164-690: The Staten Island Quarantine War was a series of attacks on the New York Marine Hospital in Staten Island —known as "the Quarantine" and at that time the largest quarantine facility in the United States—on September 1 and 2, 1858. The attacks, perpetrated mainly by residents of Staten Island, which had not yet joined New York City , were a result of longstanding local opposition to several quarantine facilities on
328-655: A "temporary landfill" in 1947, the Fresh Kills Landfill was a repository of trash for the city of New York. The landfill, once the world's largest man-made structure, was closed in 2001, but it was briefly reopened for the debris from Ground Zero following the September 11 attacks in 2001. It is being converted into a park almost three times the size of Central Park and the largest park to be developed in New York City in over 100 years. Plans for
492-544: A Guy in 10 Days (2003), and Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017). Many other films and TV episodes use the Staten Island Ferry in establishing shots . In the past, ferries were equipped for vehicle transport, and operators charged $ 3 per automobile . A vehicle ban was approved in 1992, after the Whitehall Terminal was destroyed and subsequently rebuilt without vehicle loading areas. Although
656-456: A competing ferry service called the New York and Staten Island Steam Ferry. Afterwards, Vanderbilt tried to operate a ferry service between Manhattan and Staten Island that would rival Law's ferry service. Vanderbilt started construction on his plan for a central dock on the island, but he abandoned the scheme after a storm destroyed the timber work. Only the large stone foundation remained; this
820-551: A compromise that established the maritime boundary in the middle of the Hudson River and gave Staten Island to New York. Ellis Island and Bedloe's Island , both uninhabited at the time, also became controlled by New Jersey. 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
984-560: A day. The Midtown ferry proved successful until the city essentially eliminated the competing Whitehall Street route's fare in July 1997, as part of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA)'s "one-city, one-fare" transfer scheme: Staten Island transit riders could pay a single $ 1.50 fare with a MetroCard on a Staten Island bus or train and get a free transfer to a Manhattan bus or subway by taking
1148-493: A fire occurred at St. George, killing three people and destroying the slips for the Whitehall ferry route. The only ferry slips that had not been damaged in the fire were those used by the 39th Street ferry. Because the Whitehall route had more ridership, the 39th Street ferry service was suspended so that Whitehall ferries could stop at St. George. The suspension of ferry service was supposed to be temporary; but when service
1312-486: A local chronicler in Staten Island, was responsible for originating the legend in the mid-1800s. 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 as Richmond County . The name derives from the title of Charles Lennox, 1st Duke of Richmond , an illegitimate son of King Charles II . In 1687 and 1688,
1476-407: A match will aid in producing a general conflagration of materials that shall be sent there for the purpose of erecting an institution which will endanger their lives and destroy their homes." Another writer to The New York Times declared that the populace would resist the establishment of a quarantine hospital at Seguine Point even if it cost "thousands of lives". In April 1858, arsonists destroyed
1640-593: A more efficient steam-powered ferryboat compared to the two 2-cylinder compound steam engines of earlier models. With the lowest bid for the three boats coming in at $ 6.44 million, the Merrell class was more expensive than the Mary Murray class before it, which had cost only $ 1 million a boat. The Merrell class would quickly become outdated with the introduction of a subsequent class whose diesel engines were even more powerful. Around this time, ferry services in
1804-525: A quarantine zone and the likelihood of violence. The following day a handbill appeared posted throughout Tompkinsville. The handbill read: A meeting of the Citizens of Richmond County, will be held at Nautilus Hall, Tompkinsville, this evening, September 2 at 7 1-2 o'clock [sic], for the purpose of making arrangements to celebrate the burning of the shanties and hospitals at the Quarantine ground last evening, and to transact such business as may come before
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#17327723820131968-643: A subway or bus in Manhattan after riding the ferry. The Staten Island Ferry originated in 1817 when the Richmond Turnpike Company started a steamboat service from Manhattan to Staten Island. Cornelius Vanderbilt bought the Richmond Turnpike Company in 1838, and it was merged with two competitors in 1853. The combined company was in turn sold to the Staten Island Railroad Company in 1864. The Staten Island Ferry
2132-632: A temporary terminal was opened at the site to accommodate passengers in the meantime. On February 7, 2005, a completely renovated and modernized terminal, designed by architect Frederic Schwartz , was dedicated, along with the new two-acre Peter Minuit Plaza in the Battery. The terminal contains connections to the New York City Subway 's South Ferry/Whitehall Street station complex, as well as to buses and taxis. A new ferry and rail terminal at St. George's Landing and an extension of
2296-464: A two-year contract extension, on the condition that the contract could be canceled with 30 days' notice. In return, the city could purchase the B&;O's ownership share in the terminals and the five existing ships from B&O, namely Westfield II , Middletown , Southfield II , Robert Garrett , and Castleton , for a set price. A new St. George Terminal was built by the city for $ 2,318,720, replacing
2460-647: Is a fare-free passenger ferry route operated by the New York City Department of Transportation . The ferry's single route runs 5.2 miles (8.4 km) through New York Harbor between the New York City boroughs of Manhattan and Staten Island , with ferry boats completing the trip in about 25 minutes. The ferry operates 24 hours a day and 7 days a week, with boats leaving every 15 to 20 minutes during peak hours and every 30 minutes at other times. Apart from NYC Ferry 's St. George route , it
2624-582: Is administered separately from NYC Ferry. The ferry to Staten Island departs Manhattan from the Staten Island Ferry Whitehall Terminal at South Ferry , at the southernmost tip of Manhattan near the Battery , and follows a single route. On Staten Island, ferryboats to Manhattan depart from the St. George Ferry Terminal on Richmond Terrace, near Richmond County's Borough Hall and Supreme Court. The ferry ride affords views of
2788-448: Is extremely sparse, however, and most historians conclude that it is entirely apocryphal. 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. YouTuber CGP Grey addressed the story of the Staten Island race and its historical discrepancies in a 2019 video, in which he concluded that Gabriel Disosway,
2952-405: Is home to the 2 + 1 ⁄ 2 -mile (4-kilometer) FDR Boardwalk , the world's fourth-longest boardwalk . The South Shore , site of the 17th-century Dutch and French Huguenot settlement, developed rapidly beginning in the 1960s and 1970s and is now very suburban. The West Shore is the island's least populated and most industrial part. Motor traffic can reach the borough from Brooklyn by
3116-485: Is the largest pre-European burial ground in New York City. 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 archaeologist George H. Pepper was contracted in 1895 to conduct paid archaeological research at Burial Ridge by the American Museum of Natural History . The burial ground today
3280-570: Is the only borough without a New York City Department of Correction major detention center. The construction of the Verrazzano-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 on Long 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
