The Staten Island Ferry Westfield’s boiler explodes, killing over 85 people.

The **Staten Island Ferry** has a history dating back to the early eighteenth century, when regular boat services began linking Staten Island with Manhattan. Before bridges connected the boroughs of New York City, ferries were the only practical way for residents to travel across New York Harbor. By the early 1800s, steam-powered ferries had replaced sailing vessels, making the crossing faster, more reliable, and capable of carrying increasing numbers of passengers. The ferry became an essential transportation link as Staten Island’s population grew and New York City expanded into one of the world’s busiest ports.

The modern ferry system began to take shape in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. In 1905, after a series of accidents involving privately operated ferries, New York City assumed control of the service, placing safety and reliability under municipal management. The opening of the St. George Ferry Terminal in Staten Island and the Whitehall Terminal in Lower Manhattan further improved operations. Despite the construction of the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge in 1964, which provided Staten Island’s first direct road connection to Brooklyn, the ferry remained indispensable because the bridge does not accommodate pedestrians or cyclists.

Today, the Staten Island Ferry is one of New York City’s most iconic transportation services, carrying more than 20 million passengers each year. Operated by the New York City Department of Transportation, it provides free, around-the-clock service between St. George and Whitehall terminals. The approximately 25-minute journey offers spectacular views of the Manhattan skyline, Ellis Island, and the Statue of Liberty, making it popular with both commuters and tourists. Over more than three centuries, the Staten Island Ferry has evolved from a simple harbour crossing into a historic symbol of New York City and one of the busiest passenger ferry services in the United States.