A VISIT TO STATEN ISLAND, NEW YORK

                                                      

                                                         

                                            

                                       

                                              
                                           

  ( Avtar Mota on the deck of Staten Island Ferry)

   ( Statue of Liberty from the Ferry 's deck)

         ( Children's Museum in Staten Island )

A VISIT TO STATEN ISLAND, NEW YORK

Staten Island is one of the five boroughs of New York and is located at the juncture of Upper and Lower New York Bays. It is geographically separated from the rest of New York City and connected by bridges to New Jersey and Brooklyn, as well as via the free Staten Island Ferry to Manhattan.

THE FREE FERRY

                                           

Widely used for to and fro transportation, the free 'Staten Island Ferry ' is the transportation of choice to arrive at the Island. The  Free Staten Island Ferry starts from  the Whitehall Terminal in Lower Manhattan, located at 1 Whitehall Street. One  can come to this place by subway to the "South Ferry" station  which happens to be the last stop on the 1 train. One can also  walk through Battery Park.The ferry is free, and one  need not buy any  ticket to ride. The ferry can accomodate plus 5000 passengers . So no need to run and rush through. Be  careful of people near the terminal who try to sell you tickets. They are scammers.The ferries run 24/7, 365 days a year, typically every 30 minutes, though this can be more frequent during rush hour.Ride duration: The trip takes about 25 minutes each.  The ferry gives excellent views of the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, and the Manhattan skyline. If one  wants to go for the ferry ride only and not to the Island , one   needs to disembark and board another ferry for return to Manhattan.. That is the rule as ferries don't run continuously for to and from journey.

                                   

 

THE VERRAZZANO-NARROWS BRIDGE

                                     

The Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge (1964) has made the borough a functional part of New York City. Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, a suspension bridge that spans the strait of the same name and links the lower and upper parts of New York Bay, was named after Giovanni Da Verrazano, an Italian explorer and the first European navigator to enter both the Hudson River and New York Bay. Its construction was completed in 1964, and from then until 1981, it was the longest suspension bridge in the world, with its 1,298 meters in length. It currently ranks seventh, even though it remains the longest in the U.S. For now, the only time pedestrians are allowed on the bridge is during the New York City Marathon.

ISLAND'S  PAST 

                                                

  ( About 360 years old cottage in Staten Island )

 

The island was inhabited by the Lenape Native Americans for thousands of years before the Dutch colonists arrived in the 17th century. The Lenapes saw their first “white man” around 1500 AD when the colonists came to North America. First sighted by Giovanni da Verrazano in 1524, the Island remained populated mainly by the  native Indians until about 1630, when the Dutch attempted to establish settlements there. Called Staaten Eylandt by the Dutch. The native Indians, feeling threatened, blocked each attempt the  settlers made at Island.The disputes were finally settled, and in 1661, the Dutch established a lasting colony called Oude Dorp, or Old Town, near South Beach. The Lenapes began trading with the colonists and received metals such as iron, copper, and brass that were used for tools and weapons.After the Dutch, the British colonists took hold of the island. 

Staten Island was also known as Richmond. In fact, it was officially named the County of Richmond in 1683, when the English established the province of New York. The name "Richmond" was used for the island until 1975, when the New York City Council officially changed the name to Staten Island. The island officially became one of New York City's boroughs in 1898, though it was known as the Borough of Richmond until 1975. Residents nicknamed it” the forgotten borough" as they felt neglected by the city government. 

For many years, it was used by the municipality as a landfill area, but presently this garbage dumping has been stopped, and a 2,200-acre public park, nearly three times the size of Central Park, has come up over the landfill. Staten Island is home to several art galleries like , Newhouse Centre for Contemporary Art, Art on the Terrace Gallery, Hub 17, Black-Book-studios, College of Staten Island Art Gallery, Jacques Marchais Museum of Tibetan Art, Lenny's Creations,  and South Beach Art & Design Studio. These galleries offer a glimpse into Staten Island's vibrant art scene.

With about 500000 residents, this 155 sq km island is still thinly populated. The striking feature of this island that any visitor observes is its Suburban ambience with independent houses, lesser traffic, greenery and parks. Staten Island doesn't have any skyscrapers, defined as buildings 330 feet or taller. However, it does have a few notable tall buildings, particularly in the North Shore, like Parkview House Apartments, Sunrise Tower, The View and Corporate Commons. The Old Church of St. Joachim and St. Anne is believed to be the tallest building on the island, although the borough government estimated 185 Castleton Park Tower as the tallest in 2015.

 Staten Island has a significant Italian-American population with around 175,000 residents claiming Italian ancestry.  The Italian-American influence is evident in Staten Island's culture, food, and traditions, making it a unique and vibrant part of the island's identity. The Godfather, directed by Francis Ford Coppola, was partially filmed in Staten Island. The Island’s Italian-American community and authentic neighbourhood provided an ideal backdrop for the film's early scenes.

In view of the Island's rich history, beautiful parks, and cultural attractions, there are some places of interest for every visitor like , Staten Island Museum, Snug Harbour Cultural Centre, High Rock Park, Staten Island Zoo, Historic Richmond, Jacques Marchais Museum of Tibetan Art and the beautiful South Beach.

 

There are many libraries in Staten Island. One can list them as New York Public Library (NYPL branch ), St. George Library Centre, Tottenville Branch Library, Huguenot Park Branch Library and West New Brighton Branch Library. These libraries provide access to books, technology, and community programmes. There are 5 performing theatres on the island showcasing local talent and community productions. Some popular cinema halls of the Island are Atrium Stadium Cinemas, Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, AMC DINE-IN and Regal Bricktown Charleston.

 

Some prominent personalities from Staten Island who have made a mark in various field are, Christina Aguilera (Grammy-winning pop singer), Wu-Tang Clan (Hip-hop group with members like RZA, GZ), Gene Simmons ( bassist ), Pete Davidson (comedian ), Joan Baez (folk music icon), Alyssa Milano (actress ), Bobby Flay(celebrity chef ), Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward (both Oscar-winning actors ), Rick Schroder(actor ), and 50 Cent( rapper).

                                     

     

The Asian population ( about 60000) is the fourth-largest racial/ethnic group on Staten Island, following White, Hispanic, and African- American populations. A notable Chinese community has formed an enclave in the eastern part of the island, particularly in areas like New Dorp and Midland Beach.There are many  Indian food restaurants in Staten Island . Some popular places could be listed as Masala Harbor ,Dosa Garden, Taj Mahal Indian Restaurant, Taste of India II, Flame Indian Grill, Basil Indian & Thai Cuisine, Randiwa and some more .

(Avtar Mota)

CHINAR SHADE by Autarmota is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 2.5 India License.
Based on a work at http:\\autarmota.blogspot.com\.