3444-669: Is the only direct mass-transit connection between the two boroughs. Historically, the Staten Island Ferry has charged a relatively low fare compared to other modes of transit in the area; and since 1997, the route has been fare-free. The Staten Island Ferry is one of several ferry systems in the New York City area and is operated separately from systems like NYC Ferry and NY Waterway . The Staten Island Ferry route terminates at Whitehall Terminal , on Whitehall Street in Lower Manhattan , and at St. George Terminal , in St. George, Staten Island . At Whitehall, connections are available to
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#17327723820133608-581: 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. 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 of New York Bight , a sharp bend in
3772-544: Is unmarked and lies within Conference House Park . The first recorded European contact on the island was in 1524 by Italian explorer Giovanni da Verrazzano who sailed through The Narrows on the ship La Dauphine and anchored for one night. The Dutch did not establish a permanent settlement on Staaten Eylandt for many decades. Its name derived from the Staten Generaal , the parliament of
3936-476: The Times , Herald , Tribune , and World . Among those injured was Antonio Meucci , an Italian immigrant who was developing the first telephone at the time; he was so poor that his wife sold his lab and telephone prototype to buy $ 6 worth of medications. Jacob Vanderbilt was arrested for murder, though he escaped conviction. This had an adverse effect on the railroad's finances; and on March 28, 1872,
4100-505: The 71st New York Infantry and the 7th New York Militia . The police arrested several leaders of the attack, including Ray Tompkins, on September 4. At trial, the defendants argued that they had destroyed the Quarantine in self-defense. The presiding judge agreed. He noted that patients had been removed and that the local health board had previously identified the facility as a danger to the community. "For these reasons," he concluded, "I am of opinion that no crime has been committed, that
4264-595: The Arthur Kill and the Kill Van Kull and from the rest of New York by New York Bay . With a population of 495,747 in the 2020 Census , Staten Island is the least populated New York City borough but the third largest in land area at 58.5 sq mi (152 km ); it is also the least densely populated and most suburban borough in the city. A home to the Lenape Native American's,
4428-471: The Civil War in the early 1860s. The combined company, the Staten Island and New York Ferry Company, ran services from Whitehall Street to Tompkinsville, Stapleton, and Clifton. It originally ran single-ended boats but eventually expanded its fleet to include double-ended boats. The Staten Island and New York Ferry's vessel Hunchback was built in 1852, becoming the first double-decked boat to operate in
4592-502: The Downtown Jersey City skyline, the Lower Manhattan skyline, Statue of Liberty on Liberty Island , Ellis Island , Governors Island and the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge . As such it is a popular destination on Saturday nights. The backdrop of the Staten Island Ferry's route also makes it a popular place for film shoots, and the ferry has been featured in various films, such as Working Girl (1988), How to Lose
4756-877: The Hudson River in Palisades Interstate Park . The sill extends southward beyond the cliffs in Jersey City beneath the Upper New York Harbor and resurfaces on Staten Island. The Palisades sill date from the Early Jurassic period, 192 to 186 million years ago. Staten Island has been at the southern terminus of various periods of glaciation . The most recent, the Wisconsin glaciation , ended approximately 12,000 years ago. The accumulated rock and sediment deposited at
4920-733: The Jersey City Terminal to the Liberty Street Ferry Terminal in Manhattan; and the latter was not close to any elevated rail stations in the area. With this acquisition, the B&O could start operating ferries to the Whitehall Street terminal , where there was a direct transfer to an elevated station . Two 225-foot (69 m) steel-hulled ferryboats were built during this time and delivered in 1888. These boats were Erastus Wiman (renamed Castleton in 1894 ) and Robert Garrett . They were
5084-414: The Kill Van Kull was frozen over, Lord Stirling led an unsuccessful Patriot raid from New Jersey on the western shore of Staten Island. It was repulsed in part by troops led by British Commander Francis Rawdon-Hastings, 1st Marquess of Hastings . In June 1780, Wilhelm von Knyphausen , commander of Britain's Hessian auxiliaries , led many raids and a full assault into New Jersey from Staten Island with
Staten Island Quarantine War - Misplaced Pages Continue
5248-529: The New 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 a home rule message supporting it, which the city would not. Governor Mario Cuomo disagreed, and the vote went forward in 1993. Ultimately, 65% of Staten island residents voted to secede through
5412-532: The New York City Common Council passed a quarantine law in 1799 authored by Richard Bayley , the port's first health officer . This act funded the creation of the New York Marine Hospital, and the first patients arrived in 1800. Bayley died from yellow fever while caring for patients there in 1801. The Quarantine had capacity to house 1,500 patients. At its peak in the 1840s, the Quarantine treated more than 8,000 patients each year. By
5576-569: The New York City Subway and several local New York City Bus routes. At St. George, there are transfers to the Staten Island Railway and to the St. George Bus Terminal's many bus routes. Using MetroCard fare cards, passengers from Manhattan can exit a subway or bus on Whitehall Street, take the ferry for free, and have a free second transfer to a train or bus at St. George. Conversely, passengers from Staten Island can freely transfer to
5740-572: The Panic of 1893 ; and two years later, much of his property was auctioned to pay off debts. In 1893, the B&O commenced plans to divert some CNJ ferries from Jersey City to Whitehall Street, with the latter ordering Easton and Mauch Chunk ferries for the Whitehall Street service. The boats started running in 1897. As part of a general improvement, the B&O also started building a new ferry terminal at St. George in 1895. In 1899,
5904-565: The Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR) and the New York Central Railroad (NYCRR) formed a partnership in which they were to buy smaller freight railroad companies. PRR president Alexander Cassatt had devised the plan because he thought that two large freight-shipping companies, Standard Oil and Carnegie Steel , were artificially depressing freight-shipping rates by cajoling smaller companies for rebates. Among
6068-628: The Republic of the Seven United Netherlands . From 1639 to 1655, Cornelis Melyn and David de Vries made three separate attempts to establish one there, but each time the settlement was destroyed in conflicts between the Dutch and the local tribe. In 1661, the first permanent Dutch settlement was established at Oude Dorp (Dutch for "Old Village") by a small group of Dutch, Walloon , and French Huguenot families, just south of
6232-671: The Rose 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 the Declaration of Independence . In August 1776, the British forces crossed the Narrows to Brooklyn and outflanked the American forces at the Battle of Long Island , resulting in the British control of
6396-665: The Staten Island Quarantine War . 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 ended up resulting in nothing. The towns of Staten Island were dissolved in 1898 with
6560-659: The Unami division of the Lenape . In Lenape , one of the Algonquian languages , Staten Island was called Aquehonga Manacknong , meaning "as far as the place of the bad woods", or Eghquhous , meaning "the bad woods". The name is spelled as Eghquaons in the deed to Lubbertus van Dincklage for the purchase of Staten Island, 1657. The area was part of the Lenape homeland known as Lenapehoking . The Lenape were later called
6724-642: The Union Ferry Company of Brooklyn . Three new boats were then commissioned for the 39th Street route. Named Gowanus , Bay Ridge , and Nassau , they were smaller than the borough-class boats. Bay Ridge was the first to arrive, in July 1907, followed by Gowanus in August, and Bay Ridge in September. A second route from St. George to Brooklyn started operating on July 4, 1912. The privately operated Brooklyn & Richmond Ferry Company operated
