The Making of Staten Island

From The Peopling of New York City

Staten Island has a rich and diverse history. It is populated by people from many different ethnic backgrounds, but the Italian people have always been prominent on the Island. Staten Island (Richmond County) is 34.8% percent Italian American, more then any other county in the United States. Italian American culture, businesses, and especially people have always contributed to Columbus Island.

Staten Island was once a rural area. In 1841 two-thirds of Staten Islanders were farmers. Dominic O'Regan delves further into Farming's Decline and Influence on Staten Island’s Identity in his research. Farms declined for a variety of reasons including increased industry, the Verrazano Bridge, and population growth. In The Verrazano Bridge: The Link to Change, Bianca Cardaci explores the history and impact of the Verrazano Bridge. The Bridge was built in 1964, doing more then just reducing the importance of farming. As populations rose in the 1960s, farms were cleared to build houses for the rapidly increasing population. Before the Bridge was built, the only link between Staten Island and NYC was the ferry. In the decades since it was built Staten Island’s population has doubled both absolutely and relative to the rest of New York City.

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