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.
The New Dorp Railroad Station was built by New York real estate developers Hughes and Ross in 1889 and operated by the Staten Island Rapid Transit Railroad Company. It is believed to have been designed by New York City architect Henry Knapp, based on style similarities to Knapp-designed residences in New Dorp.
Read MoreThe Rezeau-Van Pelt Cemetery is located near the intersection of Tysen Court and Center Street, just west of the Third County Courthouse, on the original site where it was established in the 1780s (decades before the courthouse was built). It is a small homestead graveyard, the type of family burial plot that was once commonly found on private property. It has ten small headstones and one larger monument with a molded arched pediment.
Read MoreThe lawn between P.S. 28 and the Third County Courthouse is now used for visitor picnicking and outdoor concerts at Historic Richmond Town. But in earlier years, a house stood here, at 284 Center Street.
Read MorePublic School 28 was one of several new schools built in the years following the 1898 consolidation of Greater New York, when Staten Island became a borough of New York City. Prior to that time, the schools on Staten Island were under the jurisdiction of the Richmond County Superintendent of Schools and the State of New York, and they were known as "common schools."
Read MoreSt. Patrick’s Church is the home of a Roman Catholic parish founded in 1862. It was the fifth Catholic church established on Staten Island, built at a time when many new immigrants, especially increasing numbers of Irish and German Catholic people, were settling in areas in and around Richmond.
Read MoreThe Stephens-Prier House stands on its original site between Richmond Road and Center Street at the corner of St. Patrick's Place. It is a two and one-half story wood frame house built ca. 1857-1859. It is symmetrically designed, incorporating classical pediments on all four sides with identical facades on Center Street and Richmond Road. The architecture shows features of both Greek Revival and Italianate styles.
Read MoreDesigned to resemble a late-1800s carriage house, this building houses architectural elements and museum maintenance equipment.
Read MoreDesigned to resemble a late-1800s carriage house, this building was used as exhibition space and as a gift shop before 1980s renovations of the Visitors Center and Historical Museum. The structure now provides storage of large-scale materials.
This set appeared in the HBO hit series Boardwalk Empire.
Read MoreThis house was built ca. 1836-1837 by developer Henry I. Seaman. It was originally on the south side of Center Street between St. Patrick's Place and Moore Street. It is now situated on the north side of Center Street between Court Place and St. Patrick's Place.
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