The area that is now Historic Richmond Town's main site served for nearly two centuries as the government center of Staten Island (Richmond County). After Staten Island became one of the five boroughs of New York City in 1898, the county offices were gradually moved to the northern part of Staten Island, closer to Manhattan, and Richmond Town became a quiet community as government offices, and the many businesses that served them, left the neighborhood.
In the 1930s, the Staten Island Historical Society, along with Borough Historian Loring McMillen, saw a historic preservation opportunity in the buildings that had been vacated, and in 1933 the Society obtained permission to renovate the former County Clerk's and Surrogate's Office for use as a museum. The museum opened in 1935, and in the following years the Society acquired several other nearby historic buildings. In 1948 the Society was granted use of the Third County Courthouse (which today serves as the Visitor Center). In the early 1950s, the City of New York acquired the 100-acre Richmond Town site, which was designated Richmondtown Restoration and set aside for preservation. Today this site, with 30 historic structures, serves as the largest of the four sites that make up Historic Richmond Town.
In 2025, New York City celebrates 60 years since the Mayor Robert Wagner signed the Landmarks Law on April 19, 1965. This law started a wave of historic preservation. Several historic structures and spaces were landmarked in the 1960s following the passage of the Landmarks Law, including the Voorlezer's House, Rezeau-Van Pelt Cemetery, Kruser-Finley House, Print Shop, Stephens-Black House, Third County Courthouse, Basket Maker’s House, Boehm House, Bennett House, Museum, and the Parsonage.
In honor of this celebration we have collaborated with Historypin as a vehicle to tell the story of building preservation at Historic Richmond Town. Historypin is a non-profit organization that uses an interactive mapping platform to tell the stories of communities. It allows users to overlay photos onto current Google maps images. We used historic images of Historic Richmond Town's buildings to tell a visual story of building preservation between 1965 and 2025. Each photo has additional building history information included. Check out the then and nows!
The Guyon-Lake-Tysen House is unusually large by 18th-century Staten Island standards and represents a substantial, prosperous way of life. It was constructed as a farmhouse and was used as such for most of its history. It was situated in an area of large, fertile farm plots of substantial acreage.
This house was built ca. 1810. It is a simple, one and one-half story wood frame building with a rubble stone basement. Its original location was on Richmond Avenue in New Springville. It was moved to Historic Richmond Town in 1965. The architecture is vernacular in style, with Dutch and Flemish influences.
Read MoreThe Britton Cottage is a one and one-half story fieldstone and wood frame farmhouse. The center section of the house dates to ca. 1670. Two additions were built ca. 1760, and a lean-to was added prior to 1840.
Read MoreThe Kruser-Finley House is set back from the north side of Richmond Road, east of the intersection with Richmond Hill Road. It was originally located in nearby Egbertville, on the south side of Richmond Road (once known as Black Horse Road), east of Hitchcock Avenue. It was moved to Historic Richmond Town in 1965.
The Kruser-Finley House is a 1 ½ story clapboard residence with a fieldstone foundation and an unfinished basement. It is composed of two sections; the newer, eastern section is lower in height and is sided with shingles. It was built ca. 1790, with additions ca. 1820 and ca. 1840-1890.
Read MoreDunn's Mill was one of eleven mills that operated on Staten Island during the 1700s and 1800s. It was situated by the Richmond Creek, across the road from St. Andrew's Church. John Dunn purchased the land in 1795, and began operating his gristmill ca. 1800.
Read MoreBuildings were constructed on this site between ca. 1729 and ca. 1828 to serve a variety of county functions. A reconstructed wood frame marks the location today, at the intersection of Richmond Road, Arthur Kill Road, and Richmond Hill Road.
Read MoreThe stone arch Town Bridge passes over Richmond Creek, connecting Arthur Kill Road and Richmond Hill Road. The current structure, composed of dressed fieldstone, was erected in 1845 and is the only remaining 19th-century stone arch bridge on Staten Island. It connects two of the oldest roads on Staten Island.
Read MoreHemsley Hall is located at 980 Richmond Hill Road. It is used by the Church of St. Andrew and is also available as space for community functions.
Read MoreAnglicans established the Church of St. Andrew at the head of the Fresh Kills in the early 18th century. A graveyard and church were begun by 1709 and the stone church building completed in 1712, adding a major institutional presence to the growing hamlet of Richmond. The church was granted its charter by Queen Anne in 1713.
Read MoreThe Treasure House stands on its original site on Arthur Kill Road at the foot of Richmond Road, across Richmond Creek from the Church of St. Andrew. The house is an example of early American architecture that arose from European traditions transplanted to the New World.
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