The History of Port Richmond, New York

Port Richmond is one of Staten Islands oldest neighborhoods.

Port Richmond, part of New York City's Richmond borough, is located on Staten Island's northern shore along the strait separating it from New Jersey. Formerly an independent village of Dutch and French settlers, Port Richmond has a rich history and is home to the famed Ritz Theater.

Settlement

Staten Island was first reported by European explorers in 1524, and while Dutch trade was established by 1610, settlements did not start appearing in the area until later in the 17th century. After a cemetery was established in the area in 1696, Dutch and French settlers founded a community that exists to this day. It was not until 1866, however, that Port Richmond was incorporated as a Staten Island village.

Names

In its earliest years of European settlement, the area now called Port Richmond was simply known as the "Burial Place." Before Port Richmond was incorporated by the state of New York, the village went through a succession of names including Bristol, New Bristol, Irvington, Cyrene, and Cityville. Rev. Dr. James Brownlee of the Dutch Reformed Church is credited with naming the area Port Richmond.

Industry

Port Richmond became an important industrial and transportation center for Staten Island in the 18th and 19th centuries. Its prominent location on the Kill Van Kur allowed for a convenient transfer station for ferries between New York City and New Brunswick, New Jersey, and eventually a Port Richmond ferry landing linking Staten Island to Bergen Point, New Jersey. Due to the construction of the Bayonne Bridge and the development of Staten Island's interior, however, Port Richmond's role in New York City's transportation industry all but disappeared since the 1960s.

References

• The Encyclopedia Britannica: Volume 22, by Hugh Chisholm
• American Towns: Staten Island Speaks - Port Richmond