Staten Island

Staten Island is one of the five boroughs of New York City that you can visit with your car rental. Since it is located on an island, it is the most geographically separated borough in the city. With a population of about 470,000, Staten Island is the smallest of the boroughs and is sometimes called "the forgotten borough" or the "step-sister borough" since it is less well-known then the others.

Step onto the rock

Staten Island was shaped during the last ice age when ice sheets that covered North America reached the center of Staten Island. At this point, Long Island and Staten Island were not yet separated by the Narrows. Once the ice sheets receded, human inhabitation quickly followed. When you visit with your SUV rental in New York you can still see evidence of this ice age as you see the rock formations. The Clovis culture has been dated back approximately 14,000 years in the area, when the island was possibly abandoned. This was likely because large animals disappeared from the island, therefore there were no reliable food sources. But, American Indians returned to the area about 5000 years ago.

In the 16th century, European contact with the island was established. The Dutch gave the area the name Staten Eylant, which sticks today. The Dutch preferred to colonize Manhattan rather than Staten Island because many of the settlements on the island were destroyed. After the Second Anglo-Dutch War in 1667, the island came under British control.

You may learn while you are here with your van rental in New York that Staten Island was largely Loyalist during the American Revolution. However, it was very costly to support the British troops. The island was nearly destroyed by the troops who needed the resources such as wood for their war effort. After the war, many of the loyalists on the island left for Canada. In 1898, the towns on the island were abolished and the island was consolidated with the city of New York.

It wasn't until 1964 that the area really began to develop. When the Verrazano Narrows Bridge opened, the area began to expand. Today it is a largely suburban area within the city.

Why you should visit

Staten Island has a large national park, the Gateway National Recreation Area. When you visit here in your van rental or car rental in New York you will find one of the largest park systems in the area, which also includes Jamaica Bay and Sandy Hook. The Gateway National Recreation Area is a great place to relax and reenergize with family and friends. Staten Island has a surprising number of museums you can visit. There is also the Alice Austen House Museum, the Conference House, Historic Richmond Town, Jacques Marchais Museum of Tibetan Art, and it will soon be home to the National Lighthouse Museum.

Staten Island and the Gateway National Recreation Area are great places to visit when you want to get away from the hustle and bustle of New York, but want to see more of the city.