonia. The Huguenots were members of the Protestant Reformed Church of France (or French Calvinists) from the sixteenth to the eighteenth

Richmond County

At the end of the Second Anglo-Dutch War in 1667, the Dutch ceded New Netherlands colony to England in the Treaty of Breda, and what was now anglicized as Staten Island became part of the new English colony of New York. The Second Anglo-Dutch War was fought between England and the United Provinces from 4 March, 1665 until 31 July, 1667. New Netherland (Dutch Nieuw-Nederland, Latin Novum Belgium or Nova Belgica) 1614–1674 is the name of the former Dutch territory on the eastern coast England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland Anglicisation or anglicization (see -ise vs -ize) is a process of conversion of verbal or written elements of any other language into a more comprehensible English The Province of New York (1664-1776 (Provincie New York resulted from the capture of the Dutch Republic colony of Provincie Nieuw-Nederland by the

In 1670, the Native Americans ceded all claims to Staten Island to the English in a deed to Gov. Francis Lovelace. Francis Lovelace (1621-1675 was the third son of Sir William Lovelace (1584-1627 and his wife Anne Barne of Lovelace Place Bethersden and Woolrich Kent In 1671, in order to encourage an expansion of the Dutch settlements, the English resurveyed Oude Dorp (which became known as Old Town) and expanded the lots along the shore to the south. These lots were settled primarily by Dutch and became known as Nieuwe Dorp (meaning "New Village"), which later became anglicized as New Dorp. New Dorp ( Anglicization of Nieuwe Dorp, Early New Dutch for New Village) is a neighborhood in the area of Staten Island New York

Captain Christopher Billopp, after years of distinguished service in the Royal Navy, came to America in 1674 in charge of a company of infantry. 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 inaccurate myth, Capt. 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, according to the myth and Stv. Mayor Michael Bloomberg perpetuated the myth by referring to it at a news conference in Brooklyn on February 20, 2007. Michael Rubens Bloomberg (born February 14, 1942) is an American businessman and the Mayor of New York City. ^[5]

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, were designated as Richmond County. The name derives from the title of an illegitimate son of King Charles II. Charles II (Charles Stuart 29 May 1630 – 6 February 1685 was the King of England, Scotland, and Ireland.

In 1687 and 1688, the English divided the island into four administrative divisions based on natural features: the 5100 acre (21 km²) manorial estate of colonial governor Thomas Dongan in the central hills known as the "Lordship or Manner of Cassiltown," along with the North, South, and West divisions. Thomas Dongan, 2nd Earl of Limerick (1634 – December 14, 1715) was a member of Irish Parliament, Royalist military officer during the These divisions would later evolve into the four townships Castleton, Northfield, Southfield, and Westfield.

The government granted land patents in rectangular blocks of eighty 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 1600 acre (6. 5 km²) parcel on the southwestern tip of the island belonging to Christopher Billop (Jackson, 1995).

In 1729, a county seat was established at the village of Richmond Town, located at the headwaters of the Fresh Kills near the center of the island. Fresh Kills (from the Middle Dutch word kille, meaning "riverbed" or "water channel" is a stream and freshwater Estuary

The Revolution and Nineteenth Century

The island played a significant role in the American Revolutionary War. In this article the inhabitants of the thirteen colonies that supported the American Revolution are primarily referred to as "Americans" with occasional references to "Patriots" On March 17, 1776, the British forces under William Howe evacuated Boston and sailed for Halifax, Nova Scotia. William Howe may refer to William Howe (actor (born 1994 actor William Howe (architect, patented Howe Truss for covered bridges From Halifax, Howe prepared to attack New York City. The City of New York Howe used the strategic location of Staten Island as a staging ground for the attack. Howe established his headquarters in New Dorp at the Rose and Crown tavern near the junction of present New Dorp Lane and Amboy Road. It is here that the representatives of the British government reportedly received their first notification of the Declaration of Independence. The United States Declaration of Independence is a statement adopted by the Continental Congress on July 4 1776 announcing that the thirteen American colonies then

The following month, in August 1776, the British forces crossed the Narrows to Brooklyn and routed the American forces under George Washington at the Battle of Long Island, resulting in the British capture of New York. See also Geography and environment of New York City The Narrows is the tidal Strait separating the boroughs of Staten Island and Brooklyn Brooklyn (named after the Dutch town Breukelen) is one of the five boroughs of New York City. George Washington (February 22 1732 December 14 1799 served as the first President of the United States of America (1789&ndash1797 and led the Background On March 17 1776 the British fleet retreated to Halifax Nova Scotia to refit after the end of the year-long Siege of Boston. Three weeks later, on September 11, 1776, the British received a delegation of Americans consisting of Benjamin Franklin, Edward Rutledge, and John Adams at the Conference House on the southwestern tip of the island (known today as Tottenville) on the former estate of Christopher Billop. Events 9 - The Battle of the Teutoburg Forest ends 506 - The Bishops of Visigothic Gaul Year 1776 ( MDCCLXXVI) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Benjamin Franklin ( April 17 1790 was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States of America. Edward Rutledge (November 23 1749 January 23 1800 South Carolina statesman was a signer of the Declaration of Independence and later governor of South Carolina John Adams (October 30 1735 July 4 1826 was one of the most influential Founding Fathers of the United States. The Conference House (also known as the Bentley Manor and the Captain Christopher Billop House was built before 1680 and located near the southernmost tip of New York State Tottenville, area approx 17 square miles (44 km² is the southernmost neighborhood of Staten Island, New York City and New York State. The Americans refused the peace offer from the British in exchange for the withdrawal of the Declaration of Independence, however, and the conference ended without an agreement. The United States Declaration of Independence is a statement adopted by the Continental Congress on July 4 1776 announcing that the thirteen American colonies then

On August 22, 1777, the Battle of Staten Island occurred here between the British and several companies of the 2nd Canadian Regiment fighting alongside other American companies. Footnotes The 2nd Canadian Regiment, also known as Congress' Own or Hazen's Regiment, was raised on January 20, 1776 at Montreal, While the battle was inconclusive, with both sides surrendering over a hundred troops as prisoners, the Americans withdrew.

British forces remained on Staten Island throughout the war. Although local sentiment was predominantly Loyalist, the islanders found the demands of supporting the troops to be onerous. This article concerns Loyalists in the American Revolution. For information on the role of those Loyalists in Canadian history after their emigration see United Empire Many buildings and churches were destroyed, and the military demand for resources resulted in an extensive deforestation of the island by the end of the war. Deforestation is the conversion of Forested areas to non-forest land for use such as Arable land, Pasture, urban use logged area or wasteland The British again used the island as a staging ground for their final evacuation of New York City on December 5, 1783. The City of New York Events 63 BC - Cicero reads the last of his Catiline Orations. Year 1783 ( MDCCLXXXIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or After the war, the largest Loyalist landowners fled to Canada and their estates were subdivided and sold. Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page

On July 4, 1827, the end of slavery in New York state was celebrated at Swan Hotel, West Brighton. Events 836 - Pactum Sicardi, peace between the Principality of Benevento and the Duchy of Naples Year 1827 ( MDCCCXXVII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common Rooms at the hotel were reserved months in advance as local abolitionists and prominent free blacks prepared for the festivities. Speeches, pageants, picnics, and fireworks marked the celebration, which lasted for two days.

