Staten Island New York

Staten Island joined New York City as borough in 1898. It is an island southwest of Brooklyn and Manhattan, just west of Long Island. It is the least populated and most remote of the boroughs with a population of 460,000 that is ethnically the most homogeneous. The Staten Island Ferry connects the island to lower Manhattan.7000 people use the ferry every day to cross from St George on Staten Island to Whitehall Street in Manhattan. The 5 mile, 25 minute free ride for passengers also provides a majestic view of New York Harbor and a perfect view of The Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. The ferry service was transferred to the city Department of Docks and Ferries in 1905 when five new ferries, named for each of the five boroughs, were commissioned. Recently new ferries, designed to look like the original ones have been commissioned and can carry 4440 passengers and 30 vehicles each.

Staten Island remained relatively underdeveloped until the building of the Verrazano Narrows Bridge in 1964 connecting it to Brooklyn. Since then, the island opened up to explosive suburban development. The largely Roman Catholic and middleclass population enjoy the luxury of living in New York City with a much more suburban pace and quality of life. Staten Island was the site of the Fresh Kills Landfill, the primary destination for garbage from the five boroughs of New York City and the largest single source of methane pollution in the world.

The landfill was closed in early 2001 but was temporarily reopened later that year to receive the ruins of the World Trade Center after nine-eleven. The district schools and the CUNY College of Staten Island look after the educational needs of the locals.

There are a number of public parks and reserves in the Island. Great Kills Park is a great all around park for almost any activity including swimming at the beach, or fishing off the shore. During the summer, exploration of beach trails, dunes, and surrounding grasslands are organized. During the spring and fall, there are fieldtrips and scheduled geology walks, stargazing, bird watching, and monarch butterfly walks. South Beach is a huge sunbathing beach with a scenic view of the Atlantic Ocean and the Lower New York Bay.

Staten Island ferry approaching Manhattan

Visitors enjoy strolling and bicycling on the two and one-half miles long F.D.R. Boardwalk along South Beach. From October to May, fishing is also permitted. Silver lake Park is a 107 acre recreational area where the public may enjoy an 18 hole golf course and tennis courts. There are two other golf courses on Staten Island.

William T. Davis Wildlife Refuge is ideal for all nature lovers in New York City. This refuge is located within the Greenbelt of Staten Island, a vast 2500 acre parkland that includes two adventurous hiking trails called the Blue Trail and the White Trail. Staten Island zoo is regarded as the place to learn to love living things.