All about the Staten Island neighborhood Travis
Staten Island is broken down into 14 different zip codes from 10301 to 10314 and into 67 different neighborhoods. Throughout this series of blogs, we will be discussing each and every neighborhood on Staten Island as well as breaking down the history, what stands there today and transportation and what community district it falls into. Staten Island is broken up into three different community districts which are: North Shore, Mid-Island, and South Shore.
Today we will be breaking down all the history about the Staten Island neighborhood, Travis. Its borders are as follows: the William T. Davis Wildlife Refuge to the east, the Fresh Kills to the south, the Arthur Kill to the west, and Meredith Avenue and Victory Boulevard to the north.
Travis is one of Staten Island's oldest communities, but it's also one of the least visited and remote. Known as Jersey Wharf and New Blazing Star Ferry during the Revolutionary period, it was the location of an Indian settlement. At the Battle of Staten Island, it served as a battlefield. It was the location of ferries as early as 1757, and for many years, the Port Richmond Ferry route connected it to New York and Philadelphia. The community was dubbed Travisville in honor of Captain Jacob Travis around the beginning of the 1800s. Midway through the 20th century, it was called Deckertown after a local family, then Long Neck.
To establish the first linoleum factory in the country, the American Linoleum Company purchased 300 acres in the region in 1873. Frederick Walton, the man who invented linoleum, built up the business in Travis over the course of two years. In the early years of the plant, a large number of talented English immigrants flocked to work there; the neighborhood was called Linoleumville. Half of the local population, or 700 workers, were engaged by the early 20th century. With so many Polish immigrants, Linoleumville has turned into an enclave of Poles. After the facility closed in 1931, the community was renamed Travis by the majority of its citizens. Later on, the West Shore Expressway and the Teleport's development caused some disruption to Travis's isolation. Due to New Jersey's Chemical Coast and the adjacent Fresh Kills Landfill, the area has occasionally experienced poor air quality.
Since 1911, Travis has been known across Staten Island for its vibrant annual Independence Day procession. Sylvan Grove Cemetery is a small triangular cemetery close to the intersection of Victory Boulevard and the West Shore Expressway. It was severely neglected, primarily as a result of vandalism, and is home to many of the founding families of the city. In an attempt to repair this and other various minor cemeteries on the island that had been abandoned for decades, if not centuries, a philanthropic group called the Friends of Abandoned Cemeteries of Staten Island was established in 1982. It is planned to construct "Independence Park" in the vicinity of the cemetery. November 2010 saw the start of work.
The Mid Island Little League, the 1964 Little League World Series winners, is likewise based in Travis. The junction of Victory Boulevard and Travis Avenue is home to Mid Island Little League.
This was also the location of the West Shore Plaza, which has the anchor store, Burlington Coat Factory, the sole retailer on the island until the news came out this year that Staten Island will be opening two more Burlington Coat Factory stores. The Teleport, a sizable industrial park on Travis' eastern border, was also a part of this development. The majority of the businesses residing there are in the Internet and telecommunications sectors. Retail and other enterprises are located on the West Shore Expressway's service roads. FDNY Squad Company 8 and Brush Fire Unit 4 are located in Travis, along with a backup fire engine. Oceanic H&L Company No. 1, the second volunteer fire company on Staten Island, and one of the last in the city, is also guarding Travis. Oceanic is among the nation's oldest volunteer fire departments, having been established in 1881. The firehouse was relocated by horse along Victory Boulevard from its original location on the opposite side of town. New residential developments have brought changes in traffic patterns. New row homes are being built in place of many of the older houses that stood on sizable parcels of land. Travis still possesses a lot of the qualities that made it the final frontier on Staten Island, despite the development boom. The original Tennyson's Confectionery still stands.
Travis is served by freight trains operating on the Staten Island Railway's Travis Branch, which connects to the North Shore Branch and the Howland Hook Container Terminal. During rush hour, fast buses go directly to and from Manhattan, stopping at Travis. Running along Victory Boulevard is the SIM32. Only the SIM2, SIM25, and SIM26 pause at Travis along West Service Road (southbound) and East Service Road (northbound). The SIM2, SIM22, SIM23, SIM24, SIM25, and SIM26 run alongside the West Shore Expressway. Travis is home to P.S. 26 and many other schools and more to be built in the future.
As you may see, Staten Island exudes so much history that is still honored throughout our neighborhoods. Travis is home to many people from Staten Island. The neighborhood is covered in every corner with many food spots, transportation, parks and schools. This neighborhood is worth learning more about and living.
Looking to buy or sell your home on Staten Island? For all your real estate needs, look no further than Tom Crimmins Realty! Give us a call at (718) 370-3200, and we can provide you with professionally-trained agents who are flexible to all that you’re looking for!
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