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.

Consolidation with New York City

These towns and villages were dissolved in 1898 with the consolidation of the City of Greater New York, with Richmond as one of its five boroughs. The City of Greater New York, was a term commonly used originally to refer to the expanded city created on January 1, 1898 by the incorporation into the city of In New York City, a borough is a unique form of government which administers the five fundamental constituent parts that make up the consolidated city

Except for the areas along the harbor, however, the borough remained relatively undeveloped until the building of the Verrazano Narrows Bridge in 1964, which opened up the island to explosive suburban development by giving it direct road access to Brooklyn. The Verrazano-Narrows Bridge is a double-decked Suspension bridge that connects the boroughs of Staten Island and Brooklyn in New The Verrazano, 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 further east on Long Island. New Jersey ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. Brooklyn (named after the Dutch town Breukelen) is one of the five boroughs of New York City. Manhattan Island, in New York Harbor, is much the largest part of the Borough of Manhattan, one of the Five Boroughs which form the City of New York Long Island is an island located in southeastern New York, USA, its western shores directly across from Manhattan, from which the island stretches The network of highways running between the bridges has effectively carved up many of the borough's old neighborhoods. This road expansion was planned initially by Robert Moses. Robert Moses ( December 18 1888 – July 29 1981) was the "master builder" of mid-20th century New York City, Long

Some of the island's open space and historic areas were incorporated in 1972 into Gateway National Recreation Area, part of the National Park System. Gateway National Recreation Area is a 26607 acre (10767 km² National Recreation Area in the New York City metropolitan area. The National Park Service ( NPS) is the United States federal agency that manages all National Parks, many National Monuments, and other conservation The Staten Island Unit of Gateway NRA is joined by the Jamaica Bay Unit in Brooklyn and Queens and the Sandy Hook Unit in New Jersey. See also Geography and environment of New York City Jamaica Bay is a Lagoon that lies in the shadow of New York City 's skyscrapers and is adjacent Sandy Hook is a barrier peninsula, approximately 97 kilometers (between 6 and 7 miles in length and 800 meters (0 The Staten Island Unit is comprised of Great Kills Park, Miller Field, Fort Wadsworth, Hoffman Island, and Swinburne Island. Fort Wadsworth is a United States military installation on Staten Island New York, situated on The Narrows which divide New York Bay into Hoffman Island is one of two small Artificial islands in the Lower New York Bay, off South Beach Staten Island. Swinburne Island is the smaller of two Artificial islands located in the Lower New York Bay east of South Beach Staten Island.

Throughout the 1980s, a movement to secede from the city steadily grew in popularity, reaching its peak during the mayoral term of David Dinkins. Secession (derived from the Latin term secessio is the act of withdrawing from an organization union or especially a political entity David Norman Dinkins (born July 10 1927 was the Mayor of New York City from 1990 through 1993 being the first and to date only African American to hold that office In a 1993 referendum, 65% voted to secede, but implementation was blocked in the State Assembly. The New York State Assembly is the Lower house of the New York Legislature, the state legislature of the U

In the 1980s, the United States Navy had a base on Staten Island called Naval Station New York. It was composed of two sections: a home port in Stapleton and a larger section around Fort Wadsworth, where the Verrazano Narrows Bridge enters the island. Fort Wadsworth is a United States military installation on Staten Island New York, situated on The Narrows which divide New York Bay into Originally, this base was to be the home port for the battleship USS Iowa (BB-61), but an explosion in one of the ship's turrets led to the vessel's decommissioning. A battleship is a large heavily armored Warship with a main battery consisting of the largest Calibre of Guns Battleships were Construction See also Iowa class battleship, Armament of the Iowa class battleship Iowa was the lead ship of her class of " The USS Iowa turret explosion was an explosion that occurred in the Number Two 16-inch gun turret of the United States Navy Battleship USS A number of other vessels, including the frigates USS Donald B. For the bird see Frigatebird. A frigate /ˈfrɪgɪt/ is a warship Beary FF 1085 and USS Ainsworth FF 1090 and at least one cruiser, the USS Normandy (CG-60), were based there. A cruiser is a large type of Warship, which had its prime period from the late 19th century to the end of the Cold War. Service history Normandy was laid down at Bath Iron Works, Bath Maine, on 7 April 1987 launched on 19 March 1988 and commissioned on 9 December The base was closed in 1994 through the Base Realignment and Closure process because of its small size and the expense of basing personnel there. Base Realignment and Closure (or BRAC) is a process of the United States federal government directed at the administration and operation of the Armed A subsequent plan to use the site as a movie studio headed by actor and New York native Danny Aiello faltered due to money problems. Daniel Louis Aiello Jr (born June 20, 1933) is an Academy Award -nominated Emmy Award -winning American Actor who has appeared in It was recently announced that the property will be converted into a mixed-use waterfront neighborhood with an announced completion date of 2009.

Opened as a "temporary landfill" in 1947, Fresh Kills Landfill was a repository of trash for the city of New York. The Fresh Kills Landfill on the New York City borough of Staten Island in the United States, was formerly the largest Landfill in The landfill was the largest man made erection on earth being visible from orbit in space. The landfill was closed in 2001,^[6] but was briefly re-opened for the debris from Ground Zero following the September 11, 2001 attacks. The Fresh Kills Landfill has been treated and cleaned up. A park larger than Central Park is in the works. Central Park is a large public Urban park in New York City, with about twenty-five million visitors annually Its creeks and wetlands have been designated a Significant Coastal Fish and Wildlife Habitat by the New York State Dept of Environmental Conservation (DEC). Fresh Kills and its tributaries are part of the largest tidal wetland ecosystem in the region. Plans for the park include a bird-nesting island, public roads, boardwalks, soccer and baseball fields, bridle paths and a 5,000-seat stadium. ^[7]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. Already, many of the landscapes of Fresh Kills possess a stark beauty, with 360 degree, wide horizon views from the hills, over 300 acres (1. 2 km²) of salt marsh and a winding network of creeks.

Geography

See also: List of Staten Island neighborhoods

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough-county has a total area of 265. This is list of Neighborhoods on Staten Island, one of five boroughs of New York City. The United States Census Bureau (officially Bureau of the Census as defined in Title) is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census 5 km² (102. 5 sq mi). The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. Land comprises 151. 5 km² (58. 5 sq mi) and water 114. 0 km² (44. 0 sq mi) of it (42. 95%).

Staten Island is separated from Long Island by the Narrows and from mainland New Jersey by the Arthur Kill and the Kill Van Kull. Long Island is an island located in southeastern New York, USA, its western shores directly across from Manhattan, from which the island stretches See also Geography and environment of New York City The Narrows is the tidal Strait separating the boroughs of Staten Island and Brooklyn New Jersey ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. The Arthur Kill (from the Middle Dutch word kille, meaning "riverbed" or "water channel" is a tidal Strait separating The Kill Van Kull is a tidal Strait approximately long and wide separating Staten Island and Bayonne New Jersey, USA.

