Staten Island

For other uses, see the borough in New York City.

Template:Infobox New York City Staten Island Staten Island (IPA: ˌstæt.ənˈaɪlənd) is one of the five boroughs of New York City. Situated on an island of the same name that is the most geographically separate of the city's boroughs, Staten Island is the least populated of the five boroughs.

The Borough of Staten Island is coterminous with Richmond County, the southernmost county in the state of New York. Until 1975 the borough was officially named the Borough of Richmond.

With a population of about 465,000, Staten Island is sometimes called "the forgotten borough," as it is less well-known than other boroughs, namely Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens and The Bronx. While Staten Island may not have the claim to fame of other boroughs, it should be noted that the Staten Island Ferry is a large tourist attraction and thus provides out-of-towners with some frame of reference for Staten Island. It is the smallest of the five boroughs in population, and third largest in area, being 59 sq. mi. (approx. 153 km²).

Staten Island is considered the most suburban of the five boroughs of New York City. The North Shore of the island (especially neighborhoods of St. George, Tompkinsville, and Stapleton) is likely considered the most urban, with the South Shore accomodating more suburban style residential neighborhoods. Historically, the central to southern sections of the island were once dominated by dairy and poultry farms, the last of which disappeared over a half-century ago. The borough's steady rise in population since the opening of the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge has added to a sharp increase in traffic, which many residents find troubling, as the City of New York has thus far neglected to implement proper infastructure in terms of public transportation. To date, Staten Island only has one MTA train line (running North-South on the Eastern shore), and MTA bus service.

Staten Island has also historically been known for the Fresh Kills Landfill, the city of New York's former repository of trash. The landfill's closure was imminent at the turn of the millennium, however Fresh Kills later became the home of the debris from Ground Zero on 9/11. The people of Staten Island continued to provide a service to the city by filtering through all the debris from Ground Zero, collecting numerous personal items (watches, wedding rings) of victims, as well as body parts themselves. The landfill was officially closed in 2001, and there is already a plan in place to revitalize the land for park use in the years ahead.

History

The bedrock of the island is a diabase formed during the volcanic eruptions that created much of the bedrock of northern New Jersey, including the New Jersey Palisades, approximately 200 million years ago. As an island, Staten Island was formed in the wake of the last ice age. In the late Pleistocene between 20,000 and 14,000 years ago, the ice sheet that covered northeastern North America reached to as far south as present day New York City, to a depth of approximately the same height as the Empire State Building. 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. The central moraine of the island is sometimes called the Serpentine ridge because it contains large amounts of that particular mineral.

Staten Island Nature

At the retreat of the ice sheet, Staten Island and Long Island were not yet separated by The Narrows, which had not yet formed. Geologists reckoning of the course of the Hudson River have placed it alternatively through the present course of the Raritan River, south of the island, as well through present-day Flushing Bay and Jamaica Bay.

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. The island was probably abandoned later, possibly because of the extinction of large mammals on the island. Evidence of the first permanent American Indians settlements and agriculture date from about 5,000 years ago (Jackson, 1995).

In the Sixteenth Century, the island was part of a larger area known as Lenapehoking that was inhabited by the Lenape, an Algonquian American Indians people also called the "Delaware". The band that occupied the southern part of the island was called the Raritans. To the Lenape, the island was called "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. The staples of their diet included shellfish, including the oysters that are native to both Upper New York Bay and Lower New York Bay.

Staten Island

The first recorded European contact with the island was in 1524 by Giovanni da Verrazzano, who sailed through The Narrows. In 1609, Henry Hudson established Dutch trade in the area and named the island Staaten Eylandt after the Staten-Generaal, the Dutch parliament.

Although the first Dutch settlement of the New Netherlands colony was made on Manhattan in 1620, Staaten Eylandt remained uncolonized by the Dutch for many decades. 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"), just south of the Narrows near South Beach, by a small group of Dutch Walloon and Huguenot families.

Richmond County

Historic Richmondtown, museum complex is located in the heart of Staten Island

At the end of the Second Anglo-Dutch War in 1667, the New Netherlands colony was ceded 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.

In 1670, the Native Americans ceded all claims to Staten Island to the English in a deed to Gov. Francis Lovelace. 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.

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 of land.

According to one version of an often-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. According to a story on The Associated Press (February 21, 2007), Mayor Michael Bloomberg perpetuated the myth by referring to it at a news conference in Brooklyn on February 20, 2007. The article quotes historians as pointing out that Staten Island has always been a part of New York since the Dutch ceeded it to the British.