Staten Island Quarantine War - Misplaced Pages Continue
6888-522: The Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge and from New Jersey by the Outerbridge Crossing , Goethals Bridge and Bayonne Bridge . Staten Island has Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) bus lines and an MTA rapid transit line, the Staten Island Railway , which runs from the ferry terminal at St. George to Tottenville . Staten Island is the only borough not connected to the New York City Subway system. The free Staten Island Ferry connects
7052-658: The West End subway line , the Brooklyn ferry now primarily served industrial interests in Sunset Park. Mayor George McClellan , elected as Low's successor in 1903, and Docks Commissioner Maurice Featherson were initially skeptical of the acquisition; but despite their objections, the Sinking Funds Commission approved the private line's acquisition in 1905. The route started with three ferryboats from
7216-479: The city government and the media. It has also been referred to as the "borough of parks" due to its 12,300 acres of protected parkland and over 170 parks. The North Shore —especially the neighborhoods of St. George , Tompkinsville , Clifton , and Stapleton —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. The East Shore
7380-654: The spread of the 2020 coronavirus pandemic to New York City . During the pandemic, concession stands aboard each vessel were closed. A longer-term nighttime service cut was announced the next month; the service reduction would remain in effect through at least June 2021, saving $ 6 million. Full-time service was restored in August 2021. The New York City Department of Transportation and the New York City Economic Development Corporation announced plans in January 2024 to reopen
7544-524: The "Delaware" by the English colonists because they inhabited both shores of what the English named the Delaware 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 and Amboy Road . The Lenape did not live in fixed encampments but moved seasonally, using slash and burn agriculture. Shellfish
7708-415: The 1850s a rigorous inspection system was in place. Newly arrived ships were boarded, and if any signs of disease were found, all passengers were unloaded at the Quarantine. Health officials housed first-class passengers in St. Nicholas Hospital while passengers from steerage were put in the shanties. The Quarantine was on a large site in the former town of Castleton , overlooking Upper New York Bay near
7872-588: The B&O borrowed the paddle-wheeler John Englis from the Williamsburg Ferry Company . On February 21, 1902, two hundred people held discussions with MacDougal Hawkes, the head of the New York City Department of Docks , to demand that the Whitehall-to-St. George ferry service be improved. In summer 1902, as the B&O fought to retain its ownership of the ferry, Henry Huttleston Rogers demonstrated that his steam-powered yacht
8036-441: The B&O ferryboat Northfield II as the latter was leaving the ferry port at Whitehall, tearing a 10-by-20-foot (3.0 by 6.1 m) hole through the middle of Northfield . Damaged beyond repair, Northfield II sank within ten minutes, ending up near the modern South Street Seaport . Out of 995 passengers aboard, only four or five were killed. The dead were not recovered for several days, and one man's body drifted around
8200-476: The Battery at Manhattan's tip. He competed against other boatmen providing service in the harbor, who called him "Commodore" because of his youthful eagerness; although the nickname was intended to be jocular, it applied to him for the rest of his life. The War of 1812 meant restricted access to New York Harbor from elsewhere along the East Coast . During the war, Vanderbilt profited from carrying cargo along
8364-411: The Brooklyn & Richmond Ferry Company asked the city to stop its municipal operation to 39th Street, so the 69th Street ferry could carry all Staten Island-to-Brooklyn traffic, thus enabling them to lower rates. The city refused. After the end of World War II in 1945, the city wanted to reconstruct St. George Terminal, which would in turn improve ferry service to Whitehall Street. On June 25, 1946,
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#17327723820138528-489: The Brooklyn & Richmond Ferry Company to cease all operations after finding that one of its 40-year-old boats was in a severely deteriorated condition. The Bay Ridge operation was subsequently taken over by the Electric Ferries company on March 1, 1939. Electric Ferries, which also operated other routes in the area, bought three secondhand ferryboats from other companies to supplement seven new boats. In 1940,
8692-640: The Castleton Board of Health, locals responded by threatening to burn down the Quarantine. In retaliation, the City shut down the Staten Island Ferry , ostensibly on health grounds. At this point, locals began to stockpile hay and other flammable materials. On September 1, 1858, the Castleton Board of Health passed the following resolution: "[The Quarantine is] a pest and a nuisance of the most odious character, bringing death and desolation to
8856-513: The Charleston section of the island. Various Clovis artifacts have been discovered since then, on property owned by Mobil Oil . The island was probably abandoned later, possibly because of the extirpation of large mammals on the island. Evidence of the first permanent Native American settlements and agriculture are thought to date from about 5,000 years ago, although early archaic habitation evidence has been found in multiple locations on
9020-475: The Declaration of Independence, and the conference ended without an agreement. On August 22, 1777, the Battle of Staten Island occurred between the British forces and several companies of the 2nd Canadian Regiment fighting alongside other American companies. The battle was inconclusive, though both sides surrendered over a hundred troops as prisoners. The Americans finally withdrew. In early 1780, while
9184-559: 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 families and became known as Nieuwe Dorp (meaning 'New Village'), which later became anglicized as New Dorp . Captain Christopher Billopp , after years of distinguished service in the Royal Navy, came to America in 1674 along with
9348-469: The English divided the island into four administrative divisions based on natural features: the 5,100-acre (21 km ) manorial estate of colonial governor Thomas 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 of Castleton , Northfield , Southfield , and Westfield . In 1698,
9512-508: The Female Hospital standing in exchange for the release of attackers who had earlier been apprehended by Quarantine officials. The attackers also battered down large sections of the wall surrounding the Quarantine. Two men died in the night, one from yellow fever, and one Quarantine staff member who was murdered by a co-worker. New York City officials were slow to react both because of the health risk posed by sending police officers into
9676-421: The Hudson River, and he bought extra boats with these profits. After the war, he transported cargo in the harbor, earning even more money and buying more boats. Around the same time, U.S. Vice President Daniel D. Tompkins secured a charter for the Richmond Turnpike Company as part of his efforts to develop the village of Tompkinsville , which would become Staten Island's first European settlement. The company
9840-431: The Midtown route, and it was eliminated on July 31, 1998. Despite requests from local officials to restore the ferry service, a route from Staten Island to Midtown Manhattan did not run again until August 23, 2021, when NYC Ferry 's St. George route began operations. Immediately after the September 11, 2001, attacks , Staten Island ferryboats were used to evacuate attack victims from the World Trade Center . The line
10004-432: 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. The last vestige of Oude Dorp is the name of the present-day neighborhood of Old Town adjacent to Old Town Road. Staten Island
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#173277238201310168-420: The PRR's acquisitions was the B&O, which in turn owned the Staten Island Railway and Ferry. Cassatt started buying B&O stock in 1899 and owned much of the B&O stock two years later. By the 1900s, Staten Islanders were becoming dissatisfied with the railway-operated ferry service to Manhattan, which they felt was unsafe. The turning point came on June 14, 1901, when the CNJ ferry Mauch Chunk struck
