Dongan Hills, Staten Island facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Dongan Hills
Neighborhood of Staten Island
Ferryboat Dongan Hills of the Staten Island Ferry, seen approaching a landing in 1945
Country	United States
State	New York
City	New York City
Borough	Staten Island
Community District	Staten Island 2
Area
• Total	3.65 km2 (1.409 sq mi)
Population  (2011)
• Total	16,375
• Density	4,487.2/km2 (11,622/sq mi)
Economics
• Median income	$73,378
ZIP Codes	10304, 10305
Area code	718, 347, 929, and 917

Dongan Hills is a neighborhood in Staten Island, one of New York City's five boroughs. It is located on the eastern side of the island, known as the East Shore. Dongan Hills is bordered by different streets and other neighborhoods. These include Laconia Avenue, Jefferson Avenue, Richmond Road, and Old Town Road.

It is next to New Dorp and Grant City to the southwest. To the northwest, you'll find Todt Hill. Old Town/Concord are to the northeast. Finally, South Beach and Midland Beach are to the southeast.

Dongan Hills is part of Staten Island Community District 2. Its ZIP Codes are 10304 and 10305. The neighborhood is kept safe by the 122nd Precinct of the New York City Police Department.

What's in a Name? The History of Dongan Hills

This neighborhood was once known by two different names: Hillside Park and Linden Park. The name Dongan Hills originally came from the Garretson family, who lived there since the late 1600s. The name was changed to Dongan Hills to avoid confusion with another place called Garrison on Hudson.

The neighborhood was renamed after Thomas Dongan. He was an Irish-born governor of the Province of New York. This happened after the Kingdom of England took control from the Netherlands in 1682. The "hills" in the name refer to the eastern part of Todt Hill. A special part of Dongan Hills, called the Dongan Hills Colony, has very large hills. This area is located above Richmond Road and is next to Todt Hill.

Dongan Hills Through Time: A Brief History

After World War II, Dongan Hills was one of the first neighborhoods on Staten Island to see many new homes built. Many small, single-family houses were constructed in the 1950s. The city also built a public housing project here, called the General Berry Houses. This is the southernmost public housing project on Staten Island.

The population grew even faster after the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge opened in November 1964. This bridge connects Staten Island to Brooklyn. Many people from Brooklyn moved to Dongan Hills after the bridge opened. They now make up most of the neighborhood's population. Most residents are Italian-American, and there are also many Irish-Americans.

The Billiou-Stillwell-Perine House is a historic building in Dongan Hills. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976.

Who Lives in Dongan Hills?

The New York City government groups Dongan Hills with Old Town and South Beach for census information. In 2010, the total population for this larger area was about 24,835 people. Most residents are White, with smaller groups of African American, Asian, and Hispanic or Latino people.

The average life expectancy in this area is about 81.2 years. This is similar to the average for all New York City neighborhoods. Many residents are young people and middle-aged adults. About 20% are under 18, 25% are between 25 and 44, and 29% are between 45 and 64.

In 2017, the average household income in Dongan Hills was about $73,378. About 14% of residents in Dongan Hills and nearby areas live in poverty. This is lower than the average for all of Staten Island and New York City.

Keeping Dongan Hills Safe: Fire and Mail Services

Fire Safety

The New York City Fire Department (FDNY) helps keep Dongan Hills safe. Engine Co. 159/Satellite 5 is located at 1592 Richmond Road and serves the area.

Post Office and ZIP Codes

Dongan Hills has two ZIP Codes. The 10305 ZIP Code is for the area south of the Staten Island Railway line. The 10304 ZIP Code is for the area north of the railway line. The United States Postal Service does not have a post office directly in Dongan Hills. The closest one is the New Dorp Station at 2562 Hylan Boulevard.

Learning in Dongan Hills: Schools and Library

Dongan Hills and nearby areas have a similar number of college-educated residents compared to the rest of New York City. About 40% of adults aged 25 and older have a college degree or higher.

Students in Dongan Hills and nearby areas generally do well in school. The number of elementary school students who miss many days of school is lower than the city average. Also, about 87% of high school students graduate on time, which is higher than the city average.

Local Schools

The New York City Department of Education runs these public schools near Dongan Hills:

• PS 11 Thomas Dongan School (for grades from Pre-Kindergarten to 5th grade)
• PS 46 Albert V Maniscalco (for grades from Pre-Kindergarten to 5th grade)

Public Library

The New York Public Library has a branch in Dongan Hills. It is located at 1617 Richmond Road. The library first opened in 1957 and moved to its current building in 1975. The building was updated in 2008.

Getting Around Dongan Hills: Transportation

Dongan Hills has its own Staten Island Railway station, also called Dongan Hills.

You can also get around using local buses. The S78, S79 SBS buses run on Hylan Boulevard. The S74, S84, S76, S86 buses run on Richmond Road. For faster travel, express bus service is available. The SIM1, SIM7, SIM10 buses run on Hylan Boulevard, and the SIM15 bus runs on Richmond Road.

Famous People from Dongan Hills

• Charles W. Berry (1871–1941) was a New York City Comptroller.
• Robert Crooks Stanley (1876–1951) was a former chairman and president of the International Nickel Company. He is known for discovering the metal alloy called Monel.