413 Westervelt Avenue | A Staten Island Historical Home

This historic home is one among the row of houses along Westervelt Avenue designated, Horton's Row. The row of houses was constructed between 1880 and 1882 by Harry Horton, a prominent New York City banker and broker. It consisted of twelve identical attached masonry row houses, which were built as an affordable option for middle-class families on Staten Island. However, out of the twelve, 413 Westervelt is one of the four that remained intact.

Horton purchased the land for Horton's Row in 1870, but did not begin its construction until about a decade later. During the time, it was common to see many mansions and large estates among this portion of New Brighton, so Horton decided to create more affordable houses. The buildings are believed to have been…

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The William Cass House | A Staten Island Historical Home

The William Cass house, also known as The Crimson Beech, is a historical home located on Lighthouse Hill. This house received its name from an old copper beech tree that once sat on the land which William and Catherine Cass acquired for their home. The tree remained there for 10 years until a hurricane destroyed it and a new one was planted. 

The architect behind this house, and many other important buildings around the country, such as the Guggenheim Museum, is Frank Lloyd Wright. Although he is more known for his larger architectural masterpieces, he also created many houses for middle-class people in the mid 1900s, after the Great Depression ended. The houses he built were primarily in 2 styles, the Marshall Erdman Prefabricated Houses #1 and #2,…

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Seaman Cottage | A Staten Island Historical Home

In Staten Island's very own Historic Richmond Town, lies the Seaman Cottage. It was built by Henry I. Seaman from 1836 to 1837. It originally resided on the south side of Center Street between St. Patrick's Place and Moore Street, at 218 Center Street. Now it has been relocated to the north side of Center Street between Court and St. Patrick's Place, at 441 Clarke Avenue. 

Seaman first purchased the land in 1836 after marrying his second cousin, Katherine Seaman, heir to the Seaman-Kortwright family real estate fortune. As a result of this, he has the ability to pursue a number of business ventures, including the development of the Seaman Cottage.

This home is a Cottage from the Greek Revival Era from the late 18th to early 19th century. A cottage…

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The Vanderzee-Harper House | A Staten Island Historical Home

The Vanderzee- Harper House is located at 327 Westervelt Avenue, in the St. George area of Staten Island. The house was built circa 1887 in the Queen Anne style with Shingle style details. After purchasing the property which the house now sits on, Margaret Shields and her husband Gordon Doane Vanderzee maintained ownership until 1920, followed by occupancy of renters and later the family of Thomas Harper. Harper owned the home for over twenty-five years, therefore why he is acknowledged in the house's name. Although the Vanderzee's remained owners until 1920, they relocated to Philadelphia in 1895, five years after the birth of their son.The house was officially designated a landmark by the Landmarks Preservation Commission on August 11, 2009 . Recently…

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The Henry Hogg Biddle House | A Staten Island Historical Home

This home located at 70 Satterlee Street, is among one of the five historic homes situated on The Conference House Park, in Tottenville. In the late 1820s sea captain, Henry Biddle moved to Staten Island with his mother, who unfortunately died a little after a year later. Following that in 1831 he married Harriet Butler and they had two sons, William Henry and Charles Stevens. Following Harriet's death in 1842, Henry remarried in 1845, to Margaret, and during this period he constructed what is now known as the Henry Hogg Biddle House. This Greek Revival style home provides a beautiful panoramic view of the Raritan Bay and Arthur Kill, and still remains a crucial part in Staten Island's history. Last year, the house was actually used as an art exhibit,…

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James L. and Lucinda Bedell House | A Staten Island Historical Home

The Bedell house is located at 7484 Amboy Road in the neighborhood of Tottenville. It was constructed between 1869 and 1874, and is unclear whether it was designed and constructed by James Bedell himself or his brother Isaac. James Bedell was a member of a prominent family that settled on Staten Island in the eighteenth century. James and his brother were both carpenters, and James also specialized in making cabinets, windows blinds and sash. In 1890 Bedell continued to use his house for more than just living, establishing a business, and using it as a funeral home. This house remained in residential use until 2005, when the free-standing Second-Empire style house was altered. This style of home was once a customary siting on the South Shore, however, now…

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Nathaniel J. and Ann C. Wyeth House | A Staten Island Historical Home

Located at 190 Meisner Avenue in what is now Lighthouse Hill, this historical home is a reminder of the Italianate villas that were once prevalent throughout Staten Island. The home was built around 1856 for the notable corporate attorney, state legislator, and civic leader, Nathaniel J. Wyeth. The house actually holds the title as one of the earliest rural residences in the Italianate style built on Staten Island.

History

Wyeth was born in Baltimore in 1830, and was admitted to Harvard at the mere age of 16. Following his time at Harvard University, he entered Harvard Law School, graduating in 1852 and beginning to practice law in New York in 1853. A year after this he married Ann Frost, soon after purchasing land in Lighthouse Hill to build his…

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Mark W. Allen House | A Staten Island Historical Home

This craftsmen style bungalow home was constructed in West Brighton around 1920. The house received its name as the Mark W. Allen house after Mark Allen, who came to Staten Island as a carpenter and became an owner of a large building supply and construction company. He also served in the New York State senate in 1923-24 and was part of the Goethals Bridge and Outerbridge Crossing's development. He continued to be an active part of his community organizations, and lived in this house until his death in 1958.

This home is one and a half stories on the corner of Clove Road and West Raleigh. Although many craftsmen style bungalows emerged throughout the United States during the time the Mark Allen house was built, not many were constructed on Staten…

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Basket Maker's House | A Staten Island Historical Home

This simple one and a half story home was built in 1810, and was originally located on Richmond Avenue in New Springville. Its earliest known owner was James S. Decker, followed by John DuPuy  and his wife Susan Ann, who lived there with their three children and nephew. In the early 1950s the City of New York took possession of the property, and after the last resident it was boarded up until being brought to Historic Richmond Town in 1965.

How this house received its name

This house reflects many of the residents who lived in New Springville at the time. They partook in not only water relative activities such as oystering, but also part- time farming and basket making. Basket making was one of the many traditional crafts practiced by rural Staten…

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The Elsworth House | A Staten Island Historic Home

The Elsworth House, located in the South Shore of Staten Island, at 90 Bayview Ave in Prince's Bay, received its name from the original owners,  John and Elizabeth Elsworth. The house was built around 1880, during which Prince's Bay became a major focal point of the oyster industry. John Elsworth was an oyster planter, and his home demonstrates the prosperity of the industry at the time.

History Behind The Elsworth House

As aforementioned, John Elsworth was an oyster planter. From early in his life he became involved in the oyster planting business alongside his uncles. He moved to Staten Island in 1977, after marrying to his wife, Elizabeth Waters Jones. Together, they bought what is now the historic Elsworth House on April 7, 1879, and resided…

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