Tompkinsville is a neighborhood in northeastern Staten Island in New York City. Named for U.S. Vice President Daniel D. Tompkins, the neighborhood sits on the island’s eastern shore, along the waterfront facing Upper New York Bay, between St. George on the north and Stapleton on the south; however, it is considered part of the North Shore by the island’s residents.
Tompkinsville, located in the Town of Castleton, was where early European explorers replenished their freshwater supplies and were known in colonial times as the “Watering Place.” It was opposite the Watering Place that the then most significant British expeditionary force, with 450 ships and 32,000 soldiers, arrived in Upper New York Bay and landed in advance of the American Revolutionary War. In 1799, the New York state government took 30 acres (12 ha) along the waterfront, upon which it established the New York Marine Hospital (also “The Quarantine”), a contagious disease hospital.
In 1815, a settlement was established by New York state governor Daniel D. Tompkins in the neighborhood next to the existing quarantine station. He was elected Vice President the following year. In 1817 Tompkins built a dock at the foot of present-day Victory Boulevard and began offering steam ferry service to Manhattan. Angry residents burned down the Quarantine in 1858 in a series of attacks known as the Staten Island Quarantine War. Although there were no deaths due to the attack, the arsonists destroyed the hospital compound.
21st Century
In the 21st century, Tompkinsville became a racially diverse area, and a little Sri Lanka had developed. There is also a large population of Italian-Americans, African Americans, and Mexicans. In 2014, black Staten Island, NYC resident Eric Garner was killed by police in Tompkinsville in an incident that received widespread media coverage.
Culture
Tompkinsville contains an enclave of Sri Lankans. The neighborhood also hosts several live music and art venues, including Everything Goes Book Café, Deep Tanks Studio, Coyle Cavern, Ink Chyx Tattoo & Art Gallery, and the Staten Island LGBT Community Center take part in the north shore’s monthly Second Saturday art walk. As with much of the north shore, the area is decidedly more urban than is typical of Staten Island, evinced in the architecture (predominantly tall brick buildings) and numerous retail stores and eateries. Unlike many other North Shore communities (like Port Richmond), the neighborhood has no public housing projects. Its housing stock is dominated by single-family homes built in the first few decades of the 20th century. H&A Power Washing Staten Island
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