A detailed timeline following the history of Staten Island from the first inhabitants to modern day society.

Placed in the heart of St. George, at 35 Hyatt Street, St. George Theater was the most magnificent theater on Staten island when it first opened in December of 1929. It was originally used for movie showings and has since escalated to other musical productions.

The Brains Behind the Vision

Solomn Brill, the mastermind behind the St. George Theater, wanted to create a picturesque show house to challenge the competition in Manhattan. In August of 1928 Brill began work on the 2,800 seat theater which later opened in December of 1929. Solomn, of the Isle Technical Company also owned a variety of other theaters on Staten Island and at one time owned a nickelodeon, or movie theater, with William Fox of 20th Century Fox Fame. His mission for this new…

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George Cromwell Center located in Tompkinsville, Staten Island North Shore. 

Staten Island is currently hosting a state of the art indoor track and field facility named Ocean Breeze Athletic Complex in South Beach. The original recreational center back in the day was the George Cromwell Center in Tompkinsville, Staten Island North Shore. Named after Staten Island's first Borough President who served from 1898 until 1913. He later was the primary developer of the Staten Island Dongan Hills community.

Pier 6 (which later supported the Center) was built in 1923; eleven years passed, and the federal Works Progress Administration converted the pier into the multi-use recreation center for one million dollars.

Opened in 1936, the George Cromwell…

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The Staten Island Ferry transports about 75,000 people between Staten Island and Manhattan every day. The 8 ferry boats are known by their distinct orange color. The ferry ride offers passengers an excellent view of the Statue of Liberty, and of downtown Manhattan; very attractive to tourists and residents of the city alike.

History of Staten Island Ferry

In the 1700s, several wealthy residents of New York City used their private boats to move around the New York harbor. These boats had 2 masts and a shallow bottom. In the early 19th century, Captain John De Forest commanded the first motorized ferry between the two boroughs. In the mid-1900s, several newer boats were added to the Staten Island Ferry fleet. In July of 1871, one of the ships was…

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The island's first public high school, Curtis, was founded in February of 1904, as part of the city-wide plan to institute a public high school in each outlying borough. The school was named after well-known writer George William Curtis, who had moved to the neighborhood right before the start of the Civil War.

Architecture

Curtis High School, located in New Brighton, is an architectural feat! The century-old building with its massive square tower, made entirely of brick and limestone, resembles the Neo-Gothic style of architecture, present in Medieval Europe. The building was designated as one of the landmarks of New York City in 1982.

Education

Curtis has 10 specialized programs. It offers a wide array of both humanitarian and technical…

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Staten Island, Richmond Town is America’s town.  It is Staten Island’s preserved farm museum complex and town dating back to the 1600’s.  Today, we were there to enjoy all that Staten Island has to offer with its numerous restaurants, breweries and bakeries: Afternoones Restaurant and Bar, Alfonso's Pastry Shoppe, Bin 5, Brooklyn Brewery, Cabot Creamery, Café Gourmand, Christine's Restaurant, Cucina Teresa, Da Noi, Edible Arrangements, French Tart, Heidi's Homemade, Ho'Brah Tacos, In the Middle, Jade Asian Bistro, Killmeyer's Old Bavaria Inn, Lee Sims Chocolates, Liberty Tavern, Lucy's Cuban Restaurant, Maizal Restaurant, Melone Brothers Bakery, Michael's Meatballs and Martinis, Miller's Ale House, NATURZBEEZ, Novelli's Pork Store, Oishi Asian Fusion…

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Fleet Week New York  is, now in its 27th year.  Fleet Week is the city’s time-honored celebration of the U.S. Navy , U.S. Marine Corps, and U.S. Coast Guard.  This celebration gives the citizens of New York an opportunity to meet Sailors, Marines and Coast Guardsmen, as well as witness firsthand the latest capabilities of today’s maritime services. The weeklong celebration has been held nearly every year since 1984.  The featured ships are located at 455 Front Street in Stapleton and there are free tours starting today. There will also be live music starting Saturday by Atomic Krush, Steppin' Back and Cherry Bomb.  Sundays music venue will be Cory Singer, Nikki Briar and Jordan Green.  Monday features The Neal Alpert Band, Prodigal Child and finishing the…

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50 years ago today, the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge became the first pathway from Staten Island to Brooklyn and visa versa.

"When the Verrazano opened to traffic on November 21, 1964, it was the longest cable suspension bridge in the world, edging out its West Coast rival, the Golden Gate Bridge, by a mere 60 feet. Today it remains the longest in the United States, spanning 9,865 feet. The Verrazano remains the major commuting artery connecting Staten Island to the rest of New York City, carrying nearly 200,000 drivers each day." (x)

Embrace the Culture

Historic Richmond Town will be hosting the exhibit, "Spanning the Narrows for Five Decade." The exhibit has been open since mid-August at the Staten Island Historical Society and will continue to run…

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St. Vincent Catholic Medical Centers, West Brighton

Saint Vincent Catholic Medical Centers was founded and directed by the Sisters of Charity of New York from 1903 to 1999. The hospital built its foundation from St. Vincent's Hospital Manhattan; it operated as a 74-bed facility, as well as a soup kitchen. A New York Times article, that was published when St. Vincent's Hospital Manhattan first opened, said what distinguishes the hospital from others in the city is its care for those who were unable to meet fees.

The hospital in West Brighton originally opened to tend to tuberculosis patients and later became a Level 1 Trauma Center. St. Vincent's Hospital was renowned for its care of women and children, delivering over 3,000 babies each year. (x)

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In late March of 1886, the Richmond County Advance was first published.

Almost 30 years later,  John J. Crawford, a printer, and James C. Kennedy, a businessman, put their minds together and created the four-page weekly paper. This became the forerunner to the Staten Island Advance. There were nine newspapers on the Island at the time, but the Advance surpassed all others. The paper wanted to provide "a live, independent, local newspapers, devoted to the interests of Staten Island."

Its name changed to Daily Advance before it became known as the Staten Island Advance.

National Prohibition Park. Courtesy of Library of Congress

July 1888, Prohibition Park in Westerleigh became a model community for temperance supporters.

In…

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It is not a foreign fact that Staten Island has numerous homes that have historic background. These homes may also seem like a good opportunity for a fixer-upper. Before you do, you need to learn the three R’s of fixing up historic homes and their differences.

The three R’s are restoration, renovation and repair.  Some of the differences are minor, but they can make all the difference in cost, time and problems.

Restoration

“Restoration” literally means returning something to its original state. 

Restoring historic homes on Staten Island that are for sale may involve city and state programs.  It’s essential that you check to see if the home is listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) or if it’s located in a historic district. …

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