Eltingville, Staten Island facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Eltingville
|
|
|---|---|
|
Neighborhood of Staten Island
|
|
"Welcome to Eltingville" sign, at Richmond Avenue
|
|
| Country | United States |
| State | New York |
| County | Richmond |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) |
| ZIP Codes |
10308, 10312
|
| Area codes | 917, 718, 347, 929 |
Eltingville is a neighborhood located in the Staten Island area of New York City, United States. It sits on Staten Island's South Shore, just south of Great Kills and north of Annadale.
The main shopping area in Eltingville is along Richmond Avenue. Other businesses can be found heading north on Amboy Road and Hylan Boulevard. Eltingville is represented by elected officials like Andrew Lanza in the New York State Senate, Michael Reilly in the New York State Assembly, and Joe Borelli in the New York City Council. These people help make decisions for the community.
Contents
History of Eltingville
Eltingville was first called South Side, and later Seaside. It got its current name from the Elting family, who settled there in the early 1800s.
How the Railroad Shaped Eltingville
The Staten Island Railway used to end in Eltingville until 1860. That's when the train line was extended to Tottenville. The main business district of the community grew up around the railroad station. This station is a short walk north from where Amboy Road and Richmond Avenue meet.
Telephone History in Eltingville
In the 1920s, the telephone company named a local phone exchange "Honeywood." This exchange served Eltingville, Great Kills, Annadale, and Huguenot. It stopped being used in 1959. However, a local store called Honeywood Liquors on Hylan Boulevard reminded people of the old exchange for many years.
When the old phone systems changed to dial service, Honeywood 6 and Tottenville 8 became YUkon 4. Today, Eltingville uses several phone exchange numbers, including 984, 356, 226, 227, 317, 948, 966, and 967. The 605 and 608 exchanges were added in the late 1990s.
In the early 1900s, many people from Scandinavia, especially Norwegians, moved to Eltingville. So many families had the same last names, like Hansen, Johnson, and Erickson. To tell people apart, they would add a nickname, like "delicatessen Hansen" or "fish Hansen."
The Scandinavian community was very strong in Eltingville. The Eltingville Lutheran Church was started by Norwegians and became a key part of the community. Many older homes in the area were built by Scandinavian carpenters. However, many of these homes are now being torn down, and not much is written about the contributions of these immigrants.
A popular cigar store chain called Optimo Cigar started in Eltingville. It was founded by a Norwegian man named Paul Alan Moe. The store was next to the Eltingville train station for many years. It closed in the 1990s, but two Greek-style columns from the storefront are still there.
Growth After the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge
When the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge opened in 1964, Eltingville saw a lot of new homes being built. This was part of the growth of suburbanization around New York City. Farmland in the area was turned into neighborhoods, and the once rural area became part of the city.
This rapid growth caused some problems, like not having enough sewer lines. New sewer lines had to be built, which meant that traffic on many main roads, including a large part of Hylan Boulevard, had to be rerouted during the 1990s.
Eltingville Today: A Diverse Community
Today, Eltingville has a large Italian-American population, similar to much of Staten Island's South Shore. There are many Italian-owned businesses, including restaurants, funeral homes, and pizzerias. The office of State Senator Andrew Lanza is also located on Richmond Avenue in the neighborhood.
Eltingville also has a smaller number of Irish-Americans. There is also a growing population of Russians and other ethnic groups, making Eltingville a diverse community.
St. Alban's Episcopal Church is an important historical building in Eltingville. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.
Education in Eltingville
Eltingville is home to several schools. These include P.S. 42 and Eltingville Lutheran School. After elementary school, students from these schools often go to I.S.7 for middle school.
Transportation in Eltingville
Getting around Eltingville is easy with public transportation. The neighborhood is served by the S54, S59, S78, S79 SBS, S89 local buses. You can also take the Staten Island Railway from the Eltingville station. Many express buses, like the SIM1, SIM1C, SIM4, SIM4C, SIM5, SIM6, SIM7, SIM8, SIM9, SIM10, SIM15, SIM22, SIM31, start or end their routes at the Eltingville Transit Center.
Notable People from Eltingville
- Evan Dorkin, a comic book creator, worked at a comic book store in Eltingville for several years. His comic book series The Eltingville Club is set in the neighborhood. It was even made into an animated pilot for Adult Swim.
- Vito Fossella, a politician, had his campaign headquarters in Eltingville.
- Steven Seagal, a famous actor, once lived in Eltingville.