10332-420: The Quarantine and had asked the state legislature in 1849 to remove it from Staten Island. The military occupation of Staten Island ended in early January 1859, when the new Governor of New York, Edwin D. Morgan , cancelled the orders of four companies of the 7th New York Militia which had been sent as a relief force for units that were departing Staten Island. Quarantine facilities were not re-established on
10496-541: The Quarantine and local residents grew throughout the 1850s. In 1857 New York City officials attempted to defuse local anger by moving the facility to a more remote location on Staten Island, Seguine Point. However, arsonists from the town of Westfield destroyed the construction site before the new facility could be finished. One participant in that attack wrote an anonymous letter to The New York Times , signed as "An Oysterman", warning of further action if construction resumed: "Yes, I may say that every urchin who can rub
10660-413: The St. George ferry landing, which opened in March 1886. On April 3, 1883, the Staten Island Rapid Transit Railroad Company gained control of the SIR and its boats. A new boat, Southfield II , was delivered that year. The Baltimore & Ohio Railroad (B&O) obtained control of the Staten Island Railway Ferry Company's operations the next year. A controlling interest in the Railway Ferry Company
10824-407: The St. George–Whitehall ferry at no additional cost, with return trips handled similarly. As a result, daily ridership on the $ 5-per-ticket Midtown ferry decreased to 400 passengers, and New York Fast Ferry was unable to make a profit on the route. New York Fast Ferry went out of business at the end of 1997, at which point NY Waterway took over the route. NY Waterway also failed to break even on
10988-490: The Staten Island Railway north from Vanderbilt's Landing had been proposed in the 1870s by the owners of the railroad (George Law, Cornelius Vanderbilt, and Erastus Wiman) to replace the various ferry sites on the north and east shores of Staten Island. St. George was selected due to its being the point where Staten Island is closest to Manhattan, approximately 5 miles (8.0 km) away. The terminal and local neighborhood were renamed "St. George" in honor of Law, allegedly as
11152-424: The Sunset Park route. It was not as efficient as the borough-class boats (see § Former ), so it was relegated to supplementary service. Another vessel in the fleet, Castleton , was sold to a private owner in 1915; its classmate, Robert Garrett (renamed Stapleton in 1906) would remain in city ownership until 1922. Mayor Mitchel's successor, John Francis Hylan , commissioned a series of new boats after he
11316-462: The Tompkinsville and West Brighton terminals. The two groups submitted their proposals in November 1902; and by February 1903, the Sinking Fund Commission announced their decision to give B&O the operating license. This decision proved controversial: Hawkes made a recommendation to Mayor Seth Low on February 21, and dissatisfied Staten Islanders showed up to the commission's meeting on February 25. These residents, voicing their dissent, helped cause
11480-446: The U.S. shortly after completion; the vessel was then redocumented, and by 1868 it had been destroyed. The Staten Island Railway (SIR) opened in stages in 1860. It was necessary to have a direct connection between the new railroad trains and the infrequent ferries to and from Manhattan, but this turned out to be difficult during the beginning of operation. The ferries serving Vanderbilt's Landing were owned by George Law, who operated
11644-407: The act, the necessity of which all must deplore, was yet a necessity not caused by any act or omission of those upon whom it was imposed, and that his summary act of self-protection, justified by that necessity and therefore by law, was resorted to only after every other proper resource was exhausted." The historian of the conflict Kathryn Stephenson notes that the judge owned property within a mile of
11808-546: The aim of defeating George 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 the Battle of Springfield . British forces remained on Staten Island for the remainder of the war. Most Patriots fled after the British occupation, and the sentiment of those who remained was predominantly Loyalist . Even so,
11972-673: The approval of a new city charter making Staten Island an independent city , but implementation was blocked in the State Assembly . In the 1980s, the United States Navy had a base on Staten Island called Naval Station New York . It had two sections: a Strategic Homeport in Stapleton and a larger section near Fort Wadsworth , where the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge enters the island. The base
12136-514: The area then known as Lenapehoking , which included present-day Staten Island , Manhattan , and New Jersey . The area would first be colonized as part of Dutch New Netherland in 1624. New Netherland became the British Province of New York in 1664, and the British province finally became part of the United States in 1776. During the 18th century, the City of New York occupied only the southern tip of Manhattan, and Staten Island
12300-471: The area were being discontinued and replaced by bridges and tunnels, leading to the eventual demise of the 69th Street ferry. The exception was the direct ferry from Manhattan to Staten Island, which was not expected to see a significant decrease in ridership because it provided the only direct link between the two boroughs. Electric Ferries' franchise for the Bay Ridge ferry expired on March 31, 1954; and
12464-581: The blockade against the Confederate Army during the Civil War. Of the four boats, only Hunchback survived; after the war, it was redocumented and bought by someone in Boston; it was abandoned by 1880. Due to the loss of these boats, another three boats— Westfield II , Northfield , and Middletown —were obtained in 1862–1863. A fourth boat, Clifton II , was also built, but it was purchased by
12628-401: The boats was replaced by a maroon scheme, which was better at hiding the accumulations of grime on the boats' exteriors. In March 1924, New York City Plant and Structures Commissioner Grover A. Whalen suggested that the infrequent 69th Street service be placed under city administration, a request that ultimately went unfulfilled, as the Brooklyn & Richmond Ferry would continue to operate
12792-616: The border of today's St. George and Tompkinsville . The site is now occupied by the Staten Island Coast Guard Station and the National Lighthouse Museum . The Quarantine comprised over a dozen buildings: A six-foot-high brick wall enclosed the grounds. Opposition to the Quarantine by local residents began from its creation. In this sense, "the quarantine war" could be understood as a decades-long campaign by Staten Islanders against
12956-464: The borough to Manhattan across New York Harbor . It provides views of the Statue of Liberty , Ellis Island , and Lower Manhattan . As in much of North America, human habitation appeared on the island fairly rapidly after the Wisconsin glaciation . Archaeologists have recovered tool evidence of Clovis culture activity dating from about 14,000 years ago. This evidence was first discovered in 1917 in
13120-431: 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. Nevertheless, Staten Island remained less developed than the rest of the city. A New York Times article in 1972 stated that despite the borough having 333,000 residents, parts of
13284-402: 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. Mayor Michael Bloomberg perpetuated the myth by referring to it at a news conference in Brooklyn on February 20, 2007. Reliable historical documentation of the event
13448-627: The city again proposed eliminating night service, with plans to outsource nighttime operations to other ferry companies in the area. However, night and weekend service was increased in 2004 due to growing ridership. Before the 2004 increase in night service, boats only ran once an hour between midnight and 7 a.m. The ferry had not added more trips during nights and weekends, even though Staten Island's population had increased since 1990. Ridership continued to increase; and in November 2006, additional ferries, running every 30 minutes, were provided during
