Learn About Travis
Travis is one of Staten Island’s most historic and resilient neighborhoods, famously home to the oldest Independence Day parade in the nation (dating back to 1911). Originally known as "Linoleumville"—it was the site of the first linoleum factory in America—the residents voted overwhelmingly to change the name to Travis in 1930. Today, it remains a unique, somewhat isolated "frontier" of the West Shore, where industrial history meets tight-knit residential life. It is a neighborhood that has fiercely preserved its identity even as major developments like the West Shore Plaza and AMC Movie Theater (formerly UA) have grown around its borders.
✦ Why I Love Travis ✦
Residents love Travis for its small-town, "suburb-within-the-city" atmosphere. Because it is surrounded by the vast Freshkills Park and the Arthur Kill, it feels like a private enclave where everyone knows their neighbors. It is a place of deep patriotism and community pride, best seen every July 4th when thousands descend upon Victory Boulevard.
For families and long-time residents, the appeal lies in the quiet, dead-end streets, the active volunteer fire house (Oceanic Hook & Ladder No. 1), and the fact that you can get the space of the suburbs with a strong sense of local heritage.