In addition to the main island, the borough and county also include several small uninhabited islands:

• 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)

The highest point on the island, the summit of Todt Hill, elevation 410 ft (125 m), is also the highest point in the five boroughs, as well as the highest point on the Atlantic Coastal Plain south of Great Blue Hill in Massachusetts and the highest point on the coast proper south of Maine's Mount Desert Island. The Isle of Meadows is a 100 acre uninhabited island in Staten Island, New York in the United States. Fresh Kills (from the Middle Dutch word kille, meaning "riverbed" or "water channel" is a stream and freshwater Estuary Prall's Islands is an uninhabited island in the Arthur Kill between Staten Island, New York, and Linden, New Jersey, in the United The Arthur Kill (from the Middle Dutch word kille, meaning "riverbed" or "water channel" is a tidal Strait separating Shooters Island is a 43 acre uninhabited island at the southern end of Newark Bay, along the north shore of Staten Island. See also Newark Bay South Georgia Newark Bay is a body of water a tidal back bay of New York Harbor formed at the confluence New Jersey ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. Swinburne Island is the smaller of two Artificial islands located in the Lower New York Bay east of South Beach Staten Island. See also Geography and environment of New York City Lower New Hoffman Island is one of two small Artificial islands in the Lower New York Bay, off South Beach Staten Island. Todt Hill 410 ft (125 m is a small Mountain ridge on Staten Island New York. The Atlantic Coastal Plain is the flat stretch of land that borders the Atlantic Ocean (including the Gulf of Mexico) Great Blue Hill is a hill of 635 feet (194 m located within the Blue Hills Reservation in the eastern part of the U The Commonwealth of Massachusetts ( is a state located in the New England region of the northeastern United States. The East Coast of the United States, also known as the "Eastern Seaboard" or "Atlantic Seaboard" refers to the easternmost coastal states in the central and northern The State of Maine ( is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America, bordering the Atlantic Ocean Mount Desert Island, in Hancock County, Maine, is the largest Island off the coast of Maine.

In the late 1960s the island was the site of important battles of open-space preservation, resulting in the largest area of parkland in New York City and an extensive Greenbelt that laces the island with woodland trails. For other uses of Greenbelt and Green belt see Green belt (disambiguation.

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). marble_hill_manhattan_mappng|right|thumb]] Marble Hill is the northernmost section of the Borough of Manhattan in New York City, United States

Adjacent Counties

• Hudson County, New Jersey - north
• Union County, New Jersey - west
• Middlesex County, New Jersey - west
• Kings County, New York - northeast
• Monmouth County, New Jersey - south
• Queens County, New York - northeast

Parks

Clay Pit Ponds is a 250-acre (1. Hudson County is in New Jersey, United States. Its County seat is Jersey City. Union County is a County located in the US state of New Jersey. Middlesex County is a County located in the US state of New Jersey. Brooklyn (named after the Dutch town Breukelen) is one of the five boroughs of New York City. Monmouth County is a County located in the US state of New Jersey, within the New York metropolitan area. 0 km²) State Park Reserve with a diverse landscape. Streams, fields, woodlands, and wetlands harbor a wide array of plants and animals. [1]

Clove Lakes Park, a 191-acre (0. 77 km²) expanse, contains a vast meadow, four lakes connected by streams, rowboating and freshwater fishing, as well as an outdoor ice skating rink (in season). Clove Lakes also offers picnic grounds, playgrounds, a baseball field, nature trails, bridle paths, a cross-country course, and a restaurant. [2]

South Beach is a sunbathing beach with a scenic view of the Atlantic Ocean and the Lower New York Bay. South Beach is the name of a neighborhood located on the East Shore of Staten Island, one of the five boroughs of New York City, USA. The F. D. R. Boardwalk along South Beach is two and one-half miles long, which is the fourth largest in the world. Visitors enjoy strolling and bicycling throughout the year. From October to May, fishing is also permitted. [3]

Great Kills Park offers swimming at the beach, fishing off the shore, baseball and football fields are available, a jogging trail and a bicycle trail. Fishing and boating are very popular throughout the season. [4]

Latourette Park & Golf Course is located in Staten Island's Greenbelt. This green park feature's an 18 hole golf course built upon 125 acres (0. 51 km²) of land with 455 acres (1. 84 km²) of woodlands. When in season, ski and sleigh hills are available. [5]

Silver Lake Park is a 107-acre (0. 43 km²) recreational area where the public may enjoy an 18 hole golf course, tennis courts, lockers, showers, a lounge and restaurant, and a clubhouse. There is also a vast green expanse which overlooks a picturesque water reservoir. [6]

The South Shore Golf Course is a 18 hole golf course offers full accommodations supporting sportsmen, sportswomen, and anyone else who likes to watch the sport. Accommodations include a restaurant, a lounge, showers, lockers, and parking. [7]

Tottenville Beach is located on the very southern tip of Staten Island. Nearby is the The Conference House, a National Landmark remembered for its historical peace conference between the Continental Congress and Lord Howe. [8]

William T. Davis Wildlife Refuge is a 260-acre (1. 1 km²) sanctuary, this refuge is located within the Greenbelt of Staten Island, which is a vast 2,500-acre (10 km²) parkland that includes two adventurous hiking trails called the Blue Trail and the White Trail. The park is a preserver of many varieties and species of animal and plant wildlife. [9]

Wolfe's Pond Beach & Park is a 170-acre (0. 69 km²) wooded parkland, with 20 acres set aside for swimming, rowboating, and daytime freshwater fishing. Salt water fishing is permitted from October to May. Facilities in this park include picnic grounds, outdoor fireplaces, and a model yacht pond. [10]

Transportation

The Staten Island Ferry is the only direct transportation network from Staten Island to Manhattan, at approximately a 30 minute ride and free of toll. The Staten Island Ferry is a passenger Ferry service operated by the New York City Department of Transportation that runs between Manhattan and Staten Manhattan Island, in New York Harbor, is much the largest part of the Borough of Manhattan, one of the Five Boroughs which form the City of New York The 55 year old St. George ferry terminal recently underwent a $130 million dollar renovation and now features floor-to-ceiling glass for panoramic views of the harbor and incoming ferries. Staten Island is connected to Brooklyn via the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge using I-278, the Staten Island Expressway. Brooklyn (named after the Dutch town Breukelen) is one of the five boroughs of New York City. The Verrazano-Narrows Bridge is a double-decked Suspension bridge that connects the boroughs of Staten Island and Brooklyn in New Interstate 278 (abbreviated I-278) is an Interstate Highway in the U The Staten Island Expressway is a 77 mile (1239 km long highway running through the borough of Staten Island New York in the United States. Once in Brooklyn, I-278 becomes the Gowanus Expressway and then the Brooklyn Queens Expressway, providing access to Manhattan through various tunnels and bridges. Interstate 278 (abbreviated I-278) is an Interstate Highway in the U The Gowanus Expressway is an Expressway in the Borough of Brooklyn, City of New York. The Brooklyn Queens Expressway ( BQE) is an Expressway which runs from southern Brooklyn, New York to the Grand Central Parkway Manhattan Island, in New York Harbor, is much the largest part of the Borough of Manhattan, one of the Five Boroughs which form the City of New York