13612-550: The city contracted the 69th Street ferry's operation to Henry Shanks in order to keep that ferry running. The 69th Street ferry ceased operation in 1964, due to the opening of the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge a short distance south of its route. At the time of the 69th Street ferry's discontinuation, it was being used by 7,000 passengers daily, who paid five cents each, and 8,000 vehicles daily, which were charged 75 cents apiece. Each boat could fit between 500 and 750 passengers but only 42 vehicles, which meant for traffic jams at both of
13776-468: The city took ownership of the five B&O ships. The ferry service from St. George to 39th Street in Sunset Park, Brooklyn, became city-operated on November 1, 1906, as provided for by the 1903 law transferring ownership of that route to the city. Its Brooklyn terminus was located near the Brooklyn, Bath and West End Railroad's former 39th Street terminal, but as that railroad had been converted into
13940-541: The collision zone and now forms the oldest bedrock strata of Staten Island, the serpentinite . This strata of the Lower Paleozoic (approximately 430 million years old) consists predominantly of the serpentine minerals, antigorite , chrysotile , and lizardite ; it also contains asbestos and talc . At the end of the Paleozoic era (248 million years ago) all major continental masses were joined into
14104-655: The colonies, residents of the island were so uninterested that no representatives were sent to the First Continental Congress , the only county in New York to not send anyone. This had economic repercussions in the months up through 1776, where New Jersey towns such as Elizabethport, Woodbridge , and Dover instituted boycotts on doing business with islanders. On March 17, 1776, the British forces under Sir William Howe evacuated Boston and sailed for Halifax, Nova Scotia . From Halifax, Howe prepared to attack New York City, which then consisted entirely of
14268-584: The commissioners to reject Hawkes's proposal. Shortly after, the government of New York City announced its intent to acquire ownership of the ferry. Instead of offering the franchise to either the B&O or Rogers, the Sinking Fund Commission decided, in March 1903, that the city could run two ferry routes from Staten Island. One route would travel to Manhattan, terminating at any North River port between 23rd Street and Battery Park , while
14432-461: The company's original charter expired in 1844, Vanderbilt transferred the former company's leases and titles to himself and the company's other chief officer, Oroondates Mauran . This was done in their capacity as private citizens rather than as chief officers. When Mauran died in 1848, his share of the company was purchased by Vanderbilt. By the mid-18th century, there were three separate ferry companies offering services between lower Manhattan and
14596-469: The company's stocks were placed in a trust at the Fulton Bank in lower Manhattan. Under an act passed in 1824, the bank was to be incorporated under two conditions: it had to acquire the Richmond Turnpike Company's stock, and it would cease operations in 1844. Vanderbilt, who had grown wealthy in the steamboat business in New York waters, bought control of the Richmond Turnpike Company in 1838. After
14760-418: The concession stands on each ferryboat, and they began looking for concessionaires that month. The Staten Island Ferry operates 24/7 . A new ferry trip begins every 30 minutes most hours of the day and night, with more frequent service during peak times, and takes 25 minutes to complete the 5.2-mile (8.4 km) route. The ferry carried 23.9 million passengers in fiscal year 2016. The Staten Island Ferry
14924-422: The conflagration illuminated the bay and the entire east side of Staten Island. Efforts by employees or firemen to combat the blazes were met by violence; one stevedore was shot. One of the leaders of the attackers, Ray Tompkins (a grandson of former Governor Daniel D. Tompkins ) convinced the crowd to spare the medical staff from physical violence. In addition, Tompkins struck a deal with Quarantine staff to leave
15088-562: The consolidation of the City of Greater New York , as Richmond County became one of the five 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
15252-675: The continent of Laurentia and the plate containing the continent of Gondwanaland were converging, the Iapetus Ocean that separated the two continents gradually closed, and the resulting collision between the plates formed the Appalachian Mountains . During the early stages of this mountain building known as the Taconic orogeny , a piece of ocean crust from the Iapetus Ocean broke off and became incorporated into
15416-469: 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 . According to the U.S. Census Bureau , Richmond County has a total area of 102.5 square miles (265 km ), of which 58.5 square miles (152 km ) is land and 44.0 square miles (114 km ) (43%) is water. It
15580-419: The current Austen class , were ordered specifically for off-peak and night voyages. These boats entered service in 1986. By the late 1980s, ferries had again become a popular mode of transport in the area. In 1991, seventy companies expressed interest in bidding for the rights to operate new ferries across the city. This list of potential bidders was reduced to three companies by 1993. One of these ferries
15744-412: The designated bicycle storage area on each boat. During rush hours, ferries usually depart every 15 to 20 minutes, with frequency decreasing to every 30 minutes during the mid-days and evenings. Ferries run at 30-minute intervals for a few hours during the early morning—usually 12 a.m. to 6 a.m.—and on weekends. There have been at least two terminals on the site of the current Whitehall Terminal. When
15908-569: The eastern edge of New Jersey was located at the Hudson 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 President Martin Van Buren negotiated
16072-483: The eastern shore of Staten Island. The Tompkins and Staples Ferry , operated by Vice President Tompkins's son Minthorne, ran from a pier at the Tompkinsville end of the highway to Whitehall Street in lower Manhattan. The New York and Staten Island Steam Ferry Company , or "People's Ferry", was operated by George Law and ran from Stapleton, Staten Island , to Liberty Street, Manhattan . The third ferry
16236-520: The existing terminal. All of the ships except for Richmond were finished by April 1905 and delivered during the late summer and early fall of that year. Richmond was ready by May 20; and as it had been built in Port Richmond, there was no need to transport the boat. On October 25, 1905, the Department of Docks and Ferries assumed ownership of the ferry and terminals; and the borough ferryboats started their maiden voyages. The next year,
16400-420: The facility. Land owners opposed the acquisition of the site by the city but also complained about the effects of the Quarantine on property values. "I have thought the existence of the Quarantine very injurious", explained one land developer in 1849, "to the rise and sale of property." Staten Islanders blamed local infectious outbreaks on the presence of the Quarantine. In addition, tensions between employees of
16564-542: The family of Canadian historian Peter Fisher , John Dunn, who founded St. Andrews, New Brunswick , and Abraham 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. On July 4, 1827, the end of slavery in New York state was celebrated at Swan Hotel, in the West Brighton neighborhood. Rooms at
16728-471: The ferry routes to Whitehall Street and 39th Street each received one class of three new boats. The boats in the Dongan Hills class were delivered from 1929 to 1931 for the 39th Street route, and the boats in the Mary Murray class were delivered from 1937 to 1938 for the Whitehall Street route. The classes' engines and dimensions were similar, but each class's exterior appearance was very different from
16892-418: The ferry was banned in 2003, and passengers were no longer allowed to board from the lower level of either terminal. Passengers had to board and depart from different sections of the ferry; each terminal's lower level was used by departing passengers, which required boarding passengers to use the upper level. This made boarding the ferry inconvenient for park-and-ride users at the St. George Terminal. In 2002,
