Staten Island has numerous hidden gems. We spotlight locations or upcoming events that families may be interested in checking out or attending.

Wolfes Pond Park is one of Staten Island's largest natural and manmade park that includes a beach, preservation and recreation area located in Tottenville. The park is named after one of the first Staten Island families, the Wolfes.

In 1857 the New York State purchased Wolfe as a quarantine station for immigrants. However, fisherman and oysterman suspected the waters were contaminated and decided to burn down all stations in protest.

Wolfes Pond became a popular recreational site in the late 1920s when the City bought the land. A new dam was built to "protect the freshwater pond from the infusion of salt water from the bay." However the dam broke twice in the past twenty years and the saltwater had killed some of the freshwater fish (nycogovparks).

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White Playground in Short Acres was named honoring Staten Island WWI vet John Edward White.

Born in Fort Wadsworth, Staten Island, White served as a trainman for the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad in St. George, Staten Island. Never marrying, White enlisted in the United States Army to fight in WWI, and became a member of the Allied Expeditionary Force. He gave his life assisting in the defeat of Germany.

White Playground is located in the Staten Island neighborhood of Fort Wadsworth, which takes its name from the nearby military installation overlooking the Narrows. At 300 years of age, Fort Wadsworth is the oldest continually manned United States military reservation, and, along with Fort Hamilton on the opposite side, monitors movement in the New…

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John Vanderbilt first purchased Westerleigh Park, and the neighborhood of Westerleigh, in 1848. In 1887, Vanderbilt sold the 25-acres of Westerleigh to Christopher S. Williams and William H. Boole; Williams and Boole bought the property in hopes of a summer retreat courtesy of National Prohibition Campground. Originally named as the National Prohibition Park, the neighborhood changed their name to correspond with the Westerleigh Collegiate Institute of Staten Island. This was the first institute that provided a kindergarden-college education. 

Facilities/Attractions  
Bandstand 'Comfort Station'
Benching Flagpole 

Westerleigh became popular around the time of the temperance movement; which is why the park was an…

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Islanders surrounded by tourists seem to be the biggest fear since the unveiling of St. George’s new plans. What is it about tourists that put such a taste of disdain in our mouths? I bet the memory of walking with a huff under your breath behind a tourist with a camera popped into your mind. There are some contributions for Staten Island from these picture happy tourists:

Expansion

The hope of having 4 million visitors per year to St. George provides an idea of a vast increase in value for the area. Tourists and even locals visiting the newly revitalization area, which includes The Wheel and Empire Outlets, will generate $480 million private investment, and create over 1,200 construction jobs and 1,250 permanent jobs. Plans also include a…

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