To get a good look at the Statue of Liberty
without actually visiting it, some tourists take a round trip on the Staten
Island Ferry, which is a mistake. Staten
Island has some wonderful places to see and people to meet.
For example, Historic Richmond Town is
fascinating and you meet people in ‘olde worlde’ costumes, visit their homes,
the general store and America’s oldest Elementary School.
The Snug Harbor Cultural Center is a
collection of Greek Revival Buildings.
At one time it was a refuge for retired merchant seamen and now houses
art galleries and museums surrounded by woods and gardens.
A favourite corner of Staten Island is the
Botanical Garden, which is beautiful and peaceful. It is a must for fans of the children’s book,
“The Secret Garden” (by Frances Hodgson Bennett) because in here is a Secret
Garden based on that story. It is a maze
made up of intricate pathways lined with evergreens, which leads to a walled
secret garden. Overlooking the one-acre
site is a 38ft castle – complete with drawbridge and a moat. Although designed for children, everyone
enjoys strolling through the maze to find the secret garden.
The Alice Austen House Museum is a must for
photographers. Alice was a photographer
who lived in a Victorian Cottage at the turn of the 20th century and
the rooms are filled with samples of her work.
The Sandy Ground Historical Society
celebrates the first community established by freed slaves in North
America. The museum and library document
the life and history of the people who settled here before the Civil War.
Film fans may recognise parts of Staten
Island. Films in which it has been
featured include “Working Girl” and “The Godfather”. “Casa Corleone” was, in fact, a pair of
Tudoresque homes in the Hamilton Park neighbourhood – look for Longfellow
Street, but don’t expect to meet members of the Corleone Family!