Staten Island is connected to New Jersey via three vehicular bridges and one railroad bridge. The Outerbridge Crossing to Perth Amboy, New Jersey is at the southern end of Route 440 and the Bayonne Bridge to Bayonne, New Jersey is at the northern end of Route 440, which continues into Jersey City, New Jersey. The Outerbridge Crossing is a Cantilever bridge which spans the Arthur Kill. Perth Amboy is a city in Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States. The Bayonne Bridge is the third longest steel arch bridge in the world and was the longest in the world at the time of its completion Bayonne is a city in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States, south of Jersey City. Jersey City is a city in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. From the New Jersey Turnpike, the Goethals Bridge using I-278 connects to the Staten Island Expressway. The New Jersey Turnpike (or simply The Turnpike as it is known to New Jersey residents is a Toll road in New Jersey and is one of the most heavily traveled The Goethals Bridge (pronounced as ɡɑːθəlz connects Elizabeth New Jersey to Staten Island New York near the Howland Hook Marine Terminal, Staten Island Interstate 278 (abbreviated I-278) is an Interstate Highway in the U The Arthur Kill Vertical Lift Railroad Bridge carries freight between the northwest part of the island and Elizabeth, New Jersey. The Arthur Kill Vertical Lift Railroad Bridge was built by the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad in 1959 to replace an older swing span Elizabeth is a city in Union County, New Jersey, in the United States.

The Staten Island Railway traverses the island from its northeastern tip to its southwestern tip. The Staten Island Railway (aka SIR and formerly known as SIRT is a Rapid transit line operating in the Borough of Staten Island, New York City Staten Island is the only borough not serviced by the New York City Subway. The New York City Subway is a Rapid transit system owned by the City of New York and leased to the New York City Transit Authority, a subsidiary agency As such, express bus service is provided by NYC Transit throughout Staten Island to lower and midtown Manhattan. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA operates a number of Bus routes in New York City, United States. New York City Transit buses, operating under the MTA New York City Bus brand is a service of MTA Regional Bus Operations that operates in all five boroughs employing Manhattan Island, in New York Harbor, is much the largest part of the Borough of Manhattan, one of the Five Boroughs which form the City of New York

Government

Main article: Government of Staten Island

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 Government of Staten Island, or Richmond County, like the other boroughs which are contained within New York City, includes no county The Mayor-Council government system sometimes called the Mayor-Commission government system is one of two variations of Government used for the most part in modern 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 of Borough President was created in the consolidation of 1898 to balance centralization with local authority. Borough President (informally BP, or Beep in slang is an elective office in each of the five boroughs of New York City. Each borough president had a powerful administrative role derived from having a vote on the New York City Board of Estimate, which was responsible for creating and approving the city's budget and proposals for land use. The New York City Board of Estimate was a governmental body in New York City, responsible for budget and land-use decisions In 1989 the Supreme 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 the Fourteenth Amendment's Equal Protection Clause pursuant to the high court's 1964 "one man, one vote" decision. The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest judicial body in the United States and leads the federal judiciary. The Fourteenth Amendment ( Amendment XIV) to the United States Constitution is one of the post- Civil War Reconstruction Amendments, first The Equal Protection Clause, part of the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, provides that "no state shall… deny to any person ^[8]

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 is James Molinaro, a member of the Conservative Party elected in 2001 and reelected in 2005 with the endorsement of the Republican Party. James Molinaro, b March 11, 1931, is the current Borough President of Staten Island. The Conservative Party of New York is an American Political party active only in the state of New York. Molinaro is the only Republican-supported borough president in New York City.

Staten Island's politics differ considerably from New York City's other boroughs. 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 small majority of local public offices. Staten Island is the base of New York City's Republican Party in citywide elections. In the 2001 mayoral election, borough voters chose Republican Michael Bloomberg, with 75. Michael Rubens Bloomberg (born February 14, 1942) is an American businessman and the Mayor of New York City. 87% of the vote, over Democrat Mark Green, with 21. The Democratic Party is one of two major Political parties in the United States, the other being the Republican Party. 15% of the vote. Since Green narrowly lost the election citywide, Staten Island provided the margin of Bloomberg's victory. 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 and law and order. In Politics, law and order refers to a political platform which supports a strict Criminal justice system especially in relation to Violent crime

In national elections Staten Island is not the Republican stronghold it is in local elections, but it is also not the a Democratic stronghold the rest of New York City is. The borough is a Republican-leaning swing county, though like the New York suburbs in Long Island and Westchester County it has become increasingly Democratic since the 1990s.

Each of the city's five counties (coterminous with each borough) have its own criminal court system and District Attorney, the chief public prosecutor who is directly elected by popular vote. A district attorney (DA is in some US jurisdictions the title of the local public official who represents the government in the prosecution of alleged criminals Daniel Donovan, a Republican, has been the District Attorney of Richmond County since 2004. Staten Island has three City Council members, two Republicans and one Democrat, the smallest number among the five boroughs. It also has three administrative districts, each served by a local Community Board. Community Boards are representative bodies that field complaints and serve as advocates for local residents.

Staten Island has voted for a Democratic presidential nominee only three times since 1952: in 1964, 1996, and 2000. In the 2004 presidential election Republican George W. Bush received 57% of the vote in Staten Island and Democrat John Kerry received 42%. The United States presidential election of 2004 was held on Tuesday November 2, 2004, to elect the President of the United States. George Walker Bush ( born July 6 1946 is the forty-third and current President of the United States. } John Forbes Kerry (born December 11 1943 is an American Politician who is currently serving his fourth term as the junior United States Senator By contrast, Kerry outpolled Bush in New York City's other four boroughs by a cumulative margin of 77% to 22%.

Staten Island Flag

The flag is on a white background in the center of which is the design of a seal in the shape of an oval. Within the seal appears the color blue to symbolize the skyline of the borough, in which two seagulls appear colored in black and white. The green outline represents the countryside of the borough with white outline denoting the residential areas of Staten Island. Below is inscribed the words "Staten Island" in gold. Below this are five wavy lines of blue to symbolize the water that surrounds the island borough on all sides. Gold fringe outlines the flag. ^[9]

See also: Government of New York City

Demographics

Main article: Demographics of Staten Island

Staten Island Compared
2000 Census	Staten Island	NY City	NY State
Total population	443,728	8,008,278	18,976,457
Population density	7,587. The government of New York City is organized under the City Charter and provides for a "strong" mayor-council system. 9/sq mi	26,403/sq mi	402/sq mi
Median household income (1999)	$55,039	$38,293	$43,393
Per capita income	$23,905	$22,402	$23,389
Bachelor's degree or higher	27%	27%	24%
Foreign born	16%	36%	20%
White	78%	45%	68%
Black	10%	27%	16%
Hispanic (any race)	12%	27%	14%
Asian	6%	10%	6%

As of 2006, there were 464,573 people, 256,341 households, and 214,128 families residing in the borough/county. The population density was 2,929. Population density (in agriculture standing stock and Standing crop) is a measurement of Population per unit area or unit volume 6/km² (7,587. 9/sq mi). There were 163,993 housing units at an average density of 1,082. 7/km² (2,804. 3/sq mi). The racial makeup is 77. 60% White, 9. 67% Black, 0. 25% Native American, 5. 65% Asian, 0. 04% Pacific Islander, 4. 14% from other races, and 2. 65% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 12. 07% of the population.

