Staunton Island

A pivotal island district linked to Portland by ferry in 1998, home to Fort Staunton which transitions from Little Italy to a construction zone.

In early 1998, Staunton Island served as a critical hub in Liberty City, connected to Portland solely by a ferry service because the Callahan Bridge remained unfinished. This district acted as a primary setting for the prequel events leading up to Grand Theft Auto III. The area featured Fort Staunton, which began the year as a 'Little Italy' district before its destruction and conversion into a construction site by 2001. As the narrative progressed, Toni Cipriani navigated these evolving streets while rising through the Leone crime family ranks.

Quick Facts

Game appearance: Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories
Location: Staunton Island, Liberty City
Key districts: Fort Staunton, Belleville Park

Lore & Background

The lore of Staunton Island is defined by its role as a battleground for the city's competing Mafia organizations during 1998. The district was central to the power struggle involving the Leone, Sindacco, and Forelli families. Fort Staunton exemplified this volatility; it started as a 'Little Italy' enclave but became mostly destroyed due to storyline events, eventually serving as a construction site by the time of Grand Theft Auto III in 2001. The area also hosted the corrupt mayor Roger C. Hole's administration until his assassination by Toni Cipriani while jogging in Belleville Park on Salvatore Leone's orders. This political turmoil allowed the Sicilian Mafia underboss Massimo Torini to orchestrate a wider mob war, rigging mayoral elections and manipulating figures like Donald Love to gain control over the city.

Reader's Guide

To navigate Staunton Island effectively in Liberty City Stories, players must utilize the ferry service as the primary link to Portland until later story progression alters access. The area features Fort Staunton, which serves as a key location for missions involving explosives and redevelopment plans orchestrated by Donald Love. Players should expect intense police presence due to the corruption of Mayor Roger C. Hole, who was secretly controlled by the Forelli family. Key objectives include assassinating targets like the mayor in Belleville Park and infiltrating Yakuza compounds to steal military hardware such as a Rhino tank. The island also hosts critical story moments where Toni confronts Massimo Torini at a lighthouse and rescues the kidnapped mayoral candidate Miles O'Donovon.