Staten Island is a bedroom community within one of the largest cities in the world. It is the least populated borough and is often considered a stepchild of its larger siblings. As a result, Staten Island’s history has been largely overlooked; nevertheless, it has played proximately in both the affairs of New York City and our country. The island is shaped like a triangle and is 13.9 miles long and 7.3 miles wide, 60.9 square miles, and the third largest borough. Physically, Staten Island is closer to New Jersey than New York, separated by the narrow Arthur Kill (The word kill is Dutch for river or channel). Three bridges connect Staten Island to New Jersey, and only one connects the Island to New York. While most of Staten Island is flat, seven hills run from St. George to Latourette. Todt Hill is the highest point on the Atlantic coast south of Maine (410 feet above sea level).
Staten Island’s First Residence
First sighted by Giovanni da Verrazano in 1524, the island remained populated mainly by the Raritans and Unamis Indians until about 1630, when the Dutch attempted to establish settlements there. Called Staaten Eylandt by the Dutch, they failed to maintain settlements as the Indians, feeling threatened by the settlers, drove each attempt from the island. Many of these wars were instigated by the Dutch; in all, blood was spilled on both sides in three wars, the Pig War (1641), the Whisky War (1642), and the Peach War (1655). The disputes were finally settled, and in 1661, the Dutch established a lasting colony called Oude Dorp, or Old Town, near South Beach. In 1664, when the English seized the city for the King of England, they renamed the island in honor of the Duke of Richmond, son of King Charles II. At the close of the 17th century, Staten Island’s population was only 1,063.
New Jersey claimed control of Staten Island based on the original land grant, which extended to the middle of the Narrows and therefore owned Staten Island. New York claimed jurisdiction over the waters as far as the low water mark on the Jersey shore sitting long ownership. The dispute continued for nearly 200 years until 1833 when both states mutually agreed on their borders. New York obtained the right to Staten Island, the Lower New York Bay, down to Sandy Hook, while New Jersey obtained the rights over the water on the west side of the island as far as Woodbridge Creek (near Rossville).
The English Turned Things Around
Under the English, Richmond began to flourish, and by 1700, the population had grown to a thousand, mainly English, French, and Dutch. However, Richmond remained a rural community during its early days, supporting many farms, mills, and a growing fisherman’s industry, mostly shellfishing.
The island played a prominent role during the Revolutionary War. Before the British arrived in New York, George Washington spent two days surveying Staten Island. It established a lookout at the Narrows (now Fort Wadsworth) to give him advanced warning of the British arrival. General Howe arrived in New York City in the summer of 1776 after evacuating Boston, intending to land his army at Gravesend Bay. When he discovered George Washington was “dug in” where he intended to land, he decided to wait for reinforcements. On July 2, 1776, he began landing his troops at the Watering Place (Tompkinsville) on Staten Island to prepare for the coming battle.
Troops Arrive on Staten Island
Eventually, as many as 30,000 troops occupied Staten Island, waiting for the Battle of Long Island. On July 12, his brother Admiral Lord Howe arrived with his fleet, followed on August 14 by Generals Henry Clinton and Lord Cornwallis. Finally, on August 27, Sir Howe attacked George Washington’s army on Long Island (Brooklyn). Later that year, Admiral Lord Howe sought to end the war by driving a wedge between the provisional government and George Washington. He met secretly with John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, and Edward Rutledge, but Americans refused to give up George Washington, and the meeting failed to bring an early end to the war. The meeting took place on September 11, 1776, at the home of a British loyalist, Christopher Billopp. Since that meeting, the house has been called the Conference House and is open to the public. The final shot of the American Revolution was fired on Fort Wadsworth by a departing British warship on November 25, 1783. After the war, many of the island’s wealthiest and most influential citizens, who had remained loyal to the Crown, fled to Canada. Their estates were confiscated by New York State, subdivided, and sold.
Staten Island Is Divided
On March 7, 1788, the New York State Legislature divided the island into four towns: Castleton, Northfield, Southfield, and Westfield; a fifth (Middletown) was added in 1860. Each city had it is own elected and appointed officials. An agriculture and fishing community, the island’s population grew slowly, and with little funds to invest in capital improvements, its roads and sewage system were the worst among surrounding counties that now make up the City of New York; more schools were needed as well as better police and fire protection. Many residents believed that an idea proposed by Andrew Greene in 1868 for a unified city would be the answer. As conditions grew worse, support for “consolidation” grew more robust. However, not every Islander supported the idea. Many believed consolidation would bring New York City’s blight to Staten Island and opposed consolidation. A dissident group even went so far as to propose the idea of forming a separate city independent of New York City.
The 1894 Referendum
Nevertheless, a non-binding referendum in 1894 was overwhelmingly supported by Islanders 5 – 1 (5,531 to 1,505). Support among the other potential boroughs, however, was not as strong. Brooklyn, for instance, approved the measure 64,744 to 64,467, a winning margin of only 277. As a result, the Legislature finally approved consolidation in 1897 over the strong objections of New York’s (Manhattan) mayor.
Since consolidation, roads and sewer systems have improved, but the island remains far behind the other boroughs. Coalition turned out to be something less than the miracle it was expected to be. Many parts of the borough still have septic systems, and most of the roads were built by developers with only a few inches of asphalt over dirt, and a rail link to Brooklyn or Manhattan was never constructed. It was not until the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge was opened in 1964 that the island was directly linked to the other boroughs.
Staten Island Turned Into A Garbage Dump
Islander feelings were galvanized when the city planned to open a garbage dump at Fresh Kills in 1948. Assemblyman Edmund Radigan introduced a secession bill in the Legislature in 1947. While the mess was the impetus for the legislation, other grievances were driving the movement. Even as early as 1799, Staten Island could not control its fate. New York State had taken some 30 acres of land by eminent domain to build the Quarantine Station. After decades of protest, Islanders finally took matters into their own hands by burning them down. Assemblyman Radigan expressed Islander feelings that home rule would protect the island from the city administration and other interests from interfering with “our progress” and regain local control of their future. The measure was defeated, and it was not until the 1980s that another issue would give momentum to a renewed effort to secede from New York City.
Each of the five borough presidents had one vote, regardless of the population on the Board of Estimate. Although this scheme had existed for many years, it was challenged for violating the one person, one vote principle of the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. The U.S. Supreme Court agreed, and as a result, the city Charter was revised, eliminating the Board of Estimate in 1989, leaving the entire representation of the island in the hands of 3 members of a 51-member City Council. This “loss” in the picture convinced some that the only way they could have control over their future was to secede. On the final day of the 1989 session, the State Legislature passed a measure signed by then-Governor Mario Cuomo authorizing a study and initiating the secession process. In November 1990, the voters of Staten Island overwhelmingly (83%) approved a study of secession and the legal procedures for separation. In 1991, Governor Mario M. Cuomo swore in the 13-member New York State Charter Commission for Staten Island.
Conclusion
If approved by the State Legislature, it would be the most significant municipal separation in the United States since the Civil War. The City of Staten Island would be the second largest city in New York State and the 36th largest city in the country. With approximately 400,000 people, it would be more significant than Miami, Pittsburgh, and Buffalo. In 1993, a proposed charter for the City of Staten Island was presented to the voters. In November 1993, a non-binding referendum to secede from New York City was approved by the voters of Staten Island by a margin of 2-1 (65%). Subsequently, the state Senate passed a bill authorizing secession. However, Assembly Speaker, Sheldon Silver, has not allowed a similar measure to be voted on in the Assembly without a “home rule message” (permission) from New York City, which has not been forthcoming.