1900 Map of Staten Island

About this map

Staten Island and its surrounding waterways appear at the turn of the century as a landscape defined by maritime defense and industrial transit. Military installations guard the entrance to the inner harbor, with Fort Wadsworth and Fort Tompkins overlooking The Narrows toward Fort Hamilton on the Brooklyn shore. The island's interior is a mix of developing settlements and rural tracts, featuring names like Woods of Arden and Fresh Kills. Along the northern and western shores, the Staten Island Rapid Transit Railroad and the Baltimore and New York Railroad connect terminal towns like Elizabethport and Tottenville to the mainland. Significant landmarks include the Moravian Cemetery in the island's center and the Lower Quarantine Ship anchored in the Lower Bay, illustrating the island's critical role in managing New York's incoming maritime traffic and public health during this era.