As of 2000 the population represented several European ancestries:^[10]

• Italian: 37. An Italian American is an American of Italian descent and/or dual citizenship 7%
• Irish: 16. Irish Americans (Gael-Mheiriceánach are citizens of the United States who can claim ancestry originating in Ireland. 0%
• German: 6. German Americans ( German: Deutschamerikaner) are citizens of the United States of Ethnic German ancestry 3%
• English: 2. English Americans (occasionally known as Anglo -Americans although this may have a wider cultural meaning are Citizens of the United States whose ancestry 2%

Staten Island population
By town, by census
Census	Castleton	Middletown	Northfield	Southfield	Westfield	Total
1790	805	N/A	1,021	855	1,154	3,835
1800	1,056	N/A	1,377	932	1,198	4,563
1810	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
1820	1,527	N/A	1,980	1,012	1,616	6,135
1830	2,204	N/A	2,171	975	1,734	7,084
1840	4,275	N/A	2,745	1,619	2,326	10,965
1850	5,389	N/A	4,020	2,709	2,943	26,026
1860	6,778	6,243	4,841	3,645	3,985	25,492
1870	9,504	7,589	5,949	5,082	4,905	31,029
1880	12,679	9,029	7,014	4,980	5,289	38,991
1890	16,423	10,577	9,811	6,644	8,258	51,713
1900	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	67,021
1910	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	85,969
1920	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	116,531
1930	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	158,346
1940	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	174,441
1950	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	191,555
1960	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	221,991
1970	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	295,443
1980	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	352,029
1990	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	378,977
2000	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	443,728
2006	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	464,573
N/A = not available 1810 Census was not broken out by towns. Source: 1790–1890 — The Encyclopedia of New York City. Source: 1900–2005

There are more Italian-Americans on Staten Island percentage wise than any other county in the United States. Since the 2000 census, a rather large Russian community has been growing on Staten Island, particularly in the Rossville, South Beach, and Great Kills area. South Beach is the name of a neighborhood located on the East Shore of Staten Island, one of the five boroughs of New York City, USA. There is also a significant Polish community mainly in the South Beach and Midland Beach area. South Beach is the name of a neighborhood located on the East Shore of Staten Island, one of the five boroughs of New York City, USA.

The vast majority of the island's African American and Hispanic residents live north of the Staten Island Expressway, or Interstate 278. The Staten Island Expressway is a 77 mile (1239 km long highway running through the borough of Staten Island New York in the United States. Interstate 278 (abbreviated I-278) is an Interstate Highway in the U In terms of religion, the population is largely Roman Catholic. The Jewish community is large enough that it would be significant in most other parts of the country, but it is relatively small compared to other parts of the New York Metropolitan Area. PLEASE TAKE NOTE************ The New York metropolitan area, often referred to as the Tri-State Area, is the most populous Metropolitan area in the United States and is also one There is a growing presence of Egyptian Copts, the vast majority of whom are members of the Coptic Orthodox Church. A Copt ( Coptic: ouRemenkīmi enEkhristianos, literally Egyptian Christian) is a native Egyptian Christian. History of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria Apostolic foundation Egypt is identified in the Bible as the place of refuge that the ^{[11] [12]}

There were 156,341 households out of which 35. 8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55. 0% are married couples living together, 13. Same-sex marriage cannot legally be performed in New York. While one intermediate appellate court in New York has held that the state must recognize foreign same-sex 9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27. 0% were non-families. Individuals occupied 23. 2% of all households, and 8. 4% of households had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2. 78 and the average family size was 3. 31.

The population is spread out with 25. 5% under the age of 18, 8. 5% from 18 to 24, 30. 9% from 25 to 44, 23. 4% from 45 to 64, and 11. 6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 93. 6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89. 6 males.

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. Per capita income means how much each individual receives in monetary terms of the yearly income generated in the country About 7. 9% of families and 10. 0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13. The poverty threshold, or poverty line, is the minimum level of Income deemed necessary to achieve an adequate Standard of living in a given country 2% of those under age 18 and 9. 9% of those age 65 or over.

Culture

Museums

Snug Harbor Cultural Center, The Alice Austen House Museum, The Conference House, The Garibaldi-Meucci Museum, Jacques Marchais Museum of Tibetan Art, The Noble Maritime Collection, Sandy Ground Historical Museum, Staten Island Children's Museum, The Staten Island Museum[11]. Elizabeth Alice Austen ( March 17, The Conference House (also known as the Bentley Manor and the Captain Christopher Billop House was built before 1680 and located near the southernmost tip of New York State Garibaldi redirects here for other meanings see Garibaldi (disambiguation. Antonio Meucci ( Florence, April 13, 1808 &ndash October 18, 1889) was an Italian -born inventor who developed a form of The Jacques Marchais Museum of Tibetan Art, located on residential Lighthouse Hill in the Egbertville neighborhood of Staten Island, New York The Staten Island Children's Museum is a Children's museum on the grounds of Sailors' Snug Harbor on Staten Island, New York, opened in 1976

Staten Island has also been selected to become the future site of the National Lighthouse Museum[12].

Attractions

Historic Richmond Town is New York City’s living history village and museum complex. Historic Richmond Town is an open-air live museum located in the Richmondtown neighborhood in Staten Island, New York City, in the United States 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 of a 100-acre (0. 40 km²) site with about 15 restored buildings, including homes and commercial and civic buildings, as well as a museum.

The island is home to the Staten Island Zoo, which recently opened a newly refurbished reptile exhibit. The Staten Island Zoo is a small urban Zoo in northern Staten Island in New York City in the United States. Zoo construction commenced in 1933 as part of the Federal Government’s works program on an eight-acre 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. The Staten Island Zoological Society was the first zoo in the country to specifically dedicate itself to fulfilling an educational mission. The Society has remained steadfast in its concentration on this goal, which is still a vital part of the Society’s current mission. The Staten Island Zoo was also the first zoo anywhere to exhibit all the 32 varieties of rattlesnakes known to occur in the United States. In the late 1960’s the Zoo maintained the most complete rattlesnake collection in the world with 39 varieties.

Theater

The newly renovated St. George Theatre serves as a cultural arts center for a myriad of activities including outreach educational programs, architectural tours, television and film shoots, concerts, comedy, Broadway touring companies and small and large scale children's shows.

Fine Arts

Artists and musicians have been moving to Staten Island's North Shore so they can be in close proximity to Manhattan but also have enough affordable space to live and work in. Recently The New York Times[13][14] and NY1 News [15] featured Staten Island has a haven for artists.

Media

Staten Island's local paper is the The Staten Island Advance. The Staten Island Advance is a daily newspaper published in the borough of Staten Island in New York City. They also have an affiliated website called silive. com[16].

