Alice Austen House,
Alice Austen Park
2 Hylan Boulevard
Staten Island, NY 10305

The Alice Austen House Museum on Staten Island recalls the world of an exceptional woman, photographer Alice Austen. Austen's quaint, Victorian cottage-style home, with a magnificent view of New York Harbor, displays prints from the large glass negative collection of her work that depict turn-of-the-century American life.

The original house, one of the City's oldest, dates back to the 1690s. Once part of a farm near the scenic Narrows, the property was bought in 1844 by John H. Austen, Alice's grandfather. Austen expanded the small, one-and-a-half-story farmhouse, named it "Clear Comfort" and gave it a romantic Gothic Revival facelift that included steeply peaked dormer windows and flourishes of "gingerbread" wood trim. The parlor is restored to look as it did in the 1890s with an arrangement of ornate period furniture, rugs, Delft fireplace tiles and Oriental vases.

Alice Austen was born nearby at Woodbine Cottage in 1866. After her father abandoned the family, she and her mother moved into her grandparents' home. Alice continued to live in the house until 1945. Taught by her uncle, Austen took up photography with a passion, shooting more than 7,000 pictures that captured a quieter Staten Island, as well as a growing, bustling New York City.

Austen, who captured images of New York's aristocrats and its working people, experienced both extremes during her lifetime. After enjoying a family inheritance for much of her life, Austen lost her savings at age 63 in the stock market crash of 1929. She and Gertrude Tate, her lifelong companion, tried to support themselves by operating a restaurant at "Clear Comfort," but Austen was forced to mortgage the family home and eventually entered a poorhouse, a self-declared pauper. Only toward the end of her life was Austen's work recognized. When Austen's admirers learned of her misfortune, they arranged to sell some of her work and place her in a nursing home. Austen had the satisfaction of seeing her work recognized before she died in 1952.

The City bought the Austen house in 1975 and restored it and the grounds in 1984-85. The Victorian garden was replanted according to Austen photographs with shrubs such as weeping mulberry and flowering quince. The Staten Island Historical Society owns Austen's collection of negatives and helps the Friends of Alice Austen House--which operates the museum--present photographic exhibitions at "Clear Comfort." Together with the restored cottage and gardens, the exhibitions perpetuate Austen's life, her times and her art.

 

Conference House, Conference House Park
7455 Hylan Boulevard
Staten Island, NY 10307

At the southernmost tip of Staten Island--and New York State--stands the Conference House, a 17th-century stone manor. Located in the 226-acre Conference House Park across Raritan Bay from Perth Amboy, New Jersey, the manor was named after a dramatic meeting that shaped our nation's history.

In 1676, British naval captain Christopher Billop was granted a 932-acre property known as the Manor of Bentley. Billop built the Conference House, a solid, two-story structure of native fieldstone, in about 1680; by 1687, he had increased his land holdings to 1,600 acres. The home was enlarged in 1720 with a lean-to at the rear.

During the American Revolution, the owner of the manor was Captain Billop's great-grandson, also called Christopher Billop. A Tory colonel, Billop sometimes entertained the redcoats in his home. On September 11, 1776, his house was the site of peace negotiations between British Lord Admiral Richard Howe and Benjamin Franklin, John Adams and Edward Rutledge. The talks occurred just two months after the Declaration of Independence had been signed, with the British controlling New York City, Long Island and Staten Island. The Americans seemed headed for defeat. Lord Howe offered to end the conflict if the Colonies would return to British control, but independence was not negotiable for the Americans. So Franklin and company returned to Perth Amboy aboard Lord Howe's boat, reported to the Continental Congress in Philadelphia, and the war continued for seven more years.

After the Revolution, the house was confiscated by the State of New York; it served as a multi-family dwelling, a 19th-century hotel and as a rat-poison factory before being deeded to the City of New York in 1926. In 1929, the Conference House Association took over operation of the house and has taken care of it since that time.

The Conference House includes a large basement kitchen with glazed brick floors and a vaulted root cellar. On the main floor, original handhewn beams span the ceiling of the Conference Room; the second floor has three rooms and there is also a sizable attic. Today the only remaining object that belonged to the Billops is a 17th-century sea chest. Other notable furniture includes a double-backed Queen Anne settee and a kas, or Dutch cupboard. The furnishings date primarily from the 18th century and are simple and functional, though the house was quite luxurious in its day. Exhibitions demonstrate life in colonial times, while rose and herb gardens perfume the air of the park and provide the materials for lectures and classes on herbs.