17056-420: The ferry's slips, due to the boats' low capacity. However, the route between St. George and Whitehall was kept open, since the bridge's opening was expected to spur an influx of residents to Staten Island, with a potential increase in commute ridership on the ferry to Manhattan. By 1967, all other ferries in New York City had closed due to competition from automobile traffic, and the St. George-to-Whitehall route
17220-484: The first boats of the Staten Island Railway Ferry fleet to be powered by multi-cylinder inclined steam engines, which pumped steam more efficiently than the single-cylinder vertical engines on previous boats. Garrett resigned from his position at the B&O in 1887, and his successors did not show as much interest in Staten Island transit operations. Wiman lost significant amounts of money in
17384-557: The five boroughs. The city began soliciting tenders for ferryboats, ultimately deciding to pay $ 1.7 million for four of the five boats from the Maryland Steel Company . The contract was signed on June 20, 1904. The fifth boat, Richmond , was built on Staten Island by the Burlee Dry Dock Company. From 1902 to 1903, there were debates on where to put the new Whitehall terminal; and Whitehall Street
17548-427: The ground level so bicyclists can enter the ferry without needing to enter the building. The ground entrance was reserved exclusively for bicyclists until September 2017, when lower-level boarding and disembarking was restored for all passengers. Cyclists are subject to screening upon arrival at the ferry terminals and must dismount and walk their bicycles to the waiting area and onto the boat. Bicycles must be stored in
17712-552: 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 of Benjamin Franklin , Edward Rutledge , and John Adams at the Conference 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
17876-529: The harbor. To accommodate growing ridership, three double-ended boats— Southfield I , Westfield I , and Clifton I —were purchased for the ferry between 1857 and 1861. Westfield and Clifton were purchased by the Union Army in September 1861, almost immediately after they had been delivered. The army also purchased Hunchback and Southfield in December of that year. The Union used the ships to man
18040-422: 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
18204-408: The island still maintained a bucolic atmosphere with woods and marshes. Throughout the 1980s, a movement to secede from the city steadily grew in popularity, notably championed by longtime New York state senator and former Republican Party mayoral nominee John J. Marchi . The campaign reached its peak during the mayoral term of David Dinkins (1990–1993), after the U.S. Supreme Court invalidated
18368-534: The island to help develop it. He incorporated the Staten Island Rapid Transit Railroad Company on March 25, 1880; and the incorporation of the company was formalized on April 14, 1880. Two years later, Wiman applied to build a ferry dock in Manhattan in order to serve his new ferry routes. Wiman also proposed combining the six to eight separate ferry operations so as to use just one Staten Island terminal. This became
18532-455: 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 was consolidated with New York City in 1898 . It was formerly known as the Borough of Richmond until 1975, when its name was changed to Borough of Staten Island. Staten Island has sometimes been called "the forgotten borough" by inhabitants who feel neglected by
18696-489: The island's East Shore . During the attacks, arsonists set a large fire that completely destroyed the hospital compound. At trial, the leaders of the attack successfully argued that they had destroyed the Quarantine in self-defense. Though there were no deaths as a direct result of the attacks, the conflict serves as an important historical case study of the use of quarantines as a first response. From 1795 to 1798, yellow fever killed thousands in New York City. In reaction,
18860-648: The island. Rossville points are distinct arrowheads that define a Native American cultural period from the Archaic period to the Early Woodland period , dating from about 1500 to 100 BC. They are named for the Rossville section of Staten Island, where they were first found near the old Rossville Post Office building. At the time of European contact, the island was inhabited by the Raritan band of
19024-512: The islanders found the demands of supporting the troops to be heavy. The British army kept headquarters in neighborhoods such as Bulls Head . Many buildings and churches were destroyed for their materials, and the military's demand for resources resulted in an extensive deforestation by the end of the war. The British army again used the island as a staging ground for its final evacuation of New York City on December 5, 1783. After their departure, many Loyalist landowners, such as Christopher Billop ,
19188-529: The lack of other transit connections between Staten Island and the other boroughs. The ferry is also popular among tourists and visitors due to the free-of-charge views of the New York Harbor a trip provides. The ferry has been featured in several films. Before the New York City area was colonized by Europeans, the indigenous Lenape Native Americans used boats to traverse waterways—including present-day Arthur Kill , Kill Van Kull , and Raritan Bay —of
19352-614: The meeting. September 2nd, 1858. Several hundred individuals attended the meeting and then proceeded to the Quarantine. The crowd burned down the Female Hospital and the piers. One hundred police officers sent by New York City arrived on September 3. They were heavily armed and even possessed an artillery piece. The police and hospital staff moved several dozen patients who had been sheltering under makeshift tarps to Ward Island . In addition, Governor John A. King dispatched military units to Tompkinsville. These forces initially consisted of several regiments of New York State militia from
19516-565: The newly appointed royal governor of New York and the Jerseys Sir Edmund Andros, 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 km ) of land. According to one version of an oft-repeated but apocryphal tale, Captain Billopp's seamanship secured Staten Island to New York, rather than to New Jersey: the island would belong to New York if
19680-555: The original terminal opened in 1903, its Beaux-Arts design was identical to the Battery Maritime Building , which still exists. In 1919, a fire at the South Ferry elevated station damaged the building. A $ 3 million renovation of the terminal was announced in 1953, and it opened on July 24, 1956. The old terminal burned down in a fire on September 8, 1991. A new design was announced the next year, and
19844-556: The other route would go from Staten Island to 39th Street, near Bush Terminal , in Sunset Park, Brooklyn . The bill authorizing the city to acquire ferry operations was passed by the 126th New York State Legislature , and it was signed into law by Governor Benjamin B. Odell in May 1903. The city would pay $ 3.2 million to take over operations of the ferry, including $ 2 million for five new screw-propelled ships , one named for each of
20008-484: The other. The Brooklyn & Richmond Ferry Company found it increasingly difficult to maintain its aging fleet, especially with the competition from the 39th Street ferry's new, problem-free ferryboats. This resulted in infrequent service on the Bay Ridge ferry to 69th Street, which lead to a decline in patronage and fare revenues. In February 1939, the United States Department of Commerce ordered
20172-465: The park include a bird-nesting island, public roads, boardwalks, soccer and baseball fields, bridle paths, and a 5,000-seat stadium. 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. During the Paleozoic Era , the tectonic plate containing
20336-516: The population was 727. The government granted land patents in rectangular blocks of 80 acres (320,000 m ), 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 km ) parcel on the southwestern tip of the island belonging to Christopher Billopp. The first county seat
