Mariners Harbor, Staten Island facts for kids
Mariners Harbor is a neighborhood located in the northwestern part of New York City's borough of Staten Island. It is bordered by Lake Avenue to the east, Forest Avenue to the south, Richmond Terrace to the north, and Holland Avenue to the west. A part of Mariners Harbor, in the northwest, is also known as Arlington.
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Contents
History of Mariners Harbor
This neighborhood gets its name from its past. In the 1800s, people here harvested oysters and other seafood from the Kill Van Kull. This waterway forms the northern border of the neighborhood.
Later, the area became known for building and fixing ships. Fishing became less common in the 1900s because of pollution. But the Mariners Harbor Yacht Club still reminds everyone of the community's connection to the sea.
The first train station here was called Erastina, built in 1886. It was named after Erastus Wiman, who helped the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad come to New York. Empty land nearby was even used for Buffalo Bill’s “Wild West Show”! This brought many visitors by train. Erastina soon became Mariners Harbor after Wiman faced problems.
There were three other train stations along the North Shore line: Lake Avenue, Harbor Road, and Arlington. Passenger trains stopped running on this line in 1953. Today, parts of the line are used by freight trains. These trains carry goods between New Jersey and the Howland Hook Marine Terminal.
In the early 1900s, Mariners Harbor was home to large shipping companies. One big company was Bethlehem Steel. They built destroyers for the United States Navy during World War II.
Today, you can still find marine businesses here. Two tugboat companies, K-Sea and McAllister, operate in the area. There are also smaller places that fix ships. The John McAllister tug boat was even added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2001.
The West Shore Little League and Public School 44 are also important parts of the neighborhood. In recent years, many new shops have opened along Forest Avenue. This has brought new life and more people to the area.
Mariners Harbor is also home to a new branch of the New York Public Library. It opened on December 16, 2013. The building is shaped like an oyster, which honors the neighborhood's history with the sea. It even won an award for its design! This library serves about 30,000 people.
People and Culture
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The first settlers here in the 1600s and 1700s were from the Netherlands and France. You can still see their family names on streets like Van Name Avenue and Mersereau Avenue.
The oldest church in the neighborhood is Summerfield Methodist Church, founded in 1840. It has a diverse group of people who attend, showing the mix of cultures in Mariners Harbor today. Another important church is Fellowship Baptist Church. It was started by community leader Rev. Arthur D. Phillips. This church has a large Black congregation and has been visited by New York City mayors.
From the early 1900s to the 1930s, many Italian-Americans moved to Mariners Harbor. They still make up a large part of the population. In 1954, the New York City Housing Authority opened the Mariners Harbor Houses. This changed the neighborhood.
Over time, the western part of the neighborhood became mostly Black. The eastern part, which was White for longer, slowly became more Hispanic. Today, all parts of Mariners Harbor have a mix of Hispanic, Black, and White residents. The southern part also has a small Asian population that has grown quickly.
The 10303 ZIP Code, which includes Mariners Harbor, has a high percentage of Puerto Rican residents. It also has a high percentage of Hispanic and Black residents. It has the lowest percentage of Non-Hispanic White residents.
In 2010, the population of Mariners Harbor was roughly 14.2% White, 36% Black, 39.4% Hispanic, and 7.9% Asian.
Fire Safety
The New York City Fire Department (FDNY) helps keep Mariners Harbor safe. Engine Co. 158 is located at 65 Harbor Road.
Post Office and ZIP Codes
Mariners Harbor uses two ZIP Codes: 10303 and 10314. The United States Postal Service has a post office branch called Mariners Harbor Finance Station at 2079 Forest Avenue.
Education
Schools in Mariners Harbor
Most students in Mariners Harbor go to Port Richmond High School, I.S. 51, and P.S. 22 or P.S. 44. Some students in a specific area go to I.S. 72.
P.S. 44 is located at 80 Maple Parkway. It offers classes from Pre-K to fifth grade. In 2011, it had 884 students, with about 12.5 students for every teacher.
Library in Mariners Harbor
The New York Public Library's Mariners Harbor branch is at 206 South Avenue. This library opened on December 16, 2013. It is the thirteenth library branch on Staten Island. The building is shaped like an oyster, which connects to the area's history. It serves about 30,000 people in the neighborhood.
Transportation
Mariners Harbor has several local bus routes. These include the S40, S46, S48 buses. During rush hour, there are also limited-stop versions of these buses: S90, S96, S98. For travel to Manhattan, there are express bus routes like the SIM30, SIM33, SIM33C, SIM34.
See also
In Spanish: Mariners Harbor (Staten Island) para niños