  

Welcome to Historic Richmond Town 
 
  Historic Richmond Town
  441 Clarke Avenue
  Staten Island, NY 10306
  (718) 351-1611
  Click for directions.  Historic Richmond Town is New York City’s living history village and museum complex. Visitors can explore the diversity of the American experience, especially that of Staten Island and its neighboring communities, from the colonial period to the present. 
The village area occupies 25 acres of a 100-acre site with about 15 restored buildings, including homes and commercial and civic buildings, as well as a museum.
A visit to Historic Richmond Town is an opportunity for all visitors to experience the domestic, commercial and civic activities that supported families and community for more than 300 years. 
Court Place 
 

Guyon-Lake-Tysen House

Stephens-Black House and General Store 
Visitors can walk through the former county seat of Richmond, see historically furnished interiors and explore museum exhibits. Staff and volunteers provide guided tours and demonstrate the daily activities of early Staten Islanders on a seasonal, scheduled basis.
Established in 1958, Historic Richmond Town is a joint project of the Staten Island Historical Society, an independent nonprofit cultural organization, and the City of New York, which owns the land and the buildings and supports part of its operations with public funds from the Department of Cultural Affairs. The Staten Island Historical Society also receives support from the New York State Department of Education, the New York State Council on the Arts, the Institute of Museum Services, the Office of the Borough President, and private contributions from corporations, foundations and individuals.

 

Seguine Mansion, Lemon Creek Park
440 Seguine Avenue
Staten Island, NY 10307

Along the southern shore of Staten Island, the Seguine Mansion, a stately Greek Revival structure, faces Prince's Bay. Built in 1838 by Joseph H. Seguine, the house is a physical reminder of the classical architecture and thriving commerce of Staten Island during the mid-19th century.

Sometime between 1780 and 1786, James Seguine bought a large parcel of land near Lemon Creek from Abraham Manee, whose French Huguenot family had held the land since about 1700. Joseph, James Seguine's grandson, and the fifth generation of the family on Staten Island, built the elegant two-and-a-half-story house, typical of high-style homes in the region at that time. He also added several outbuildings, including a large hay barn, carriage house and stables, to support his estate.

Joseph Seguine inherited the family's prosperous oystering business. A man of diverse pursuits, he also founded Staten Island Oil and Candlemaking, a manufacturing enterprise he built on the property; helped establish the Staten Island Railroad Company; and still found time to manage one of the largest salt hay farms in Richmond County.

Following Joseph's death in 1856, the house remained in the family until 1868. When it was sold, the amount of land had decreased to 10 acres. During the late 19th century, the building served as an inn or hotel, at a time when Prince's Bay had become a popular resort area. The house returned to Seguine descendants from 1916 through 1977 and was then sold at auction in 1981 to George Burke. Burke stabilized the deteriorated house in 1989 and donated it to the City of New York, while retaining a life interest.

The Seguine House is notable for its large portico with paneled piers surmounted by a classical pediment. Formerly sheathed with clapboard, it is insulated with brick and mortar. Fresh air from the sea was encouraged to circulate through the building's many windows and doors, which are arranged in classical symmetry. The house contains numerous fireplaces, some of which are "marbleized," as well as distinctive touches added by Burke.

Lemon Creek Park also contains a stable (and riding academy), a broad expanse of lawn that creates a wide vista to the water and natural terrain that is home to a large purple martin bird population. It is a place where history resides in unity with present occupants.

