New York car rental and a Staten Island Overview

Staten Island is one of the five boroughs of New York City that you can visit with your New York car rental. Since it is located on an island, it is the most geographically separate borough in the city. With a population of about 470,000, it 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 connected. Once the ice sheets receded, human inhabitation quickly followed. When you visit with your New York car rental you can still see evidence of this ice age when 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 area, therefore there were no reliable food sources. But, American Indians returned to the area about 5000 years ago.

Discover a whole new world

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

Fight the good fight

You may learn while you are here with your New York car rental that the 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. And you have what is now the fifth borough of the city, which you can visit with your New York car rental.

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.

Get away to the green

Staten Island has a large national park, the Gateway National Recreation Area. When you visit with your New York car rental you will find one of the largest park systems in the area, which also includes Jamaica Bay and Sandy Hook. Staten Island has a surprising number of museums you can visit with your New York car rental. There is 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 is a great place to visit with your New York car rental when you want to get away from the hustle and bustle of New York, but want to see more of the city.