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.

In 1687-1688, the English divided the island into four administrative divisions based on natural features, called the North, South, and West divisions, as well as the 5100 acre (21 km²) manorial estate of colonial governor Thomas Dongan in the central hills known as the "Lordship or Manner of Cassiltown." These divisions would later evolve into the four townships Northfield, Southfield, Westfield and Castleton.

Richmond town is nature-rich

Land patents in rectangular blocks of eighty acres (320,000 m²) were granted, with the most desirable lands being along the coastline and inland waterways. By 1708, the entire island had been divided up through this fashion into 166 small farms and two large manorial estates, the Dongan estate as well as 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.

The island played a significant role in the American Revolutionary War. In the summer of 1776, the British forces under William Howe evacuated Boston and prepared to attack New York City. 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 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. 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. 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.

On August 22, 1777, the Battle of Staten Island occured here between several companies of the 2nd Canadian Regiment recruited and fighting on the American side, other American companies, and the British. While the battle was inconclusive, both sides surrendering over hundred each 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. 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. The British again used the island as a staging ground for their final evacuation of New York City on December 5, 1783. After the war, the largest Loyalist landowners fled to Canada and their estates were subdivided and sold.

On July 4, 1827, the end of slavery in New York state was celebrated at Swan Hotel, West Brighton. 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. New Brighton became the summer home of President Lincoln.

Consolidation with New York City

The Verrazano Narrows Bridge connected the island to Brooklyn and accelerated a new era of development

All these towns and the villages within them were abolished in 1898 when the City of Greater New York was consolidated, with Richmond as one of its five boroughs.

Except for the areas along the harbor, however, the borough remained relatively underdeveloped until the building of the Verrazano Narrows Bridge in 1964, which is considered the watershed event in the history of the borough, since it opened up the island to explosive suburban development by giving it direct road access to Brooklyn. The Verrazano, along with the other three major Staten Island bridges, created a new way for commuters and travelers to reach Brooklyn, Manhattan, and areas further east on Long Island, by car from New Jersey, and the network of highways running between the bridges has effectively carved up many of the borough's old neighborhoods. This road expansion was planned initially by Robert Moses.

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. 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. The Staten Island Unit is comprised of Great Kills Park, Miller Field, Fort Wadsworth, as well as Hoffman Island and Swinburne Island.

Throughout the 1980s, a movement which had as its goal the secession of Staten Island from the city steadily grew in popularity, reaching its peak during the mayoral term of David Dinkins. The movement largely evaporated with Rudolph Giuliani's election as mayor in 1993, although some pro-secession sentiment remains.

In the 1980s, the United States Navy had a base on Staten Island, 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. Originally, this base was to be the homeport for the battleship USS Iowa (BB-61); however, an explosion in one of the ship's turrets led to the vessel's decommissioning. A number of other vessels, including the frigates USS Donald B. Beary FF 1085 and USS Ainsworth FF 1090 and at least one cruiser, the USS Normandy (CG-60) were based there. It was closed in 1994 through the Base Realignment and Closure process. The small size of the base and the expense of basing personnel there led to closure. The base was to be used as a movie studio headed by actor and New York native Danny Aiello, but money problems ended that plan. It was recently announced that the property will be converted into a mixed use waterfront neighborhood with an announced completion date of 2009.

For the last half of the 20th Century, Staten Island was arguably best known as 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 the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

Staten Island suffered a large proportion of the fatalities in the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, as nearly 300 of the fatalities were Staten Island residents, many of whom were firefighters or office workers in the World Trade Center. The Fresh Kills Landfill was chosen to hold the debris from the towers and served as a crime lab for police investigators searching for human remains.

See also: Transportation in New York City

Geography

Staten Island, shown in an enhanced satellite image.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough / county has a total area of 265.5 km² (102.5 mi²). 151.5 km² (58.5 mi²) of it is land and 114.0 km² (44.0 mi²) of it (42.95%) is water.

Staten Island is separated from Long Island by the Narrows and from mainland New Jersey by the Arthur Kill and the Kill Van Kull. It is connected to New Jersey via the Bayonne Bridge, the Outerbridge Crossing, the Goethals Bridge, and to Brooklyn by the Verrazano Narrows Bridge. The Staten Island Ferry connects the island to lower Manhattan. The Staten Island Railway traverses the island from its northeastern tip to its southwestern tip.

