The Historian Winter 2009

We are pleased to announce that the Winter 2009 issue of the THE STATEN ISLAND HISTORIAN has been published.

This issue features an article about the Quarantine titled, "The night Tompkinsville rebelled against the quarantine."

Listen to Stout performing The Quarantine written by Norm Pederson.

The Quarantine
By Norm Pederson
When ships came into the harbor, the city folk would say
there is yellow jack and fever, take it far away.
That island in the distance looks happy and sublime,
so we’ll put it there, the fever there, until the end of time
(Chorus)
The bitter tears of fifty years the like you never seen,
don’t wish you been there when they burnt the quarantine.
The bitter tears of fifty years the like you never seen,
don’t wish you been there when they burnt the quarantine.
Daughter dear you look so pale, let me touch your brow,
I think you got the fever, we’ll fetch the doctor now.
The doctor shakes his head and says fever is here to stay.
We begged the state, but they won’t take the quarantine away
(Chorus)
Late on one September night in 1858,
the men came down from Castletown and forced the Iron Gate.
When all were out they struck a match and then they look around
Good riddance to the quarantine, and burned it to the ground.