1524 – Giovanni da Verrazzano anchored in New York Bay – April.
1609 – Henry Hudson anchored in the lower bay – September 3rd.
1636 – David deVries obtains possession of Staten Island from Governor van Twiller – August 13th.
1639 – Colonists arrive from Holland – in January.
1640 – Governor Kief sends troops to attack Indians – July 16th.
1641 – Indians retaliate by destroying de Vries’ plantation (Pig War) – September 1st.
1643 – Indians attack settlers (Whiskey War).
1655 – Indians destroy settlement (Peach War) – September 16th.
1661 – Permanent Dutch settlement of Oude Dorp established.
1663 – Fort Wadsworth was established as a Dutch fort.
1664 – English fleet anchors in Gravesend Bay and capture a block house on Staten Island. Dutch surrender to English – August 18th.
1670 – Governor Lovelace purchases Staten Island from the Indians – April 13th.
1683 – Staten Island becomes Richmond County – November 1st.Thomas Dongan was appointed Governor.
1696 – The oldest schoolhouse still standing in the United States was built.
1698 – Population, 1,063.
1729 – The county seat was established in Richmond Town. The court was held in the new county courthouse, southeast of Richmond and Arthur Kill Roads.
1740 – Ferry from Staten Island’s east shore to Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, established by Thomas Stillwell.
1747 – Ferry from Staten Island’s north shore to New York established.
1776 – British seamen fired upon by General Sterling at Watering Place (Tompkinsville) – April 15th.
British land 29,000 troops on Staten Island – July 2-3 and 12th. Conference in the Billopp House between Admiral Lord Howe, Benjamin Franklin, Edward Rutledge, and John Adams – September 11th. Colonial troops engage British troops near St. Andrew’s Church – October 24th.
1777 – Captain Andre composed his will at Richmondtown – on June 7th. General Sullivan attacked the British with 1,500 troops – on August 22nd.
1780 – General Stirling attacks the British with 2,500 troops – January 15th.
1783 – British evacuate Staten Island. The final shot of the Revolutionary War was fired on Fort Wadsworth by a departing British warship – on November 25th.
1788 – New York State Legislature establishes Staten Island’s original four towns: Castleton, Northfield, Southfield, and Westfield.
1799 – The State establishes a quarantine station in Castleton (Tompkinsville) on February 25th.
1800 – Population, 4564.
1807 – Daniel D. Tompkins was elected Governor of New York.
1817 – Daniel D. Tompkins elected Vice-President of the United States.
1824 – General Lafayette visited Daniel D. Tompkins at his home – on August 15th.
1825 – Daniel D. Tompkins dies in Tompkinsville – on June 11th.
1827 – End of slavery in New York State celebrated – July 4th.
1829 – The Farm Colony was established – on October 23rd.
1830 – Sandy Ground was founded.
1831 – Sailors’ Snug Harbor cornerstone laid. Seamen’s Retreat, the old Marine Hospital, opens – on October 1st.
1836 – Aaron Burr dies in Port Richmond – on September 14th.
1838 – First bank established.
1847 – Captain Jacob Vanderbilt purchased an estate on Grymes’ Hill.
1850 – Sir Edward Cunard built “Bellevue” on Grymes’ Hill.
Population, 15,961. Sandy Ground’s AME Church incorporated.
1851 – Garibaldi and Meucci opened a brewery in Rosebank, later Bachmann’s Brewery. Staten Island’s first hospital to admit the general public when the Dr. Samuel Russell Smith Infirmary begins on January 8th. In 1917, the hospital was renamed Staten Island Hospital and eventually became Staten Island University Hospital.
1853 – Bechtel’s Brewery was founded.
1856 – First meeting of The Staten Island Historical Society – January 21st.
1857 – Wolfe farm was purchased for a quarantine station.
1858 – Quarantine buildings burned by citizens – September 1- 2nd.
1860 – Staten Island’s first railroad begins operating – on April 23rd. The first magnetic telegraph line reached Staten Island – in June.
1863 – Draft riots spread to Staten Island – July 14th.
1872 – Staten Island Cricket Club founded – March 22nd.
1873 – The first linoleum plant in the United States began production.
1874 – Lawn tennis was played for the first time in North America – on March 20th.
1877 – Commodore Cornelius Vanderbilt died – on January 4th. Richmond County Hunt Club was formed as the forerunner of the Richmond County Country Club. Also, Staten Island Athletic Club was formed.
1878 – P.S. 1, the oldest continuously used public school on Staten Island, was built.
1881 – Staten Island Institute of Arts and Sciences was organized (originally as the Natural Science Association) – September.