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

• The Isle of Meadow (at the mouth of Fresh Kills)
• Pralls 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.

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.

Adjacent Counties

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

See also: List of Staten Island neighborhoods

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 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. 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. 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.

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 re-elected in 2005, with the endorsement of the Republican Party. Molinaro is the only Republican-supported borough president in New York City.

A mainly Caucasian (largely Italian American), Roman Catholic borough that is suburban in character, 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 75.87% of the vote, over Democrat Mark Green, with 21.15% 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 national elections Staten Island is not the Republican stronghold it is in local elections; neither is it a Democratic stronghold, however, like the rest of New York City. 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) has its own criminal court system and District Attorney, the chief public prosecutor who is directly elected by popular vote. 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.

Flag of Staten Island

Flag of Staten Island

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%. 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.

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	7,587.9/mi²	26,403/mi²	402/mi²
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 2,929.6/km² (7,587.9/mi²). There were 163,993 housing units at an average density of 1,082.7/km² (2,804.3/mi²). 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.

Some main European ancestries of Staten Island, 2000:

• Italian: 37.7%
• Irish: 16.0%
• German: 6.3%
• English: 2.2%

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. The vast majority of the island's African American and Hispanic residents live north of the Staten Island Expressway, or Interstate 278. 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.

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 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, 13.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.0% were non-families. 23.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.4% 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. About 7.9% of families and 10.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.2% of those under age 18 and 9.9% of those age 65 or over.

Culture

Museums

Staten Island is home to a variety of cultural centers and historical sites: the Alice Austen House Museum, the Conference House, the Garibaldi-Meucci Museum, Historic Richmond Town, Jacques Marchais Museum of Tibetan Art, the Noble Maritime Collection, Sandy Ground Historical Museum, Snug Harbor Cultural Center, the Staten Island Children's Museum, and the Staten Island Museum. It has also been selected to become the future site of the National Lighthouse Museum. Additionally, the island is home to the Staten Island Zoo which recently opened a newly refurbished reptile exhibit.

See also: Culture of New York City

Media

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; Toxic Avenger; and Easy Money. 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 movie School of Rock starring Jack Black was filmed all over Staten Island, including Wagner College, St. George Theater, Cargo Cafe, etc.

The movie Joe the King was filmed in the area of New Dorp in Staten Island. It was filmed in several places including Miller Field and Staten Island Technical High School.

Sisters, the 1973 Brian de Palma thriller starring Margot Kidder and Jennifer Salt, takes place on Staten Island and was largely filmed there.

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.

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 picketted fenced house on Ward Hill is on Edgar Terrace. Also, the "You Get What You Give" video by the New Radicals was partially filmed at the Staten Island Mall.

Television series shot partially or wholly on Staten Island include The Education of Max Bickford and The Book of Daniel.

FOX and WB sitcom Grounded for Life is about a family living in Staten Island.

The characters of the NBC sitcom Will & Grace, have traveled to Staten Island in two episodes:

• In the second-season episode Terms Of Employment, Karen and Jack attempt to film an employee training video in a studio in Staten Island. Karen makes a reference to the Fresh Kills Landfill (closed since 2001), and the population of largely working-class families.
• In the eighth-season episode The Old Man And The Sea, Grace brings Karen and Malcolm with her on a blind date in Staten Island. Major thoroughfares such as Victory Boulevard and Richmond Avenue are mentioned.

Banishment to Staten Island was once a common threat in the New York City uniformed services, and is reflected in both film and television. In Arsenic and Old Lace an officer is threatened with walking a beat on Staten Island. On Law & Order, Detective Mike Logan (played by Chris Noth) is sent to Staten Island for punching a councilman. The title character in Barney Miller dreaded the thought of being transferred to Staten Island. On The Honeymooners Ralph resists being reassigned to a Staten Island bus route. And Denis Leary's character, Tommy Gavin, on Rescue Me also does time working in a firehouse on Staten Island. This theme was also used on other TV shows such as The Odd Couple, Car 54 Where Are You?, Welcome Back Kotter, Sex in the City, Seinfeld, All in the Family and even the Andy Griffith Show.

John Lennon's Live in New York album was a live recording of his "One to One" concert at Madison Square Garden on August 30, 1972. The concert was a fundraiser for the mentally-challenged children, inspired by the horrid conditions at Willowbrook State School. The album also features Staten Island guitar player Earl Slick. 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.