20500-405: The potential to turn communities against not only those who are ill, but also against health professionals . Staten Island Staten Island ( / ˈ s t æ t ən / STAT -ən ) is the southernmost borough of New York City , coextensive with Richmond County and situated at the southernmost point of New York . The borough is separated from the adjacent state of New Jersey by
20664-732: The promised goods for the land a few months later. At the end of the Second Anglo-Dutch War in 1667, the Dutch ceded New Netherland to England in the Treaty of Breda , and the Dutch Staaten Eylandt , anglicized as "Staten Island", became part of the new English colony of New York . In 1670, the Native Americans ceded all claims to Staten Island to the English in a deed to Governor Francis Lovelace . In 1671, in order to encourage an expansion of
20828-410: The railroad and the ferries under the same company. The railway assumed the Staten Island and New York Ferry Company's operations in 1865. On July 30, 1871, Westfield II was damaged when its boiler exploded while sitting in its slip at South Ferry in Manhattan. Within days of the disaster, between 45 and 91 had died, and from 78 to 208 listed as injured, although figures varied widely between
20992-465: The railway and the ferry went into receivership . On September 17, 1872, the property of the company was sold to George Law in foreclosure, with the exception of the ferryboat Westfield II , which was purchased by Horace Theall. Erastus Wiman , a Canadian entrepreneur, planned to develop Staten Island by adding transit. Wiman had become one of Staten Island's most notable figures since moving to New York in 1867, and he had built an amusement area on
21156-410: The remaining buildings at Seguine Point. A combined reward of $ 3,000 (equivalent to $ 106,000 in 2023) from New York State and City officials for information about the perpetrators resulted in only one arrest. In 1856 the Castleton Board of Health (located on Staten Island and sympathetic to its residents) passed an ordinance that prohibited anyone from passing from the grounds of the Quarantine into
21320-525: The route to Manhattan. By 1967, the Staten Island-to-Manhattan ferry was the only commuter ferry within the entire city. A fast ferry route from Staten Island to Midtown Manhattan ran briefly from 1997 to 1998; proposals to revive the route resurfaced in the 2010s. With 15,728,600 riders in 2023, the Staten Island Ferry is the busiest ferry route in the United States and the world's busiest passenger-only ferry system, thanks largely to
21484-454: The route until 1939. However, in June 1924, the route to 39th Street was taken over by New York Bay Ferry. By the end of that summer, the three ferry routes were advertised as the most convenient way to get to Staten Island until a tunnel between Staten Island and Brooklyn could be completed, although the tunnel never was finished because its construction was halted a year later. In the 1930s,
21648-420: The same time, Hylan also ordered three more boats for the 39th Street route, and he ordered 11 boats for other city-operated routes. This brought the number of boats ordered by Hylan's administration to 16. After Hylan's electoral defeat by Jimmy Walker in 1925, George W. Loft and William Randolph Hearst were respectively renamed to West Brighton and Whitehall II . In April 1926, the white paint scheme of
21812-529: The service to 69th Street in Bay Ridge . New York City started operating a line from Battery Park to Stapleton in May 1909. This service ran every 90 minutes between 4 a.m. and 8 p.m. daily. It was discontinued at the end of 1913, due to low ridership. Staten Islanders protested against the city's discontinuance of the Stapleton ferry, to no avail. Mayor McClellan's successor, William Jay Gaynor ,
21976-410: The shoreline between New Jersey and Long Island. The region is considered vulnerable to sea-level rise. On October 29, 2012, the island experienced severe damage and loss of life along with the destruction of many homes during Hurricane Sandy . In addition to the main island, the borough and county also include several small uninhabited islands: Staten Island Ferry The Staten Island Ferry
22140-632: The short monopoly on steamboat operations that had been held by the Fulton Ferry , which had connected Manhattan and Brooklyn since it began operation in 1814. Since the steamboats provided much faster means of transportation across the harbor, Vanderbilt sold all his ships to his father in 1818. He subsequently started working for Thomas Gibbons, a small-steamboat operator, operating steamboat lines for Gibbons in New Jersey before later operating his own lines in New York. When Tompkins died in 1825,
22304-403: The site. Instead, a floating hospital was used beginning in 1859. Two artificial islands, Swinburne Island and Hoffman Island , began operation as quarantine facilities in the 1860s. Medical ethicists and public health physicians note that quarantines which deprive individuals of their liberty are rarely justified or effective. The Quarantine War showed how blanket quarantine policies have
22468-558: The southern end of Manhattan Island . General George Washington led the entire Continental Army to New York City in anticipation of the British 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. The British soldiers and Hessian mercenaries numbered about 30,000. Howe established his headquarters in New Dorp at
22632-407: The southern tip of Manhattan and across the Hudson River. An investigation into the crash found that Northfield II had sunk because of the extent of the damage rather than because of its 38-year age. Despite this, neither captain was criminally charged, although Mauch Chunk 's captain was "censured" for speeding as well as for not helping the passengers aboard Northfield . In the meantime,
22796-518: The supercontinent of Pangaea . The Palisades Sill has been designated a National Natural Landmark , being "the best example of a thick diabase sill in the United States". It underlies a portion of northwest Staten Island, with a visible outcropping in Travis , off Travis Road in the William T. Davis Wildlife Refuge . This is the same formation that appears in New Jersey and upstate New York along
22960-483: The temporary terminals included car loading areas, car boarding was discontinued after the September 11 attacks. A plan to reinstate car boarding, because of rising tolls on the Verrazzano Bridge, was seen as infeasible due to the effort needed to screen every car. While the ferries no longer transport motor vehicles, they do transport bicycles. There is a bicycle entrance to the ferry at both terminals on
23124-408: 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 of glacial erratics and kettle ponds . 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
23288-439: The town. From 1856 through 1858, local residents sporadically erected barricades to prevent access to the Quarantine. Yellow fever returned to Staten Island in August 1858. Locals were quick to blame the outbreak on workers from the Quarantine. In August 1858 the Castleton Board of Health passed ordinances encouraging local residents to take action against the Quarantine. When New York City officials sought an injunction against
23452-444: The two Staten Island ferry routes was intended to be temporary, until private operators could be found, but it never happened. These were the only two routes the city operated at the time, but the city continued to award privately operated ferry franchises elsewhere. The ferryboat Mayor Gaynor was delivered in 1914, during Mitchel's administration, to boost service on the Whitehall route, although it had originally been intended for
23616-620: The very doors of the people....Resolved: That this board recommend the citizens of this county to protect themselves by abating this abominable nuisance without delay." Locals acted quickly following the passage of the Castleton Board of Health resolution. At dark, two large groups assaulted the Quarantine: one broke down the gate, the other scaled the wall on the opposite side of the compound. The attackers removed patients from buildings and then systematically used mattresses and hay to set every building on fire. The New York Times reported that
