Reblogged via The Newtown Pentacle  On a recent WHC Hidden Harbor® tour, photographer historian Mitch Waxman captures our return journey at sunset.

diurnal prison

- photo by Mitch Waxman

During the colonial era, there were small operators who exploited the route in two-masted ships called Periaugers, but it wasn’t until 1817- when a farm boy from Staten Island started a motorized service- that the most popular tourist destination in New York City truly got started. The farm boy bought a steamboat called Nautilus with a loan from his mother, which was captained by his brother-in-law. Not many people would recognize the name of that Captain- John DeForest- but it’s easy to be overlooked in the historical record when your brother-in-law was named Cornelius Vanderbilt.

- photo by Mitch Waxman

The consolidated City of New York took possession of the route from the Vanderbilts in 1905, as the family had moved into decidedly less maritime interests like railroads and real estate speculation. It’s run by the NYC DOT today, and is the most reliable of all the mass transit systems in the entire city with a 96% on time rate. The particular ferry boat in these shots is the Guy V Molinari, named for the long sitting and dynastic Borough President of Staten Island.

…read and see more at the Newtown Pentacle.

by Mai Armstrong via Mitch Waxman for Working Harbor Committee

About these ads