At New York
Is this the island where the Statue of Liberty is located? Or the one that welcomed, at the beginning of the 20th century, immigrants who came to live the American dream? None of that. Often confused with Liberty and Ellis Island, Staten Island is one of five boroughs (boroughs) of New York with Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens and The Bronx. It is the third largest of them, but also the least populated … and the least known. Visitors are most familiar with the ferry, which provides free access. While Staten Island is clearly not the first place to walk on a first visit to New York City, the island has some sites worth seeing for a day or two.
After a 30-minute crossing, the ferry docks in St George. It’s hard to believe you’re still in one of the biggest metropolises in the world. There is no shadow of a building there. Traffic is fluid and the quiet streets are lined with houses with gardens. One of the closest places is further south, along the coast. Built in 1690, the Alice Austen’s birthplace (1866-1952) imitation of a Dutch farm, is one of the oldest on the island. An intimate museum traces the life and work of one of the most prolific American photographers of her generation.
About fifteen minutes walk, you arrive in the middle of the old military installations of Fort Wadsworth, among the oldest in the United States. Built in 1663, they were used by the British during the War of Independence before becoming in 1860 a place of defense of the port of New York. The forts are not accessible to the public but the park can be visited at any time. The Verrazano Bridge, the bridge that connects Staten Island to Brooklyn from where the New York Marathon takes off, overlooks the site of Fort Wadsworth.
A 17th century village in the middle of a forest
To jump back three centuries, head to the historic village of Richmond Town , in the geographical center of the island. The roads leading to it cross forests and fields. Signs warn motorists of the risk of passage of wild animals. Rather unexpected in New York. The village revolves around a court similar to a Greek temple with massive columns. A museum provides a better understanding of the traditions and way of life of the inhabitants, many of whom still made their living from fishing and farming until the 20th century. A guided tour allows the visitor to discover the interior of the houses and thus better understand their way of life. We enter a cabin littered with logs where an old craftsman makes toys and furniture that visitors can buy. Next door, a printer creates old-fashioned posters by stamping paper with lead characters.
Let’s go back to the northeast of the island. Not far from St George, the cultural center Snug Harbor , located in a botanical garden, concentrates the main museums of the island. It includes the Noble Maritime Museum , which traces the maritime history of the island, or the Staten Island Museum . The latter, housed in a former dormitory for retired sailors, has made the connection between art, history and the natural sciences since 1881. Finally, very close by, the Chinese Scholar’s Garden faithfully reconstructs several Chinese gardens created under the Ming dynasty (14th-17th centuries). Most of the stones, plants and architectural elements were imported from Suzhou, China.
Before taking the ferry back to Manhattan, there are several places to visit around the port of St. Georges. The Memorial Postcards honors the residents of Staten Island killed in the 9/11 attacks. Between the two 9-meter-high marble sculptures, where postcards sent by the families of the victims are represented, we can see the buildings of Manhattan’s financial district. Also around the terminal, the museum National Lighthouse Museum , interesting for those who want to learn about the history and technology of lighthouses in the United States. Beginning in mid-2019, visitors will be able to complete their Staten Island tour at theEmpire Outlet , a shopping center that will host a hundred factory outlets.
How to get there?
From South Ferry, at the southern tip of Manhattan, take the Staten Island Ferry. Free, it operates 24 hours a day and makes the crossing in 25 minutes. Passage every 15 to 30 minutes. The island is also accessible by bus or car via Brooklyn via the Verrazano Bridge and via New Jersey via the Bayonne Bridge. To get around, the island has a subway line and a bus network accessible with tickets from the MTA, the New York transport authority.
Or sleep?
Due to a lack of tourists, the hotel offer is incomplete on Staten Island. A few hotels include the Hilton Garden Inn, convenient for its proximity to Newark Airport. Three new hotels are due to open in 2019: Fairfield Inn & Suites (100 rooms), Best Western (80 rooms) and Westin Hotel (175 rooms), very close to the St George ferry terminal.
5 things to know
Chewing gum was invented on Staten Island. Map of Westeros from the series Game of Thrones is inspired by the geography of Staten Island. Before becoming free in 1997, the ferry crossing cost 50 cents. Staten Island is the only New York borough to vote for the Republicans in majority. Freshkills Park, built on the site of a former landfill, will be New York’s second largest park by 2040.
More information from the Staten Island Tourism Board (visitstatenisland.com) and New York City (www.nycgo.com).
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