Notable Natives and Residents

• Christina Aguilera - Pop singer. Born on Staten Island, although she was raised in Pittsburgh, PA
• Jeff Ahearn - producer/director/writer for MTV Cribs
• Armand Assante - Actor, currently resides in Staten Island.
• Teddy Atlas - Boxing trainer
• Rich Aurilia - All Star Shortstop, San Francisco Giants grew up on Staten Island.
• Alice Austen - Photographer, lived all of her life on Staten Island. A Staten Island Ferry is named for her
• Joan Baez - folk singer
• Renaldo Balkman - New York Knicks 2006 First Round Draft Pick, Born on Staten Island
• Vito Bratta - guitarist for White Lion lives on Staten Island
• Cynthia von Buhler - Artist, children's book author. Currently resides in Staten Island.
• Marcia Clark - Famed Prosecutor, was involved in the famous O.J. Simpson trial, graduated from Susan E. Wagner High School
• Bobby Darin - singer, his family had a summer home as a child in South Beach, Staten Island.
• Evan Dorkin - Cartoonist and creator of Milk & Cheese is a long time resident of Staten Island
• Clem Caserta - actor and Eltingville, Staten Island resident. Jimmy Whispers in A Bronx Tale, also was in GoodFellas, The Untouchables.
• Paul Castellano- Gambino Crime Boss, lived in the Todt Hill, Staten Island section
• Joe Causi - Disc Jockey, raised in Brooklyn, currently lives on Staten Island
• Roy Clark - Country singer, Hee Haw star, and guitarist, actually grew up in Great Kills, Staten Island
• Eric Close - Actor who plays "Martin Fitzgerald" on the CBS drama Without a Trace
• Ichabod Crane, a Colonel in the US Army during the War of 1812 and the nominal inspiration for the fictional protagonist in Washington Irving's Legend of Sleepy Hollow, who is buried in Staten Island, New York
• John Dehner - Television and movie actor born on Staten Island. A notable and one of Hollywoods best character actors, Dehner played Doris Day's boss Sy Bennett on the Doris Day Show. He appeared in three classic Twilight Zone episodes and other movies and television shows. Western fans came to know Dehner as "Paladin" on radio's "Have Gun, Will Travel" in his radio days.
• Steven Duren - Better known as Blackie Lawless, lead singer of the 1980s heavy metal band W.A.S.P. Lawless, who is a friend of fellow Staten Islander David Johansen, replaced Johnny Thunders in the New York Dolls when he was 18.
• Eamon Doyle rapper, born and raised on Staten Island
• Jennifer Esposito - actress Spin City, Summer of Sam attended Moore Catholic High School
• Force MD's born and raised on Staten Island had a top ten song Tender Love in 1986, produced by longtime Janet Jackson producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis
• John Franco - Former New York Mets pitcher
• Giuseppe Garibaldi - 19th century Italian revolutionary and statesman, lived for a time on Staten Island, and worked as a candle-maker
• Ghostface Killah - rapper born on Staten Island.
• Buddy Giovinazzo - Actor/Director/Writer who directed the cult films Combat Shock and No Way Home
• Carmine Giovinazzo - Actor who plays Detective Danny Messer on the CBS drama CSI: NY. He is a cousin of director Buddy Giovinazzo.
• Sammy "The Bull" Gravano - mob turncoat lived on Staten Island
• David Guida - Television writer/producer, professional gamer
• Brian Guzman - actor born in West Brighton, St. Peters High School
• Patti Hansen - Famous model and wife to The Rolling Stones' Keith Richards
• George Harrison of the Beatles briefly lived in Staten Island near Staten Island University Hospital while being treated for cancer there.
• Allen Jenkins - famed Hollywood character actor, voice of cartoon Top Cat's Officer Dibble was born on Staten Island.