  

 In the heart of Rosebank is the historic home of the pioneer inventor, Antonio Meucci, and legendary hero, Giuseppe Garibaldi. The simple country residence was built circa 1840 in the Gothic-revival style. In 1850 Meucci and his wife 
   Ester learned of its availability and soon after, began renting it. In the same year, Garibaldi also arrived in New York City seeking refuge. Meucci offered him the hospitality of his home and together they worked in his candle factory until 1854 when Garibaldi returned to Italy to lead the victories that unified Italy and won him world wide fame.
When Garibaldi died in 1884, a committee was formed to commemorate the hero’s stay on these shores. Meucci was on hand that year when a marble plaque was placed over the front door of the house. After Meucci’s death, the house was turned over to the Italian community to be preserved as a memorial to Garibaldi.
By 1907, on the centennial of the hero’s birth, the house was moved to it’s present location, where a pantheon was erected over it. In 1919, the Garibaldi Society turned over the house to The Order Sons of Italy in America. The Order has restored and maintained the house ever since. With the assistance of the cultural department of the Italian Embassy, artifacts were collected from around the world. In May of 1956 the house was opened to the public and rededicated as The Garibaldi-Meucci Museum. Today the museum is a National Landmark owned and operated by the Order Sons of Italy in America. Come visit us and imagine Garibaldi and Meucci actually talking over the first telephone in 1850 in a quaint home on Staten Island. 
We invite you to participate in historical tours and many educational programs for children and adults. We offer a variety of programs suited to school class trips, such as educational plays which the children design and act in, as well as Italian Language classes for adults and teens. Our extensive library of rare and out-of-print books is open to the public. Explore the exhibits and walk the grounds at your own pace. You will leave with an enlightened view of history.

  

Welcome to Historic Richmond Town 
 
  Historic Richmond Town
  441 Clarke Avenue
  Staten Island, NY 10306
  (718) 351-1611
  Click for directions.  Historic Richmond Town is New York City’s living history village and museum complex. Visitors can explore the diversity of the American experience, especially that of Staten Island and its neighboring communities, from the colonial period to the present. 
The village area occupies 25 acres of a 100-acre site with about 15 restored buildings, including homes and commercial and civic buildings, as well as a museum.
A visit to Historic Richmond Town is an opportunity for all visitors to experience the domestic, commercial and civic activities that supported families and community for more than 300 years. 
Court Place 
 

Guyon-Lake-Tysen House

Stephens-Black House and General Store 
Visitors can walk through the former county seat of Richmond, see historically furnished interiors and explore museum exhibits. Staff and volunteers provide guided tours and demonstrate the daily activities of early Staten Islanders on a seasonal, scheduled basis.
Established in 1958, Historic Richmond Town is a joint project of the Staten Island Historical Society, an independent nonprofit cultural organization, and the City of New York, which owns the land and the buildings and supports part of its operations with public funds from the Department of Cultural Affairs. The Staten Island Historical Society also receives support from the New York State Department of Education, the New York State Council on the Arts, the Institute of Museum Services, the Office of the Borough President, and private contributions from corporations, foundations and individuals.

  

Lighthouse Plaza 2004
Colorful sketches by Architect Jorge Sosa gives a view of the future Lighthouse Plaza, full of people enjoying the events, exhibits and other attractions at the site of the National Lighthouse Museum. 
Take a self guided tour of the Historic U.S. Lighthouse Service Depot 
Guided tours of the Depot have been temporarily curtailed to allow for construction to renovate our historic buildings number 10 & 11 on the site.  
Please enjoy a limited Self-guided tour of the property and public pier and learn about the U.S. Lighthouse Service Depot which supplied U.S. Lighthouses for more than a century beginning in 1862.  Informative signs around the site provide information about the buildings the property and the future museum. *  The NLM Depot site is adjacent to the Staten Island Ferry Terminal.  Enjoy the free round-trip ferry ride from Manhattan's South Ferry Terminal.
* Special arrangements may be made for educational or community         group tours.
Call the Museum office for additional information: (718) 556-1681.

  

A rare surviving example of urban planning, landscaping, and buildings in the Greek Revival style, unequaled in the United States for scale, extent, and quality." 
-National Historic Landmarks Statement of Significance 

One of New York City's most unexpected and extraordinary destinations is located on the north shore of Staten Island, just minutes from the Staten Island Ferry. Snug Harbor is a cultural center set within an 83-acre National Historic Landmark district containing the finest collection of Greek Revival buildings in the United States, plus Beaux Arts, Italianate and Victorian style architecture. Each building has individual merit, but the harmonious effect of twenty-six historic buildings set in acres of parkland is wholly remarkable. Snug Harbor exists today because of the tireless efforts of citizens to save it from destruction a generation ago, and then to transform the deteriorated buildings of a seamen's retirement home into a center for the arts. 
 