The documentary "A Walk Around Staten Island with David Hartman and Barry Lewis" premiered on public television station WNET on December 3, 2007, profiling Staten Island culture and history, including major attractions such as the Staten Island Ferry, Historic Richmondtown, the Conference House, Snug Harbor Cultural Center, the Chinese Scholars Garden and many more sites. David Downs Hartman (born May 19 1935, Pawtucket Rhode Island) is a American Actor and Television personality Public broadcasting refers to radio television and other electronic media outlets that receive some or all of their funding from the public WNET, channel 13 is a television station licensed to Newark New Jersey. The Staten Island Ferry is a passenger Ferry service operated by the New York City Department of Transportation that runs between Manhattan and Staten Historic Richmond Town is an open-air live museum located in the Richmondtown neighborhood in Staten Island, New York City, in the United States The Conference House (also known as the Bentley Manor and the Captain Christopher Billop House was built before 1680 and located near the southernmost tip of New York State [17]

Film

Conceived by the Staten Island Economic Development Corporation (SIEDC) to introduce independent and international films to a broad and diverse audience, the Staten Island Film Festival[18] (SIFF) held it's first 4-day festival in 2006.

Movies filmed partially or wholly on Staten Island include The Godfather; Working Girl; War of the Worlds; Sorry, Wrong Number; Sisters; Splendor in the Grass; GoodFellas; Donnie Brasco; Shamus; School of Rock; Two Family House; He Knows You're Alone; Analyze This; Big Daddy; The Astronaut's Wife;Scent of a Woman; Freedomland; Toxic Avenger; and Easy Money. The Godfather is a 1972 Crime drama film based on the 1969 novel of the same name by Mario Puzo and directed Working Girl tells the story of a Staten Island -raised Secretary, Tess McGill working in the Mergers and acquisitions department of a War of the Worlds is a 2005 Science fiction Disaster film based on H Sorry Wrong Number is a 1948 Suspense film which tells the story of a woman who overhears a plot for Murder. For the 2005 Argentine film see Hermanas. Sisters is a 1973 Independent film directed by Brian de Palma Splendor in the Grass, an American movie from 1961, tells a story of Sexual repression, love and heartbreak Goodfellas (also spelled GoodFellas) is an Academy Award winning 1990 Crime drama film directed by Martin Scorsese Joseph Dominick Pistone (born 1939) alias Donnie Brasco, is a former FBI agent who worked Undercover for six years infiltrating the School of Rock is a 2003 American Comedy film from Paramount Pictures, starring Jack Black. He Knows You’re Alone is a 1980 Horror film directed by Armand Mastroianni, written by Scott Parker and edited by George Norris Analyze This is a 1999 movie produced by Warner Brothers Studios. The Astronaut's Wife is a 1999 Science fiction / thriller film directed and written by Rand Ravich. Scent of a Woman is a 1992 film which tells the story of a preparatory school student who takes a job as an assistant to an irascible blind medically Freedomland is a 2006 film starring Samuel L Jackson and Julianne Moore. The Toxic Avenger is an American Cult classic Comedy horror Film first released in late 1985 by Troma Entertainment Easy Money is a 1983 comedy Film starring Rodney Dangerfield, Joe Pesci, Geraldine Fitzgerald and Also independent films The Atomic Space Bug (1999), Stairwell: Trapped In The World Trade Center (2002) and A Conversation with Norman (2005) were filmed on Staten Island and directed by Jonathan M. Parisen as well as Combat Shock (1986) and No Way Home (1996) by Staten Island director Buddy Giovinazzo. The Atomic Space Bug is a 1999 horror Film directed by Jonathan M Stairwell Trapped In The World Trade Center is a 9/11 dramatization dealing with a group of people trapped in a sub-basement of the World Trade Center A Conversation with Norman produced and directed by Jonathan M Jonathan M Parisen (born 26 December 1971) is an American film-maker who wrote produced and directed Stairwell Trapped in the World Trade Center Combat Shock is a 1986 Drama film written and directed by Buddy Giovinazzo and distributed by Troma Entertainment.

Working Girl starring Melanie Griffith is all about the 1980s lifestyle of a Staten Island girl working in Manhattan. Working Girl tells the story of a Staten Island -raised Secretary, Tess McGill working in the Mergers and acquisitions department of a Melanie Griffith (born August 9, 1957) is an Academy Award nominated Golden Globe winning American Film actress Scenes were shot in Stapleton, Staten Island and St George, Staten Island. In Christian hagiography Saint George is one of the most venerated saints in the Anglican Church, Eastern Orthodox Church, Oriental Orthodox

The movie The Godfather was shot predominately on Staten Island in the Todt Hill neighborhood. The Godfather is a 1972 Crime drama film based on the 1969 novel of the same name by Mario Puzo and directed Todt Hill 410 ft (125 m is a small Mountain ridge on Staten Island New York. Mt. Loretto Church was also used in the film.

Easy Money starring Rodney Dangerfield was shot on Staten Island. Easy Money is a 1983 comedy Film starring Rodney Dangerfield, Joe Pesci, Geraldine Fitzgerald and Rodney Dangerfield ( November 22, 1921 – October 5, 2004) born Jacob Cohen, was an American Comedian The character Monte lives in New Dorp Staten Island. Victory Diner is shown as the 23 hour diner and closes when Dangerfield and Pesci pull up.

The movie School of Rock starring Jack Black was filmed all over Staten Island, including Wagner College, St. School of Rock is a 2003 American Comedy film from Paramount Pictures, starring Jack Black. Thomas Jack Black Jr (born August 28 1969 is an American Actor, Comedian and Musician. Wagner College is a coeducational private Liberal arts college located on Staten Island in New York City. George Theater, Cargo Cafe, etc.

Donnie Brasco was filmed in the Great Kills Harbor area of Staten Island. Joseph Dominick Pistone (born 1939) alias Donnie Brasco, is a former FBI agent who worked Undercover for six years infiltrating the Great Kills is a neighborhood within New York City 's borough of Staten Island.

Neighbors Starring John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd was shot almost entirely on the ground of Seaview Hospital facilty

The movie Joe the King was filmed in the area of New Dorp in Staten Island. John Adam Belushi ( January 24, 1949 – March 5, 1982) was an American Comedian, Actor and Musician Daniel Edward "Dan" Aykroyd, CM (born July 1, 1952) is an Academy Award -nominated and Emmy Award -winning Canadian-American It was filmed in several places including Miller Field and Staten Island Technical High School. Staten Island Technical High School (also referred to as Staten Island Tech, S

The horror movie "Maniac" 1980 starring Joe Spinell was filmed on Staten Island. Joe Spinell ( October 28, 1936 – January 13, 1989) was an American Character actor, who appeared in numerous films from

The Romantic Comedy "Wedding Daze" also known as "In the Pleasure of Your Company" (2006) was shot predominantly in New Dorp with Hylan Plaza easily identifiable in the film. Wedding Daze, (also known as The Pleasure of Your Company and The Next Girl I See) is a 2006 romantic comedy movie written and

Sisters, the 1973 Brian de Palma thriller starring Margot Kidder and Jennifer Salt, takes place on Staten Island and was largely filmed there. For the 2005 Argentine film see Hermanas. Sisters is a 1973 Independent film directed by Brian de Palma Brian De Palma (born Brian Russell DePalma on September 11 1940 in Newark New Jersey) is an American Film director. Margot Kidder (born October 17, 1948) is a Canadian-American Film and Television actress best known for playing Lois Jennifer Salt is an American Actress and Screenwriter, born September 4, 1944 in Los Angeles, California.

