A Walk-Through Staten Island in the 1890s with Riveting Photographs That Will Make You Feel Nostalgic

Ah, the 1890s—a time that feels so distant yet so intimately connected to the fabric of our modern world. If you could catch a whiff of the air from that bygone era, you’d smell a blend of salty sea breeze and freshly turned soil. Today, let’s journey through the enchanting landscapes and close-knit communities of Staten Island during this fascinating decade.

A Time of Transition

Staten Island in the 1890s was a place caught between two epochs. The old world of farming, fishing, and close communities was beginning to fade, making way for the bustling environment of an expanding city. One significant milestone was the consolidation of Greater New York in 1898, which officially absorbed Staten Island as one of the five boroughs. It was a moment that promised progress but also heralded the end of an era of charming insularity.

The Cultural Palette

Staten Island in the 1890s was already a cultural melting pot. The influence of early Dutch, English, and French settlers remained strong, but newer communities—especially Italian and Irish immigrants—brought new shades of culture to the island. The local cuisine, dialects, and even festivities started to take on a more diverse flair. You might have heard an Irish folk song in one corner of the island and the Italian opera in another, each telling their own tale of aspirations and belonging.

History in the Making

The Staten Island Rapid Transit Railroad was a lifeline for the island, offering a more effective way to travel to Manhattan. While the Staten Island Ferry had been operational since the 1870s, it was during the 1890s that the service became more regular and dependable. Each ferry ride was more than just a means of transport; it was a small adventure offering breathtaking views of the New York Harbor, the Statue of Liberty, and the Manhattan skyline.

Social Fabric and Traditions

The essence of community living held strong. Picture, if you will, a gathering at a local church where the whole community comes together for a fair. Handmade crafts, fresh produce, and homemade pies would be up for sale, as children ran around playing tag. Evenings would often culminate in social dances, laughter and music filling the air long into the night.

It was also a time for leisurely activities, such as picnics in the then much quieter Staten Island parks, like Clove Lakes or Silver Lake Park. These were moments when families and friends could unwind, the children could play, and the older folks could share tales from the “good old days.”

#1 Workmen repair the clockwork mechanism for a floating Fresnel lens at the Lighthouse Service Workshop in St. George, 1890s

1 Point

Upvote Downvote

#2 Staten Island University Hospital’s first graduating class of 1896: Mary Bennett Weaver, Summerfield Gause, Martha Washington Zabriskie, Gertrude Taylor, Estelle W. Meese, Agnes Isabel Blain.

0 Points

Upvote Downvote

#3 Staten Island Bicycle Club Goes for a Ride, 1895.

0 Points

Upvote Downvote

#4 Old Hunting Lodge in Prince’s Bay Area, 1890s

0 Points

Upvote Downvote

#5 The First Richmond County Fair in West New Brighton, 1895.

0 Points

Upvote Downvote

#6 Bay Street, North Stapleton, Featuring Trolley Tracks, People, Horses, and Shops, 1890s

0 Points

Upvote Downvote

#7 Staten Island Bicycle Club, 1895.

0 Points

Upvote Downvote

#8 Alice Austen Photo of Riders on the Staten Island Ferry, 1895.

0 Points

Upvote Downvote

#9 Richmond Terrace, Port Richmond, 1890s

0 Points

Upvote Downvote

#10 Staten Island Bird Club at the Trap Rock Quarry, Corner of Travis Avenue and Victory Boulevard, 1890s

0 Points

Upvote Downvote

#11 Crew of the Northfield Staten Island Ferry, 1899.

0 Points

Upvote Downvote

#12 Sea Land Church House, 1890s

0 Points

Upvote Downvote

#13 Bowling on Staten Island, Popular Pastime, 1890s

0 Points

Upvote Downvote

#14 Staten Island Bungalows in Camp Ideal and Camp Seaview, 1890s

0 Points

Upvote Downvote

#15 The Boardwalk in Front of Happy Land Park, South Beach, L.I., 1890s

0 Points

Upvote Downvote

#16 The First Richmond County Fair in West New Brighton at Richmond Terrace and Bement Avenue, 1895.

0 Points

Upvote Downvote

#17 Midland Beach became a resort in the 1890s with a 1,700-foot pier connecting to Lower Manhattan via steamboat, 1890s.

0 Points

Upvote Downvote

#18 Staten Island’s “Treasure House” from 1860, Said to Have Hidden Gold Coins, 1890s.

0 Points

Upvote Downvote

#19 First Class of Port Richmond Day Nursery, 1895.

0 Points

Upvote Downvote

#20 Arietta Street, Tompkinsville, circa 1894, was named after Governor Tompkins’ daughter; it was the section of Victory that runs below Bay Street, 1894.

0 Points

Upvote Downvote

#21 Since the 1800s, South, Midland, and New Dorp beaches attracted a crowd during the summer, 1890s

0 Points

Upvote Downvote

#22 Three trolleys and a group of workers at a trolley barn, identified as Jewett Ave. in Westerleigh; trolleys are marked Prohibition Park, 1893.

0 Points

Upvote Downvote

#23 St. George Stadium, Staten Island, Hosting Baseball and Other Events, 1890s

0 Points

Upvote Downvote

#24 On Staten Island, bowling’s heyday was between the 1940s and 1960s, with two dozen bowling alleys, speculated to be Stapleton, 1890s

0 Points

Upvote Downvote

#25 Mary Outerbridge brought tennis to Staten Island in 1874; here players enjoy the game in the 1890s.