• David Johansen (aka Buster Poindexter) of the New York Dolls
• Hassan Johnson - Actor, featured in The Wire, Belly, etc.
• Lil' Suzy, freestyle singer
• Robert Loggia - Actor (Scarface, The Sopranos, Big, etc.)
• Vito LoGrasso - WWE wrestler hails from Staten Island
• Ki Longfellow, novelist, born on Staten Island.
• Madonna - lived in the Stapleton area briefly. Her video "Papa Don't Preach" was filmed there. Madonna chose the location herself. She said the neighborhood was perfect premise for the video story.
• Oleg Maskaev - Heavyweight Boxing Champion
• Method Man- Clifford Smith - Rapper/Wu-Tang Clan member (aka Method Man) was raised in Staten Island
• Antonio Meucci - disputed inventor of the telephone, immigrated to Staten Island, settling in the Clifton area in 1850, where he would live for the remainder of his life.
• Alyssa Milano - Actress. Although born in Brooklyn, she was raised on Staten Island.
• Sudsy Monchik- 5-Time Pro World Champion racquetball player.
• Paul Newman - lived on Staten Island in St. George, Staten Island
• Adewale Ogunleye- Chicago Bears Defensive End, formerly played for Indiana University and Tottenville High School
• Jonathan M. Parisen - Filmmaker, was born and raised on Staten Island
• Edward Platt - Actor who played "The Chief" on the 1960s TV show Get Smart
• A.J. Pero - drummer for Twisted Sister
• Joe Pistone - FBI agent aka Donnie Brasco lived in Staten Island for a brief period.
• Thommy Price - former Patty Smyth and Scandal and Billy Idol drummer
• Robin Quivers- radio personality from the Howard Stern show lives on Staten Island
• Larry Romano - actor The King of Queens, NYPD Blue
• Kevin Rooney former manager of Mike Tyson lived on Staten Island
• Gianni Russo - Actor was born and raised on Staten Island. Gianni played Carlo Rizzi in The Godfather
• Randy Savage - Former Professional wrestler known as "Macho Man" now resides in Staten Island
• Glenn Scarpelli - child actor from One Day at a Time born and raised in Staten Island
• Francesco Scavullo - photographer
• Steven R. Schirripa - Bobby Bacala from The Sopranos
• Rick Schroder - Actor who played "Ricky Stratton" on the 1980s NBC sitcom Silver Spoons and "Detective Danny Sorenson" on the ABC drama NYPD Blue, and has recently played "Mike Doyle" on "24". Currently appearing as "Dr. Dylan West" on the Lifetime drama Strong Medicine
• Steven Seagal - Actor, lived on Staten Island
• Raymond Serra - Actor, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movies, Gotti
• Martin Sheen - lived on Staten Island in St. George
• Earl Slick - famous guitarist
• Peter Steele - Lead singer and bassist for the gothic-doom band Type O Negative
• Theodore Sturgeon - Science fiction author
• Kasim Sulton - musician
• Henry David Thoreau spent his longest time away from Concord, Massachusetts on Staten Island in the 1840s. He penned several letters to Ralph Waldo Emerson while on the island, and Emerson himself spent a significant amount of time on the island as well
• Daniel D. Tompkins, was the sixth Vice President of the United States, an entrepreneur, jurist, Congressman, Governor of New York, and established Tompkinsville in Staten Island and the Staten Island Ferry.
• Cornelius Vanderbilt - 19th century shipping and railroad magnate and patriarch of the Vanderbilt family, was born, and lived most of his life on, Staten Island. He is buried in the family vault in the Moravian Cemetery at New Dorp on Staten Island.
• Lenny Venito - actor from The Sopranos, Gigli, War of the Worlds
• John Wolyniec - forward for MLS side Red Bull New York
• Wu Tang Clan - Hip-hop group; 4 of the 9 are from Staten Island. Credited with giving Staten Island the nickname 'Shaolin'
• Paul Zindel - Novelist and playwright