23780-534: The weekend morning hours. In 2015, weekend-morning and late-night frequencies were increased to every thirty minutes. The lower levels of each terminal were reopened in 2017 to reduce crowding on the ships' upper levels. The St. George Terminal's lower level was opened during the morning rush, and the Whitehall Terminal's lower level was opened during middays and the evening rush. During March 2020, service frequencies were temporarily decreased to once-hourly service due to an 86% decrease in ridership levels following
23944-495: The world's richest people, started a ferry service from Staten Island to Manhattan in 1810. Just 16 years old, he had sailed extensively enough in his father's periauger that he could easily navigate the New York Harbor Estuary on his own. He was given $ 100 for his birthday in May 1810, which he used to purchase a periauger called Swiftsure . Vanderbilt used his boat to transport passengers from Staten Island to
24108-616: 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 shell middens 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 overlooking Raritan Bay in Tottenville ,
24272-568: Was closed in 1994 through the Base Realignment and Closure process because of its small size and the expense of basing personnel there. 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 the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation . Opened along Fresh Kills as
24436-486: Was decided on as the best location. In 1904, after the Staten Island Railway Company refused the city's offer of $ 500,000 for the two terminals, the city started a process to condemn the land around the terminals. Although the B&O had been set to give up the Staten Island Ferry franchise in early 1904, the new borough-class ferryboats were not ready by that time. So, the B&O was granted
24600-488: Was elected in 1917. President Roosevelt (also known as T.R. ) was delivered in 1921, and American Legion was delivered five years later. The names of both boats triggered some controversy— President Roosevelt due to resentment of Theodore Roosevelt , and American Legion due to the fact that it was named after the American Legion , which was only one of the various veterans' organizations in existence. At
24764-726: Was established in New Dorp in what was called Stony Brook at the time. In 1729, the county seat was moved to the village of Richmond Town, located at the headwaters of the Fresh Kills near the center of the island. By 1771, the island's population had grown to 2,847. Staten Islanders were solidly supportive of the Crown, and the island played a significant role in the American Revolutionary War . General George Washington once called Islanders "our most inveterate enemies". As support of independence spread throughout
24928-639: Was faster than the SIR's vessels, and argued that he should thus be allowed to operate the ferry route. Throughout the rest of the year, Rogers's Standard Oil -affiliated transit venture, which also operated streetcar routes on Staten Island, competed with the B&O for the rights to the ferry. The locations of the Staten Island terminal were also debated; and West Brighton , Tompkinsville , Stapleton , and Port Richmond were suggested as possible locations. The B&O wanted to offer service to St. George and at least one other terminal, while Rogers wanted to use only
25092-512: Was incorporated in 1815, and the land comprising Tompkinsville was purchased around this time. The company built a highway across Staten Island; it also received the right to run a ferry to New York. The Richmond Turnpike Company began to operate the first motorized ferry between New York and Staten Island in 1817, Nautilus , which was commanded by Captain John DeForest, the brother-in-law of Cornelius Vanderbilt. This new ferry broke
25256-420: Was not incorporated within the greater city. At the time, ferry service along New York Harbor between Staten Island and Manhattan was conducted by private individuals in " periaugers ". These shallow-draft, two-masted sailboats, used for local traffic in New York Harbor, were also used for other transport in the area. Cornelius Vanderbilt , an entrepreneur from Stapleton, Staten Island , who would become one of
25420-463: Was not spared the bloodshed that culminated in Kieft's War . In the summer of 1641 and in 1642, Native American tribes laid waste to Old Town. 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. However, this deed was annulled when the Dutch purchasers failed to deliver
25584-547: Was obtained by the B&O in 1885, through purchases of stock. On November 21, 1885, Robert Garrett , president of the B&O, leased the Railway Ferry Company to the B&O for 99 years. The B&O could now provide service to a ferry terminal that was closer to Manhattan public transit. Formerly, passengers had to transfer to the Central Railroad of New Jersey (CNJ)'s ferries, which went from
25748-510: Was opposed to what he saw as a hasty purchase of the 39th Street line. Upon becoming mayor in 1910, Gaynor communicated to his administration's docks commissioner, Calvin Tompkins, that the operating costs of that route needed to be reduced; in response, Tompkins replaced the superintendent of ferries. Neither of the city's Staten Island ferries showed a profit until 1915, under John Purroy Mitchel 's mayoral administration. The city's purchase of
25912-500: Was still suspended after a year had elapsed, merchants at Brooklyn's Bush Terminal , near 39th Street, began petitioning the city to resume service. However, this service was apparently never resumed. The new terminal was completed in June 1951. From 1950 to 1951, the city ordered the construction of three new Merrell -class boats for the Whitehall Street route. These boats differed significantly from their predecessors in that they used 6-cylinder "Unaflow" engines, which allowed for
26076-427: Was still visible in 1900 at low tide. A long franchise battle ensued; and as a result, Vanderbilt sold his ferry service to Law in 1862. Vanderbilt subsequently lost interest in Staten Island's transit operations, and he handed the operations of the ferry and railroad over to his brother, Jacob Vanderbilt, who was the president of the company until 1883. In March 1864, Vanderbilt bought Law's ferries, bringing both
26240-480: Was the Richmond Turnpike Ferry, also the "Staten Island Ferry"; it originated at Vanderbilt's Landing at Clifton, Staten Island , and terminated in Manhattan. All of these companies merged in 1853, after Vanderbilt, who was focused on business ventures elsewhere, convinced Law and Tompkins to buy out his ferry company for $ 600,000. Vanderbilt remained a dominant figure in the ferry business until
26404-495: Was the only ferry in the city. It remained as such until the 1980s, when other ferry routes were restarted. Off-peak service was reduced in 1967, but two months later that service was restored. However, due to the mid-1970s New York City fiscal crisis , night service ended on July 1, 1975, with alternate service being provided by the Fourth Avenue subway . Night service was restored in the 1980s after two boats, comprising
26568-467: Was then sold to the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad in 1884, and the government of New York City assumed control of the ferry in 1905. In the early 20th century, the city and private companies also operated ferry routes from Staten Island to Brooklyn. Owing to the growth of vehicular travel, all of the routes from Staten Island to Brooklyn were decommissioned by the mid-1960s; but popular demand preserved
26732-618: Was then temporarily closed for a week, with ferry service restored by September 18. When it reopened, some ferries were diverted to Bay Ridge due to the closures of subways and roads across the East River. This continued into 2002, by which time some 2,200 passengers per day were using the ferry, and continued to do so even after the subways and highways were reopened. As a result of the Maritime Transportation Security Act of 2002 , all vehicular traffic on
26896-482: Was to be a ferry from Staten Island to midtown Manhattan; this new ferry would travel at top speeds of 35 knots (65 km/h; 40 mph), as opposed to the existing Whitehall-to-St. George ferry's 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph). New York Fast Ferry was ultimately selected to run a ferry from St. George to East 34th Street in Midtown Manhattan; it opened in January 1997 and saw about 1,650 commuters
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