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e, New York. From 1879 to 1904 it was know as Starin's Glen Island, the brainchild of John H. Starin, shipping magnet and former member of the U.S. House of Representatives. Starin's purpose was "to make the island the most popular picnic resort in the country -- and to maintain it as a most orderly one and to banish from it all disturbing elements that are so frequently found at similar places." Starin was soon drawing over 15,000 visitors daily who were bought to Glen Island by his steamships on the 1 1/2 hour ride from Manhattan. Actually, Starin's Glen Island comprised six islands connected by walking bridges. Among the numerous attractions were a zoo; an aviary; a natural history museum; dining and bathing pavilions; boating; picnic grounds; a dairy; a Chinese pagoda tower; a merry-go-round, bowling alleys; elephant, camel and donkey rides; a seal pond; tropical gardens and military band concerts. Starin also billed Glen Island as a "New York World Fair" and it was said to be an inspiration for Walt Disney. It included an imported Hindu Village from India with magicians, jugglers and fakirs; "Little Japan" featuring a teahouse with Geisha girls; a Filipino Village; a Puerto Rican Colony that presented a "faithful portraiture of the life of the natives;" a band of "Wild Sioux Indians" who set up tee-pees and a medicine tent; A Dutch windmill (imported from Long Island) and most famously, "Little Germany" a replica of a Rhineland castle used as a beer garden and that still stands today.