Staten Island History Trivia Quiz

Answer: The Netherlands

British explorer Henry Hudson was hired by the Dutch East India Company to find them a new trade route to Asia. He sailed into New York Bay in 1609 and gave Staten Island (Staaten Eylandt) its name. The name is derived from the Staaten-Generaal, the legislative branch of the Dutch government. The Dutch would later establish the first European settlement on Staten Island in 1641.

Answer: September 11

On September 11, 1776, Admiral Richard Howe of the British Navy met with Benjamin Franklin and several other founding fathers. He had hoped to negotiate an end to the revolution and get America to reconsider its independence. The Americans declined Howe's proposal.

The conference was held in a house located in the Staten Island neighborhood of Tottenville. Though the conference was held on September 11, it had no influence on the tragic events that unfolded on that same day in 2001.

Answer: The captain fell asleep at the wheel

The Staten Island Ferry to Manhattan has been in operation since 1817. On October 15, 2003, one of the ferries crashed into the pier at the St. George Terminal on the Staten Island side. The crash was determined to have been caused by the captain, who fell asleep at the wheel after taking several painkillers. Eleven passengers were killed and dozens more were injured.

The captain left the scene, but was later arrested and convicted of manslaughter.

Answer: Richmondtown

The courthouse in Richmondtown was constructed in 1837 and served as the primary courthouse on Staten Island until the one in St. George was completed in 1919. The courthouse is now a part of Historic Richmond Town, an area in central Staten Island that features old restored homes and farms. The area is designed to make visitors feel like they were sent back to the colonial era.

Answer: 1898

Staten Island, along with Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx and Manhattan consolidated to form New York City in 1898. Civil services such as schools, police, fire, sanitation and others fall under the entire New York City jurisdiction as do taxes and other finances. However, each borough has its own local government to deal with matters that are specific to each borough.

Answer: Fresh Kills Landfill

The Fresh Kills Landfill first opened on Staten Island in 1948. Located on the western shore of the island, the landfill would become the largest in the world at the time of its closing in March, 2001. The closing was short-lived as the September 11 terrorist attacks prompted the city to reopen the facility in order to sort out wreckage from the World Trade Center. Federal agents combed through the debris hoping to find human remains and clues that would help the investigation of the attacks. Following the investigation the facility was permanently closed.

Answer: An Army airfield

Miller Field operated as an airfield for the United States Army from 1919-1969. It had a grass runway and four hangers, two of which are still standing, along with part of the control tower. In 1960, two passenger aircraft collided over the airfield, with one plane crashing at Miller Field and the other in the Park Slope section of Brooklyn.

It was the worst air disaster at the time claiming the lives of 134 people.

Answer: 1964

The Verrazano-Narrows Bridge is a double-deck suspension bridge linking Staten Island to Brooklyn. The bridge was completed on November 21, 1964 and was the longest suspension bridge in the world, exceeding the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. It lost this title when the Humber Bridge in England was completed in 1981.

It was named after Italian explorer Giovanni de Verrazano who had sailed through the Narrows into New York Harbor in 1524.

Answer: Willowbrook State School

Willowbrook State School was an institution on Staten Island for children and adults with mental illnesses. It was in operation from 1947-1987. An urban legend speaks of a mysterious individual named Cropsey, who kidnaps the children of Staten Island.

The man is said to have escaped from the Willowbrook facility. The 2009 documentary film, "Cropsey", sheds some light on this legend. The Willowbrook State School would become the relocated home of the College of Staten Island in 1993.

Answer: Hurricane

Hurricane Sandy struck the northeastern region of the United States on October 29, 2012 causing significant damage to areas of the New Jersey coastline, as well as the entire New York City metropolitan area. The storm claimed the lives of 24 Staten Islanders. The entire City of New York suffered 19 billion dollars in damage.