Tom Hanks first movie, He Knows You're Alone, was shot entirely on Staten Island. Thomas Jeffrey "Tom" Hanks (born July 9 1956 is an two-time Academy award and Emmy winning American Film actor, director He Knows You’re Alone is a 1980 Horror film directed by Armand Mastroianni, written by Scott Parker and edited by George Norris

In the movie, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, the character Ben takes Kate Hudson's character to visit his family on Staten Island. How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days is a 2003 Romantic comedy film. The film is directed by Donald Petrie and stars Kate Hudson and Kate Garry Hudson (born April 19, 1979) is an American Film actress.

Music

Singer Christina Aguilera was born on Staten Island in 1980.

David Johansen one time member of the New York Dolls also known as Buster Poindexter is a life long resident of Staten Island. David Johansen (born January 9 1950, in Staten Island, New York) is an American rock, punk, Blues For the self-titled debut album see New York Dolls (album The New York Dolls are an American Glam rock band formed in David Johansen (born January 9 1950, in Staten Island, New York) is an American rock, punk, Blues

Vernon Reid former leader of Living Colour resides in Staten Island. Vernon Reid (born August 22, 1958) is an English Guitarist, Songwriter, composer and bandleader Living Colour is an American Funk metal band from New York City, formed in 1983

The heavy metal band White Lion was formed on Staten Island. This article is about the band for the big cats see White lion.

90's Hip Hop group the UMC's were on Staten Island.

The hiphop-collective Wu-Tang Clan formed in the Park Hill section of Staten Island and often refer to the island as "Shaolin". Hip hop music, also referred to as rap music, is a Music genre typically consisting of a rhythmic vocal style called rap which is accompanied with Several members still reside on the island.

The music video for the song "Papa Don't Preach" by Madonna was shot at various Staten Island locations, including the stairs leading up to the Stapleton train platform and the white picket fenced house on Ward Hill is on Edgar Terrace and riding the Staten Island Ferry

Billy Joel filmed his music video "You're Only Human (Second Wind)" on Staten Island, specifically utilizing the campus of Monsignor Farrell High School in Oakwood. " Papa Don't Preach " is the second single by American singer-songwriter Madonna from her 3rd studio album True Blue and was released Madonna Louise Ciccone Ritchie (born August 16 1958 known as Madonna, is an American A number of places are known as Ward Hill: Ward Hill Staten Island, a neighbourhood on Staten Island Ward Hill Hoy, a hill on Hoy in William Martin Joel (born May 9 1949 is an American Pianist and Singer-songwriter.

In the song Manhattan, written in 1925 by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart, the opening lyrics are "I'll take Manhattan, The Bronx and Staten. Manhattan Island, in New York Harbor, is much the largest part of the Borough of Manhattan, one of the Five Boroughs which form the City of New York Richard Charles Rodgers ( June 28, 1902, Arverne Queens, New York City &ndash December 30, 1979, New York Lorenz "Larry" Hart ( May 2, 1895 &ndash November 22, 1943) was the lyricist half of the famed Broadway songwriting team Manhattan Island, in New York Harbor, is much the largest part of the Borough of Manhattan, one of the Five Boroughs which form the City of New York . . Island too".

John Lennon's Live in New York City album was a live recording of his "One to One" concert at Madison Square Garden on August 30, 1972. John Winston Ono Lennon, MBE (born Live in New York City is a live album by John Lennon. It was prepared under the supervision of his widow Yoko Ono, and released in 1986 as his Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG, and known colloquially as The Garden, has been the name of four Arenas in New York City. The concert was a fundraiser for the mentally-challenged children, inspired by the horrid conditions at Willowbrook State School. Willowbrook State School was a state-supported institution for children with mental retardation located in central Staten Island in New York City. The album also features Staten Island guitar player Earl Slick. Earl Slick (born Frank Madeloni in Staten Island New York, 1952 is a Guitarist best known for his collaborations with David Bowie, Jim The Willowbrook issue was initially exposed by the Staten Island Advance and brought to Lennon's attention by his friend and broadcast journalist Geraldo Rivera who covered the story for WABC-TV, New York. The Staten Island Advance is a daily newspaper published in the borough of Staten Island in New York City. WABC-TV, channel 7 is the flagship station of the Walt Disney Company -owned American Broadcasting Company, located in New York City. Lennon and Yoko Ono filmed part of their 1971 film, Imagine, on the island's South Beach area and on the Staten Island Ferry. born in Tokyo on February 18 1933 is a Japanese Artist and Musician. South Beach is the name of a neighborhood located on the East Shore of Staten Island, one of the five boroughs of New York City, USA.

Television

Television series shot partially or wholly on Staten Island include The Education of Max Bickford and The Book of Daniel as well as many parts of episodes of Law & Order, Law & Order:SVU . The Education of Max Bickford is a television drama that aired from 2001 to 2002 on CBS. The Book of Daniel (דניאל, originally written in Hebrew and Aramaic, is a Book in both the Hebrew Bible ( Tanakh) and the Christian Law & Order is an American Police procedural and Legal drama television series created by Dick Wolf. Law & Order Special Victims Unit (also known as Law & Order SVU or simply SVU) is an American Drama

FOX and WB sitcom Grounded for Life is about a family living in Staten Island. Grounded for Life is an American Television sitcom that debuted on January 10, 2001 as a mid-season replacement on

In the animated series Godzilla: The Series, the Humanitarian Environmental Analysis Team aka HEAT has their headquarters based on Staten Island in an old ferry terminal where they monitor Godzilla. Godzilla The Series is an Animated Television series which originally aired on Fox Kids.

See also: Culture of New York City

Sports

See also: Sports in New York City

• Former New York Mets pitcher John Franco resides in the borough. The culture of New York City is shaped by centuries of immigration the city's size and variety and its status as the cultural capital of the United States Sports in New York City have a long and distinguished history "Mets" redirects here For the medical term see Metastasis.
• Staten Island Yankees, New York-Penn League baseball, Class A Minor League affiliate to the New York Yankees
• Former members of the Staten Island Yankees who made it to the big leagues: Jason Anderson, Andy Phillips, Melky Cabrera, Brandon Claussen, Wily Mo Pena, Robinson Cano, Chien-Ming Wang, Brad Halsey, John-Ford Griffin
• The New York Metropolitans of the American Association played baseball on Staten Island from April 1886 through 1887. The Staten Island Yankees are a minor league Baseball team located in Staten Island, New York. The New York - Penn League is a Minor league baseball league which operates in the northeastern United States. The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the borough of The Bronx, in New York City, New York. Jason Anderson is a Musician from New Hampshire, USA, who also records as Wolf Colonel. George Andrew "Andy" Phillips (born April 6, 1977 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama) is a Major League Baseball First baseman Melky Astacio Cabrera (born August 11 1984 in Santo Domingo Oeste, Dominican Republic) is a Baseball Outfielder for the New York Yankees Brandon Allen Fulkerson-Claussen (born May 1, 1979 in Rapid City, South Dakota) is a major league Starting pitcher for Wilfredo Modesto "Wily Mo" Peña (born January 23, 1982 in Laguna Salada, Dominican Republic) is a Major League Baseball Robinson José Canó (kaˈno born October 22, 1982, in) is a Second baseman in Major League Baseball, who currently plays for the New Chien-Ming Wang ( Pinyin: Wáng Jiànmín born March 31, 1980 in Tainan, Taiwan) is a Taiwanese Starting pitcher for Bradford Alexander Halsey (born February 14, 1981 in Houston Texas) is a Free agent Major League Baseball Left-handed John-Ford David Griffin (born November 19, 1979 in Sarasota Florida) is a Left-handed Major League Baseball Outfielder The Metropolitan Club (the New York Metropolitans or the Mets) was a 19th century Professional Baseball team that played in New York This article refers to the former Baseball major league that existed from 1882 to 1891 Erastus Wiman, the developer of St. Erastus Wiman ( 21 April 1834 &ndash 9 February 1904) was a Canadian journalist and businessman who later moved to the United George, brought the team to Staten Island where they played in a stadium called the St. George Grounds, near the site of the current-day Staten Island Yankees' Richmond County Bank Ballpark and the Staten Island Ferry terminal. St George Cricket Grounds or "St George Grounds" is a former Baseball ground located on Staten Island New York, USA The Richmond County Bank Ballpark at St George (RCB Ballpark is a baseball stadium located on the north-eastern tip of Staten Island
• Wagner College participates in Division I athletics. Wagner College is a coeducational private Liberal arts college located on Staten Island in New York City. Division I (or D-I) is the highest level of intercollegiate athletics sanctioned by the National Collegiate Athletic Association in the United States
  

