This is the Staten Island Borough Historian's official website for Staten Island History

This website offers information about Staten Island history that will not be found anywhere else on the internet. Since no one person or website can provide all the information about any topic, this site also serves as a portal to other organizations and resources that will hopefully help the researcher find the information they are seeking.

Each month a different organization will be featured here to highlight the resources they have available and activities they offer to those interested in Staten Island history.

NEW BOOKS:

Staten Island: I didn't Know That!

The Donning Company Publishers in partner with Dr. Thomas Matteo are pleased to announce the upcoming publication of a new volume in the history of New York: Staten Island: I Didn’t Know That. To celebrate Staten Island’s heritage, this stunning 8.5” x 11” soft cover volume, chronicles unknown Staten Island history. The unique collection of photographs and insightful text relates the past to the present and makes historic Staten Island come alive for readers of all ages.

he book is available at Border's Express in the Staten Island Mall, Clove Lake Book Store, Historic Richmond Town, the Staten Island Museum and Amazon.com. The price is $22.99.

Contact Dr. Matteo at sihistorian@aol.com to reserve your copy of
Staten Island I Didn’t Know That today.

This month’s feature:

Fourth-graders interpret Staten Island history

by Staten Island Advance

Friday May 08, 2009, 10:34 PM

story copy Bill Lyons/Staten Island AdvanceBourogh Historian Thomas Matteo discusses the Conference House display with some of its creators: Skylar Albicocco, 10, in yellow; Rieko Robinson, 10, in blue, and Alexis Marzo 9, during the first Staten Island Histoy Fair yesterday at the College of Staten Island's Center for the Arts.

Tiffany Lara traveled back in time.

The tiny fourth-grader from PS 54 donned a Pilgrim dress, apron and bonnet as part of her project on famous landmarks -- Historic Richmond Town, Fort Wadsworth, Snug Harbor and the Conference House -- which included research and mini-replicas she built.

"I've been living on Staten Island for nine years and I thought I knew everything about it, but then I really didn't know," she said.

That type of curiousity and enthusiasm for local history was everywhere tonight as part of the first-ever Staten Island History Day Fair and Awards Ceremony held at the College of Staten Island, Willowbrook.

One hundred sixty fourth-graders from 24 of the Island's public, private and parochial schools, some working collaboratively, contributed projects. Students were winners in their schoolwide fairs.

And the results were impressive.

Such as fourth-graders from PS 6, who created a 3 1/2-foot cardboard replica of the Conference House that included lots of paint, research, pictures and artistic design -- right down to the unique, dotted, multicolored brushstrokes that re-created the building's brick facade and gravel pathway.

"What a fabulous night. I got blown away by this," said Thomas Matteo, borough historian. "This was extraordinary. If anyone tells you kids are stuck to the TV and video games, they are not paying attention. These kids were really into what they were doing."

The event was sponsored by Matteo, Borough Hall and the New York Public Library.

Also contributing were CSI and Verizon Communications.

Several notable Islanders served as project judges, and support came from numerous cultural and historic Island organizations.

Among those speaking were Tomas Morales, CSI president, and Andrew Wilson, NYPL digitial producer.

THE WINNERS
Individual: First place, Jenna Cartolano, PS 6; second place, Makenzie Ricca, PS 1; third place, Elizabeth Araujo, PS 60; honorable mention, Eliriana lleshi, PS 8.

Group: First place, John Galietta, Nicholas Delaney, Jonathan Daluise, Gateway Academy;

Second place, Skylar Albicocco, Karisa Amendolia, Vanessa Armenia, Anthony J. Bellina, Daniel Bennett, Rochelle Bubis, Lauren Casella, Michael Castellano, Dominick Dellarosa, Jacob Demcak, Kristin Didio, Nicole Emilio, Daniel P. Feldman, Alicia Filocamo, Jakub H. Gawor, John D. Hancock, Alex Iacone, Michael Kaminsky, Adelina Lacara, Angela Lamarch, Alexa M. Martino, Alexis M. Marzo, Anthony Mendoza, Kyle Omundsen, Daniel Palmieri, Nicholas Pisciotta, Michelle Podolnyy, Nicholas Rodriguez, Shawn Questel, Frank J. Rao, Rieko M. Robinson, Stefano Scibetta, Falyn Scorcia, Mark Setteducato, Marisa Tasca, Alyssa A. Trepel, Joseph Valente, Alexander Valore, Nicholas J. Vitale, Joath S. Yeugelowitz, PS 6.

Third Place: Cameron Basora, Kelly Ann Brackett, Jacqueline Brigandi, Cheyenne Cammarano, LauraDonna Catanzaro, Gabrielle Coudakis, Julia Danischewski, Cheyenne Georges, Jodi Greene, Ambrielle Kowal, Rebecca Lotito, Meghan Pearce, Grace Reinertsen, Victoria Sparandera, Trinity Lutheran School.

Honorable Mention: Charlotte Albunio, Christopher Aloia, Brianna Badalamenti, John Battista, Brigid Bianco, Kevin Blanchard, Michele Chinnici, Kristyn Cunningham, William DeSantis, Samantha Dolcimascolo, Jillian Eberlein, Timothy Gangemi, Ariella Garcia, Nicholas Giacobbe, Taylor Giacopelli, Erin Graham, Kevin Griffin, Liam Harding, Nicholas Kapsalis, Nisuri Keriyakarawana, Patrick Lynch, Kacie McAlarney, Shannon McGuire, Jacqueline Roloph, Brandon Seidman, Jonathan Strandberg, Justin Strandberg, Annarose Wilkinson, Teresa Wrobleski, Margo Zak, Our Lady of Good Counsel School.

-- Contributed by Kiawana Ric