0 Points

Upvote Downvote

#26 Bechtel Brewery on Van Duzer Street; Island’s Largest Brewery Until the 1890s; Became Dance Club, Torn Down in 2003. Circa 1890s

0 Points

Upvote Downvote

#27 The Staten Island Ladies Club, Photographed by Alice Austen, Met at Walker Park in Livingston, 1895.

0 Points

Upvote Downvote

#28 Houghwout’s Store Located on Richmond Terrace on the Corner of Heberton Avenue, Circa 1898.

0 Points

Upvote Downvote

#29 Martling’s Pond, Site of Britton’s Ice House in the 1890s

0 Points

Upvote Downvote

#30 Grocery Customers Patronized the Houseman House at Richmond Terrace and John St, Now John Street and Richmond Terrace Where FedEx Has Built a Home, Circa 1895.

0 Points

Upvote Downvote

#31 The First Madison Square Garden in New York City, An Arena at the Corner of East 26th Street and Madison Avenue, Seated 10,000 Spectators, 1890

0 Points

Upvote Downvote

#32 Enjoying the Day, Midland Beach, Staten Island, 1890s

0 Points

Upvote Downvote

#33 The “Million-Dollar” Retaining Wall Along Richmond Terrace in St. George, Includes Real-Estate Office Sign, 1890s

0 Points

Upvote Downvote

#34 View of the area that is now Richmond Country Club, circa 1890s.

0 Points

Upvote Downvote

#35 Three trolleys and workers at a trolley barn on Jewett Ave, marked Prohibition Park, 1893.

0 Points

Upvote Downvote

#36 Richmond Ave. led to the Ferry from Port Richmond, Staten Island, to Bergen Point, N.J., 1890s

0 Points

Upvote Downvote

#37 Snug Harbor, 83-Acre Botanical Garden and Cultural Center, Livingston, Staten Island, Founded 1801. Circa 1890s

0 Points

Upvote Downvote

#38 Victory Blvd. from St. Marks Place, Tompkinsville, 1890s

0 Points

Upvote Downvote

#39 Picnic in Front of the Vanderbilt Mausoleum, Moravian Cemetery, New Dorp, 1892.

0 Points

Upvote Downvote

#40 Victory Blvd., Arietta Street, New Brighton in 1894, Now Victory Boulevard in Tompkinsville, 1894.

0 Points

Upvote Downvote

#41 First Richmond County Fair, featuring country flavor with horse races, livestock shows, and new inventions, held in West New Brighton, 1895.

0 Points

Upvote Downvote

#42 First Richmond County Fair, with country flavor, horse races, and new inventions in West New Brighton, 1895.

0 Points

Upvote Downvote

#43 The Boulevard in Prohibition Park Circa 1890; Streets Named after Prohibition Party Candidates, 1890.

0 Points

Upvote Downvote

#44 The Annadale Hotel known as ‘Tavern on the Bend’, 1890s.

0 Points

Upvote Downvote

#45 Silver Lake Ice House, circa 1898: The large wooden ice house was seen from across Silver Lake; the business lasted generally two months, 1898.

0 Points

Upvote Downvote

#46 Nassau Smelting, Near the End of the 1890s, Tottenville Copper Company Opened on Nassau Street; Later Renamed Nassau Smelting & Refining Co, It Contaminated the Site with Heavy Metals, Leading to a Massive Clean-Up in 2006. Circa 1890s

0 Points

Upvote Downvote

#47 Firefighters Pour Water into The Candy Shack at 1898 Victory Blvd., Meiers Corners, March 1978.

0 Points

Upvote Downvote

#48 Westerleigh Park and Its Stone Fountain, Former Gathering Ground for the Temperance Movement and Donated to the City in 1907, Circa 1899.

0 Points

Upvote Downvote

#49 Main Street, Tottenville at the Turn of the Century, from Staten Island Museum Collection, 1890s

0 Points

Upvote Downvote

#50 Light traffic during the horse-and-buggy days on Westervelt Avenue, New Brighton, 1890s

0 Points

Upvote Downvote

#51 Camp Kill Kane, Staten Island, 1895.

0 Points

Upvote Downvote

#52 Anson Phelps Stokes House Near Hamilton Avenue, Staten Island, 1895.

0 Points

Upvote Downvote

#53 Bridal Party Preps for Tiffany-Cameron Wedding on Staten Island Steps, 1895.

0 Points

Upvote Downvote

#54 Midland Beach, Staten Island, 1898.

0 Points

Upvote Downvote

#55 Scenic New York Harbor Featuring Governor’s Island and Staten Island, 1894.

0 Points

Upvote Downvote

#56 Staten Island Ferry Entrance Teeming with Crowd, 1895.

0 Points

Upvote Downvote

#57 Pelham Warner’s Cricket Team Before Match on Staten Island, 1897.

0 Points

Upvote Downvote

#58 Staten Island Ferry Terminal and Elevated Railroad Tracks, 1890s.

0 Points

Upvote Downvote

#59 Mysterious Dirt Roads and a House, Possibly Morrell House, 1892.

0 Points

Upvote Downvote

#60 Bathing Suit Woman and Instructor at Midland Beach, Staten Island, 1898.

0 Points

Upvote Downvote

#61 Brownings Prohibition Park, a Slice of History, Staten Island, 1895.

0 Points

Upvote Downvote

#62 Staten Island Ferry Terminal at St. George, 1895.

0 Points

Upvote Downvote

#63 Unpaved Street with Buildings in Staten Island, Captured by Alice Austen, 1890.

0 Points

Upvote Downvote

#64 General Lighthouse Depot in St. George, Staten Island, 1890.

0 Points

Upvote Downvote