1882 – Electricity was used for the first time on Staten Island to illuminate the American Linoleum Manufacturing plant in Travis.
1883 – Metropolitan Baseball Club (Mets) was formed.
1884 – Staten Island Academy opened – on September 15th.
1885 – Mount Loretto established.
1886 – Consolidation of ferry and rail service at St. George in a terminal built by Erastus Wiman.
Ferry from St. George to New York began – on February 23rd. Rail service to St. George began operation – on March 8th. Staten Island Advance began publishing – on March 27th. Buffalo Bill’s Wild West opened at Erastina. The Metropolitans Baseball Club plays its first game in St. George
1888 – Prohibition Park opened. Richmond County Country Club is organized – in April.
1890 – Trolley from Port Richmond to Meier’s Corners established – July 4th.
1895 – The Staten Island Chamber of Commerce was organized.
1896 – Bill creating Greater New York, including Staten Island, became law – May 11th. A new house in Westerleigh costs $200.00
1898 – Staten Island joins the other boroughs in forming the Greater City of New York – January 21st.
George Cromwell became Staten Island’s first Borough President after the election was settled in court – on January 1st.
1899 – Pants were made to order for $4.00
1900 – Population, 67,021. The first golf course opens at Fox Hills.
1902 – The Actors’ Home was founded on Clove Road.
1905 – New York City takes over the operation of the Staten Island Ferry – October 25th. New York City takes over fire fighting responsibilities – October 1st.
1903 – One pound of coffee sold for 12 1/2 cents.
1907 – Procter & Gamble opens its factory in Port Ivory – in October.
1910 – The first airfield began operation (Baldwin’s Flying Field). Population, 85,969
1911 – Mount Manresa, the first non-specialists’ retreat house in the United States, was opened.
1913 – Sea View Hospital opened – on November 12th.
1916 – Oystering in Staten Island waters shut down by the Health Department.
1917 – Staten Island began using water from the Catskills on October 25th.
1918 – Wagner College moved from Rochester to Cunard Estate on Staten Island, becoming the island’s first institution of higher learning.
1920 – Richmond Memorial Hospital opened its doors in two wood-frame houses. Population, 116,531
1926 – U.S. Gypsum Company began production on Richmond Terrace on the former J.B. King Plaster Mills site. The first commercial airport in Greater New York started operation (Donovan-Huges Airport in the New Springville-Greenridge area).
1928 – The Goethals Bridge and Outerbridge Crossing opened – on June 20th.
William J. Twyford and William Muche formed the first organized baseball league.
1929 – The Staten Island Stapes join the NFL
1930 – Population, 158,346
1931 – The Bayonne Bridge opened – on November 14th. One pound of coffee sold for 25 cents. Catsup sold for 15 cents a bottle.
1934 – The last trolley ran from Clove Road to St. George – on January 26th.
1936 – Staten Island Zoo opened – on June 10th.
1937 – The first free trade port in the United States opened in Stapleton. Staten Island Coach Company replaces trolleys with buses.
1940 – Population, 174,441
1941 – Halloran Hospital was established on the current site of the College of Staten Island.
1946 – Fresh Kills garbage dump opened.
1947 – First secession bill introduced in the State Legislature. Tibetan Arts Center opened under a state museum charter. New York City takes over bus services.
1948 – New York City’s first drive-in-theater (Fabian’s) opens in New Springville – on April 22nd.
1949 – Population, 196,000.
1950 – Population, 191,555
1952 – Richmondtown Restoration was established.
1956 – Staten Island Community College opened – March.
1960 – Population, 221,991
1961 – Broadway tickets cost $18.80
1963 – The last Staten Island brewery, owned by Piel’s, closed.
1964 – Staten Island’s last airport ceased operation. Verrazano-Narrows Bridge opened – on November 21st. Mid-Island Little League won the Little League World Series – on August 29th.
1969 – The Arthur Kill Rehabilitation Center opened.
1970 – Population, 295,443
1971 – St. John’s University begins on the former site of Notre Dame College on Grymes’ Hill.
1973 – The Staten Island Mall opens – on August 9th.
1980 – Population, 352,029
1981 – Broadway tickets cost $70.00
1989 – The U.S. Supreme Court upholds eliminating the New York City Board of Estimate. State Legislature passed a bill authorizing a study and initiating the process of secession.
1990 – Population, 378,977.
1993 – In a non-binding referendum, voters on Staten Island approve secession from New York City by a 2-1 margin.
1999 – Professional baseball returns when the Staten Island Yankees play their first home game at the College of Staten Island – in June.
2000 – Population, 443,728