  The Richmond County Bank Ballpark
• NBA Basketball coach P.J. Carlesimo coached the Wagner College Basketball team the "Seahawks". Peter J (P J Carlesimo (born May 30 1949 in Scranton Pennsylvania) is the current head coach of the Oklahoma City Thunder and a former college Basketball
• Former New York Giants head coach Jim Lee Howell prior was head coach of Staten Island's Wagner College Football
• Staten Island formerly had a professional football team which was a member of the NFL called the Staten Island Stapes. The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in the New York City suburb of East Rutherford New Jersey. James Lee Howell ( September 27, 1914 - January 4, 1995) was an American football player and coach for the NFL 's New The National Football League ( NFL) is the largest professional American football league. The Staten Island Stapletons were a professional American football team founded in 1915 that played in the National Football League from 1929 to 1930. They were based in Stapleton. Stapleton is a neighborhood in northeastern Staten Island in New York City in the United States. Their stadium was called Thompson's Stadium which was located on the site of present Berta A. Dreyfus Intermediate School 49 and the Stapleton Houses. Bertha A Dreyfus Intermediate School 49 ("IS49" for short is a middle school in Staten Island, in New York City, New York, United States The New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA provides housing for low and moderate income residents throughout the five boroughs of New York City. They faced many other teams that still exist today. Football Hall of Famer Ken Strong played for the Stapes. Elmer Kenneth Strong Jr ( April 21 1906 - October 5 1979) was a college and professional American football player
• New York Predators Semi Pro football team calls Staten Island its home since its inception in 1998 owned by Bill Simo [19] plays most homes games in Alumni Stadium on the grounds of Monsignor Farrell H. S.
• There was a controversial plan by the International Speedway Corporation to build a speedway on the island that would host NASCAR races by 2010. International Speedway Corporation ( ISC) is a Corporation whose primary business is the ownership and management of NASCAR race tracks The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing ( NASCAR) is the largest sanctioning body of Stock cars in the United States. ISC abandoned the plan in 2006, citing financial concerns.
• In 1964 Staten Island's Mid Island Little League won the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. The Little League World Series is a Baseball Tournament for children aged 11 12 and 13 years old Williamsport is a city in and the County seat of Lycoming County, Pennsylvania in the United States

Hospitals

• Staten Island University Hospital
• Richmond University Medical Center

Education

Education in Staten Island is provided by a number of public and private institutions. Staten Island University Hospital (SIUH is a major tertiary referral center on Staten Island, in New York City. Richmond University Medical Center is a hospital in West New Brighton Staten Island in New York City. Public schools in the borough are managed by the New York City Department of Education, the largest public school system in the United States. The New York City Department of Education ( NYCDOE) is the branch of municipal government in New York City that manages the city's public school system

The College of Staten Island is one of the six senior colleges of the City University of New York (CUNY). The College of Staten Island (CSI is a four-year senior college of The City University of New York and is one of the 11 senior colleges of The City University of New York (CUNY The City University of New York (CUNY Acronym ˈkjuːni is the public University system of New York City. The college offers both associate's and bachelor's degrees. The College of Staten Island also offers post-graduate level study from master's to doctoral level study.

Wagner College is a coeducational private liberal arts college with an enrollment of 1,900 undergraduates and 400 graduate students. Wagner College is a coeducational private Liberal arts college located on Staten Island in New York City. The college is affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America ( ELCA) is a mainline Protestant denomination headquartered in Chicago Illinois.

St. John's University has a campus on Staten Island. It is a private, coeducational Roman Catholic university.

Twelve branches of the New York Public Library serve the borough. The New York Public Library ( NYPL) is one of the leading public libraries of the world and is one of America's most significant Research libraries. The Library offers free computer instruction and English classes for speakers of other languages.

Staten Island Academy is the only independent private (non-public, non-religious) grade school on the island and is one of the oldest in the entire country. Staten Island Academy is a Coeducational, college-preparatory day school located on a 14 acre campus in Staten Island in New York City, USA

Public high schools include Curtis, Port Richmond, New Dorp, Susan Wagner, Staten Island Tech, Tottenville, Petrides, and McKee.

Catholic high schools include St. Peter's Boys, St. Peter's Girls, Notre Dame, St. Joseph Hill, St. John Villa, Monsignor Farrell, Moore Catholic, and St. Joseph-by-the-Sea.

Public middle schools include I. S. 2, I. S. 7, I. S. 24, I. S. 27, I. S. 34, I.S. 49, I. Bertha A Dreyfus Intermediate School 49 ("IS49" for short is a middle school in Staten Island, in New York City, New York, United States S. 51, I. S. 72, and I. S. 75.

See also: Education in New York City

Notable natives and residents

Main article: List of people from Staten Island

Notes

References

• Kenneth T. Jackson (editor); The Encyclopedia of New York City; Yale University Press; ISBN 0-300-05536-6 (1995).
• John Waldman; Heartbeats in the Muck; ISBN 1-55821-720-7 The Lyons Press; (2000)
• Famous Staten Islanders page at the New York Public Library site:

External links

• History of Staten Island in the Photo
• Staten Island Chat - Staten Island Local Guide with events calendar, links section, classified ads and message forums
• Staten Island - Office of the Borough President
• Timeline of Staten Island History on the New York Public Library site
• Staten Island Forum Everything Staten Island, from News to Entertainment to Dining and More
• The Prodigal Borough- We took the ferry to Staten Island and decided to stay forever
• Baby-Bombers - Fan site for the Staten Island Yankees started to keep the players' families up to date on the season.
• Save Staten Island- a site dedicated to fighting the negative image Staten Island is given in the media
• SI-Talk- Community Message Board
• "The Child Soldiers of Staten Island", Mother Jones, July/August 2007.
• PISI Home - Paranormal Investigations of Staten Island Home Page

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