STATEN ISLAND'S EARLY DEVELOPMENT

1524 - Giovanni da Verrazano discovered The Narrows, which are the waters between Staten Island, Brooklyn, and Manhattan.

1609 - Henry Hudson sailed into The Narrows and named the island after the States General of Holland, Staaten Eylandt. The Dutch claimed the entire territory, and named it New Netherland.

1623 - The first permanent settlers landed in Manhattan.

1639 - David Pieterszen De Vries built Staten Island's first colony.

1640-1655 - A series of violent disputes with Native Americans prevented the formation of permanent settlements.

1661 - Pierre Billiou and Walraven Luten set up the first permanent settlement on the south shore of Staten Island. French settlers seeking religious freedom soon followed. A government begins to form.

1663 - Fort Wadsworth established as a Dutch Fort.

1664 - New Amsterdam became part of the English colonies, when Peter Stuyvesant, the Dutch Governor of New Amsterdam surrendered to the British. The area was now called New York.

1670 - The new governor of New York, Francis Lovelace, finally purchased Staten Island from the Native Americans.

1683 - Thomas Dongan became the new governor of New York, and Staten Island became Richmond County.

1695 - The population of Staten Island was approximately 800.

1696 - Oldest schoolhouse still standing in the US wasbuilt.

1776 - During the American Revolution, a British fleet sailed through The Narrows and landed troops on Staten Island. An unsuccessful peace conference is held at the Billop Manor House in Tottenville, now known as the Conference House.

1783 - Over 2 years after the end of the American Revolution, the remainder of the British army left Staten Island.

1790 - The population of Staten Island was approximately 3,840.

GLOBAL HERITAGE REALTY  -  STATEN ISLAND NY

STATEN ISLAND'S MODERN DEVELOPMENT

1810 - Staten Island's first ferry is established by a 16 year old entrepreneur named Cornelius Vanderbilt. Other successful business ventures make him one of the richest men in America.

1816 - The first highway was built to speed up travel times to and from Philadelphia. Today, it is known as Victory Boulevard.

1827 - The Richmond Republican, the first newspaper on Staten Island, went into print.

1850-1857 - Italian revolutionary Giuseppe Garibaldi spends 3 years of forced exile in Rosebank. Meanwhile, his friend and housemate, Antonio Meucci, develops the first working telephone, before Alexander Graham Bell.

1860 - The first passenger train went from Eltingville to Vanderbilt's Landing (Clifton). This was also the year that the first magnetic telegraph line finally reached Staten Island.

1861 - The population of Staten Island was approximately 25,000.

1871 - A boiler explosion on a Staten Island Ferry kills 62 people.

1874 - Mary Ewing Outerbridge introduces tennis to the Unites States, bringing the sport to Staten Island, from Bermuda.

1882 - A manufacturing plant in Travis becomes the first place on Staten Island to receive electricity.

1898 - Staten Island, Bronx, Brooklyn, and Queens became part of New York City.

1904 - The Island's first high school, Curtis, opened.

1905 - NYC takes over the operation of SI Ferry.

1910 - The population of Staten Island was approximately 80,000.

1913 _ Sea ViewHospital opened

1918 - The Staten Island Advance began publishing on a daily basis.

1920 - Richmond Memorial Hospital opened. Population 116,531.

1928 - The Outer bridge Crossing and Goethals Bridge opened.

1929 - 9 holes city golf course open as La Tourette Golf Course. Now 18 Holes.

1931 - The Bayonne Bridge opened.

1936 - Staten Island Zoo Opened.

1946 - A massive fire in the St. George Ferry Terminal destroys 17 trains, injures 280 people, and kills 3. Fresh Kills garbage dump opened.

1948 - The Fresh Kills Landfill opened. Sites become largeest landfill in the world till closing in 2001 a 2200 Acres in size taking shape as lagest park in NYC.

1956 - Staten Island Community College opened become CSI (1976)

1960 - Two commercial airliners collide over New Dorp, killing 128.

1964 - The Verrazano-Narrows Bridge opened. SI last airport ceased operation.

1971 - Jane Kurtin, a reporter for the Advance, discovers horrendous conditions at Willowbrook State School, attracting national coverage, and leading to its closing. St. John's University Opened.

1973 - The Staten Island Mall opened.

1975 - The Borough of Richmond was officially renamed the Borough of Staten Island.

1980 - The population of Staten Island was approximately 352,121.

1990 - The population of Staten Island was approximately 403,600.

1992 - Sammy "The Bull" Gravano testifies against John Gotti, sending the infamous mob boss to jail for life.

1996 - Closing of the Fresh Kills Landfill.

2000 - Operation Sail 2000 takes place. More than 180 sailing vessels from 60 nations join 40 modern warships of 23 navies in the largest maritime event ever. The population of Staten Island was approximately 443,728 with Housing units 193,993 (approx.)

2001 - Attack of World Trade Center.  Approx 300 residents with large number of firemen and WTC workers living in Staten Island. The Fresh Kills landfill is chosen to hold  the debris from the towers and used as crime lab for police investigation  where they search for human remains.

2003 - SI Ferry crashed into pier at the St. George ferry terminal. 11 killed and 70 injured. NYC and SI go dark for 12 hours blackout affect Northeast and Midwest.

2012 - Hurricane Sandy devastates Staten Island, NYC and NJ.

2019 - Opening of New York City only Outlet Shopping Destination - Empire Outlets at St.George Waterfront Area (SI Ferry Terminal)

OTHER PART BELONG TO BOROUGH OF STATEN ISLAND

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