My Odd Corners series was concluded about two months ago, however I discovered an odd corner that temporarily bypassed my attention; this post is an amendment to the series.
New York, your sneaky Odd Corner nearly escaped my recognition, though you must know by now that it is inescapable!
I recently learned about the existence of Richmond County, New York, which initially appeared to me as an overlooked island that is adjacent to New York City. It surprised me to learn that this decently sized island is part of New York City and that its name is Staten Island; I realize that I never truly knew where this island was. I had always assumed this piece of land to be New Jersey, since it is arguably nearer to the state than mainland New York.
Why is Staten Island part of New York?
In the year 1624, the Dutch West India Company established the colony of New Netherland, which is now all of New York City as well as parts of Long Island, Connecticut, and New Jersey. A successful Dutch settlement on the southern portion of Manhattan Island was named New Amsterdam, the settlement even became the capital of New Netherland Colony.
During the Second Anglo-Dutch War, the Dutch surrendered New Amsterdam to the English, and at the end of that war, the colony of New Netherland was ceded to the English. After capturing the Dutch colony of New Netherland, the English changed the colony’s name to New York, in honor of the Duke of York, and New Amsterdam became New York City.
The Dutch Staaten Eylandt, literally States Island in Dutch, was part of the territory ceded to England along with the rest of New Netherland Colony. Staaten Eylandt was changed to the English Staten Island, which was included in the newly formed colony of New York.
Richmond County is coexistent with Staten Island, and the county was even one of the original twelve counties of New York!
Staten Island is not owned by New Jersey, though New Jersey also encompasses a portion of land that used to be New Netherland and though New Jersey is arguably closer to the island. I assume that it was agreed that the border between the colony of New York and the colony of New Jersey would be set from the Raritan Bay, along the Arthur Kill, then following the Hudson River north, effectively encircling Staten Island and placing it on the New York side of the border, making the island the southwestern most portion of the state of New York.
What is your opinion on Staten Island’s inclusion in the state of New York?
Onward American 