Postcard of 1898 bird's eye view of Sailors' Snug Harbor, located across the Shore Road from the Kill van Kull. The seamen's retirement home was then a world within a fence: dormitories and dining halls in the five front Greek Revival buildings, the domed Randall Memorial Church and adjacent Music Hall, a large hospital and four-winged sanitarium towards the rear of the site, plus laundry, blacksmith's shop, farm buildings, morgue and other service buildings. Courtesy of Channell Graham collection. 
Surrounded by a tall iron fence, shaded by century-old Norwegian maples and Austrian pines, Snug Harbor Cultural Center is not only one of the most architecturally and historically significant sites in the country, it is a place where history, architecture, the visual and performing arts, environmental science included in performing arts all come together to provide a rich and powerful learning experience for audiences young and old. 
The Newhouse Center for Contemporary Art has exhibitions in 15,000 feet of gallery space, plus outdoor and off-site projects, educational programs, 30 artists studios on site and an international artist residency program. To learn more about exhibitions and events at the Newhouse, click here. 
  
Throughout the year, the Performing Arts Program offers music, dance and theater, indoors and outdoors for audiences of all ages. Whether you prefer classical or cutting edge, there’s something to see at The Harbor. To learn more about upcoming performances, click here. 
Young people often come to know The Harbor through the Education Department, which develops workshops that capitalize on current art exhibitions and performing arts programming, as well as Snug Harbor’s storied past. To learn more about the Education Department’s, click here. 
More information about Landmarks 
Sailors' Snug Harbor: 
A World Within a Fence
When Sailors' Snug Harbor opened in 1833, it was the first maritime home and hospital for retired seamen in the United States, a privately endowed institution where old sailors were offered lodging, food, healthcare, and companionship. Benefactor Robert Randall's wealth had come from the sea and he left most of it to the class of men whose labor had built his fortune... More information on the history of Sailors' Snug Harbor 
  On September 12, 1976 the gates to the grounds of Snug Harbor were thrown open to the public for the first time. Over 17,000 people came to celebrate what had been accomplished and to envision the future... More information on the creation of Snug Harbor Cultural Center

  

A short ferry ride away from Manhattan's powerful downtown financial district sits one of New York City's best kept secrets, The Staten Island Botanical Garden. Nestled within the grounds of the Snug Harbor Cultural Center, The Staten Island Botanical Garden with its Victorian charm and stately elegance is a "must visit" that should be on every tourists' list.
Founded in 1977, The Staten Island Botanical Garden is constantly evolving. From its initial plantings of its English perennial border to its newest addition, the New York Chinese Scholar's Garden, this institution is a cultural assimilation of gardens.

As all botanical gardens do, the Staten Island Botanical Garden consists of displays that represent the variety of flora that can be manipulated by man to conform to what is desired, be it aesthetic or functional. Throughout history gardens have reflected some of the tastes of the periods and the ways in which man saw his relationship to nature. Remaining true to this purpose, the Staten Island Botanical Garden has created a number of gardens which include representations from particular periods along with contemporary styles. In presenting them to the public, these gardens are enjoyed for their own qualities, used as educational tools, or as backdrops to events.

In addition to flowering gardens we are home to the first Chinese Scholar's Garden in the United States. This garden with its reflecting ponds and scenic courtyards is an architectural interpretation of nature.

  

The Staten Island Zoo is the place to learn to love living things !
   The zoo is located at 614 Broadway , Staten Island , New York, 10310 , and is open seven days a week from 10 AM until 4:45 PM , except Thanksgiving , Christmas , and New Years day. 
Admission is $5.00 for adults (15 and over), $4.00 for Seniors (60 and over), $3.00 for children (3-14) and free for children under 3 years of age and for all members. . Donation Day is on Wednesday after 2 PM. Parking is free every day. For information and travel directions, call the zoo, at (718) 442-3100 or Click Here

The Staten Island Zoo is an accredited member of the  and does not accept donated animals of any kind from the public. If you wish to find a home for an unwanted animal , try these links. www.scarnyc.org or www.socialteez.com . These links are provided as a service and do not constitute an endorsement of these organizations by the Staten Island Zoo.