Happy Anniversary, New York City!

[EE Broadway Local]

Though modern New York City didn't become official until January 1, 1898, the process began on November 6, 1894:

 

From NY1's Today In New York City History:

 

November 6th in NYC History:

 

On This Date In:

 

1894...Voters narrowly approve the consolidation of Manhattan, The Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, and Staten Island into the Greater City Of New York. Opposition is especially strong in Brooklyn - but four years later, the merger becomes official.

 

Between the vote of November 6, 1894 and the modern New York City on January 1, 1898:

 

Manhattan and The Bronx, though one county, (New York County) were established as two separate boroughs on January 1, 1898. (Our State Legislature would formally Bronx County on January 1, 1914.)

 

Brooklyn, a city, and Kings County became a borough on January 1, 1898.

 

The new New York City borough of Queens was authorized by our State Legislature on May 4, 1897. Queens, which had been created on November 1, 1683 as one of our original twelve (12) counties, and which included today's Nassau County underwent a reshaping: Long Island City, like Brooklyn, a city, and the towns of Flushing, Jamaica, and Newtown, plus the Rockaway Peninsular portion of the Town of Hempstead

(Far Rockaway) became the new borough of Queens, and the new Queens County borders became coterminous with the borders of the new borough. In the process, Queens lost the eastern 280 square miles of her orignal shape when it was partitioned and became the new Nassau County on January 1, 1899 and included former Queens County towns Town of Oyster Bay, Town of North Hempstead, and the remaining portion of the Town of Hempstead.

 

Richmond County (Staten Island) became a borough on January 1, 1898.

 

While New York County, Kings County, and Richmond County, like Queens County were original counties, The Bronx is unique. What became The Bronx and Bronx County was part of Westchester County. In 1873, our State Legislature annexed Kingsbridge, Morrisania, and West Farms into New York City, effective 1874, then in 1895 annexed the area east of the Bronx River (including the Town of Westchester which had voted against consolidation on November 6, 1894 and portions of Eastchester and Pelham to New York City. When City Island voted to join the city in 1896, The Bronx assumed its' present shape. On January 1, 1898, when The Bronx became one of the five boroughs, it became part of New York County until January 1, 1914 when Bronx County, our 62d and final county became official.

 

Richmond County became Richmond Borough but is known better as Staten Island. This name is the anglicized version of the island's original Dutch name: Staatent Eyelandt. Similiarly, the original New York City (until 1874), and New York County were created on Manhattan Island and were renamed from New Amsterdam and New Netherland.