In the early 17th century, many Dutch families immigrated to the New Netherland area of the United States. One of 
these families was from the village De Bilt, in the Netherlands. The family was then known as Van der Bilt, which, in Dutch, means "from the Bilt". Cornelius Vanderbilt, a descendant of the Vanderbilt family, became a philanthropic entrepreneur, owning much land in Staten Island. In 1836, he bought farmland in the New Dorp area, which was, at the time, the club ground for the Richmond County Agricultural Society.
In 1919, the land was sold to the federal government by descendants of Cornelius Vanderbilt. By 1921, an airfield was completed on the property. It was named Miller Field, for the first American aviator Killed-In-Action serving in World War I, Captain James E. Miller. Complete with a concrete seaplane ramp, runways, radio masts, hangars, and housing for troops, the Miller Army Air Field served its purpose from its opening until 1969.
In 1974, the site was acquired by the National Park Service. With renovations in the later part of the century, Miller Field became a well-known park. During the renovation, two new
baseball fields and a soccer field were added to the park. There are also playgrounds, a bocce court, and a picnic area. During the summer, the Staten Island Philharmonic Orchestra performs at the Field. The s76 bus, which travels along Richmond Road from St. George, stops right by the entrance to the park.
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