Frederick Staats Circle

A quiet tribute stands before us. This is Frederick Staats Circle. It’s not much of a circle anymore. It’s more like two oddly shaped triangles of green. But within these triangles lies a poignant story. This small park honors Private Frederick Staats a young man from Staten Island.
Frederick Staats was born in Rosebank in 1894. He was a brakeman for the Staten Island Rapid Transit. He was described as tall and slender with blue eyes and dark brown hair. In 1917 he answered the call of duty. He registered for the draft.
Private Staats served in Company C of the 306th Infantry. He was killed in action in World War I on September 30 1918. He died in a machine gun nest. He was only 24.
In 1928 the Board of Aldermen renamed this spot Frederick Staats Circle. It was a proper circle then. It was dedicated to his memory. Imagine a completely different landscape here.
The circle changed in 1976. A construction project altered its shape. It became what we see today. This change improved traffic flow. It also provided safer pedestrian crossings. The project took far longer than expected over a year. Several city departments were involved. Parks Highway Traffic Water Supply and Gas and Electricity.
Despite the change in shape Frederick Staats Circle remains a memorial. The American Legion erected a stone monument. Surrounding the monument is a circle of red cobblestones. This is a visible reminder of the circle’s original form. Parks now manages the triangles as part of the Greenstreets program. They’ve transformed the area into a small green oasis. Shade trees flowering trees shrubs and ground cover thrive here. The green space helps to combat urban heat. The plants create a cooler environment in contrast to the surrounding traffic and buildings. Frederick Staats Circle is more than just a traffic island. It is a quiet testament to a young life lost and a community’s enduring respect.