Sports

• Staten Island Yankees, New York-Penn League baseball, Class A Minor League affiliate to the New York Yankees
• 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. Erastus Wiman, the developer of St. George, brought the team to Staten Island where they played in a stadium near the site of the current-day Staten Island Yankees stadium and the Staten Island Ferry terminal.
• Wagner College participates in Division I athletics.
• Former NBA Basketball coach P.J. Carlesimo coached the Wagner College Basketball team the "Seahawks".
• Terry Crowley baseball player, member of the 1970 World Champs Baltimore Orioles
• Matt Galante - former baseball coach for New York Mets and Houston Astros lives in Annadale, Staten Island
• Staten Island formerly had a professional football team which was a member of the NFL called the Staten Island Stapes. They were based in Stapleton. 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. They faced many other teams that still exist today. Football Hall of Famer Ken Strong played for the Stapes.
• New York Predators Semi Pro football team calls Staten Island it's home since it's inception in 1998 owned by Bill Simo [1] plays most homes games in Alumni Stadium on the grounds of Monsignor Farrell H.S.
• George Bamberger, a baseball player and manager. He spent most of his playing career pitching in the Minor Leagues. He spent only three seasons in the Major Leagues with the New York Giants (1951-1952), and with the 1959 Baltimore Orioles. He had a record of 458–478 as manager of the Milwaukee Brewers (1978-1980, 1985-1986) and the New York Mets (1982-1983). Bamberger as a pitching coach for the Baltimore Orioles would teach his famed pitch "The Staten Island Sinker".
• Bill Britton - Pro golfer was born and raised on Staten Island. Graduate of Monsignor Farrell High School.
• Johnny "The Heat" Verderosa - former pro boxer
• Silvia Fontana, Italian figure skater in the 2002 and 2006 Winter Olympic Games, was born in Staten Island on December 3, 1976.
• Gary Stark Jr. - Pro Boxer
• Rich Kotite - former Philadelphia Eagles and New York Jets head coach, and New York Giants player lives in West Brighton, Staten Island.
• Hank Majeski - MLB infielder. Born and raised in Staten Island
• Pete Mikklesen - New York Yankee and Los Angeles Dodgers relief specialist.
• There was a controversial plan by the International Speedway Corporation to build a speedway on the island that would host NASCAR races by 2010. ISC abandoned the plan in 2006, citing financial concerns.
• Jason Marquis, starting pitcher for the Chicago Cubs, went to Tottenville High School in Staten Island.
• Nick Fotiu was the first player ever from Staten Island to play hockey for the hometown New York Rangers.
• Pro Bowlers Johnny Petraglia and Mark Roth both resided in Staten Island.
• In 1964 Staten Island's Mid Island Little League won the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania
• Mookie Wilson - New York Mets outfielder lived on Staten Island
• Joe Andruzzi - Cleveland Browns Offensive Lineman. Has 3 Super Bowl rings with the New England Patriots.
• Mike Siani - standout wide receiver for Villanova and number 1 draft choice for the Oakland Raiders was born and raised on Staten Island.
• The Mid-Island Little League from Staten Island advanced to the 2006 Little League World Series.
• Dino Mangiero - Defensive Tackle for the Kansas City Chiefs in the 80's.
• Dennis McKnight - Graduated from Susan Wagner H.S. played 9 seasons in the NFL mostly with the San Diego Chargers in the 80's. Now serves as the Specials teams aOffensive line coach at the University of Hawaii
• William Shakespeare (football) - Halfback at Notre Dame and member of College Football Hall of Fame
• Adewale Ogunleye - #93 for the Chicago Bears, went to Tottenville High School
• Frank Ferrara - New Dorp H.S., Played for the New York Giants for four seasons and Philadelphia Eagles. Now Plays for the Arena team New York Dragons after a stint in the CFL
• James Jenkins - Curtis H.S., Rutgers, and TE for the Washington Redskins for 10 seasons*Frank Menichino - Susan Wagner H.S., Alabama , 10 seasons MLB most notably for the Oakland Athletics
• Sean Madigan - Founder and creator of BIG JKD. Certified in Jeet Kune Do by Bruce Lee student Steve Golden.
• Billy Donovan - coach of the Florida Gators played AAU basketball on Staten island. The team was the Staten Island Stallions,

See also: Sports in New York City

Education

Education in Staten Island is provided by a number of public and private institutions. 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 College of Staten Island is one of four "hybrid colleges" of the City University of New York (CUNY). The college offers both associate's and bachelor's degrees, hence it is a "hybrid" of a traditional four-year college and a two-year community college. The College of Staten Island is one of two such CUNY colleges which also offers graduate-level study.

Wagner College is a coeducational private liberal arts college with an enrollment of 1,900 undergraduates and 400 graduate students. The college is affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Known for the Wagner Plan for the Practical Liberal Arts, which emphasizes academic course work coupled with real world experience, the college was awarded the TIAA-CREF Theodore M. Hesburgh Award in 2005 for its first year program. Wagner was recently declared by the Princeton Review as having the best college theater in the nation. Many successful performers are alumni of Wagner's department of Theatre and Dance including Randy Graff and Kathy Brier.

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 Library offers free computer instruction and English classes for speakers of other languages.

See also: Education in New York City

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

• Staten Island - Office of the Borough President
• Timeline of Staten Island History on the New York Public Library site
• Staten Island Live Everything Staten Island, from News to Entertainment to Dining and More
• 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