Billiou–Stillwell–Perine House
Billiou–Stillwell–Perine House | |
New York City Landmark No. 0380 | |
Billiou–Stillwell–Perine House | |
| Location | 1476 Richmond Road, Staten Island, New York |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 40°35′34″N 74°6′3″W / 40.59278°N 74.10083°W |
| Built | ca. 1662 |
| Architectural style | Domestic vernacular |
| NRHP reference No. | 76001269[1] |
| NYCL No. | 0380 |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | January 1, 1976[2] |
| Designated NYCL | February 28, 1967 |
The Billiou–Stillwell–Perine House is a Dutch Colonial structure and the oldest standing building on Staten Island, New York.[3]
History
The house was originally built by Pierre Billiou, a Huguenot who arrived at New Amsterdam fleeing religious persecution in Europe in 1661.[4][5] He founded Oude Dorp (Old Town) in the same year, and subsequently received a land grant on Staten Island, erecting the original stone section of the house around 1662.[5] His daughter Martha (1652–1736) inherited the property and resided there with her husband, Thomas Stillwell (1651–1704/1705), and later with her second husband, Rev. David de Bonrepos (1654–1734), whom she married in 1711.
About 1680, Thomas Stillwell, a well-to-do landowner, enlarged the house.[5] The house underwent to additional expansions through 1830.[4] Stillwell and Martha's descendants, the Brittons, owned it until the mid-18th century. It was then acquired in 1758 by Edward Perine, whose family owned it until 1913.[5] The Staten Island Antiquarian Society obtained the Billiou–Stillwell–Perine House in 1915, and the Staten Island Historical Society obtained the house in 1922, following a merger with the Antiquarian Society.[6]
The building has a shingled sloping roof, a high jambless fireplace with a large stone hearth, and a ceiling with exceptionally large beams. Owned by Historic Richmond Town, the house is occasionally open to the public on a limited schedule or by appointment.[7] The roof was restored in 2013.[4] In September 2025, the house received a $500,000 grant to pay for repairs.[8]
See also
- List of the oldest buildings in the United States
- List of the oldest buildings in New York
- List of New York City Designated Landmarks in Staten Island
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Richmond County, New York
References
- ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. March 13, 2009.
- ^ Lynn Beebe Weaver, Betty J. Ezequelle, and Stephen S. Lash (July 1973). National Register of Historic Places Registration: New York SP Billou-Stillwell-Perine House. National Archives and Records Administration. Retrieved November 22, 2025.
{{cite report}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) (Downloading may be slow.) - ^ Sperr, Percy Loomis (1925). "The Perine House. Dongan Hills. S.I." Lumitone Press. Archived from the original on November 8, 2018. Retrieved November 7, 2018 – via Staten Island Museum.
- ^ a b c Jones-Gorman, Jessica (September 28, 2025). "Preserving an American treasure: How a landmark restoration effort will save the oldest house in NYC". silive. Retrieved September 30, 2025.
- ^ a b c d Gold, Kenneth M.; Weintrob, Lori R., eds. (2011). Discovering Staten Island. Charleston, South Carolina: The History Press. ISBN 978-1-61423-087-8. Retrieved November 7, 2018.
- ^ Somma-Hammel, Jan (January 10, 2023). "Cool Spaces: The oldest house on Staten Island is in Dongan Hills". silive. Retrieved September 30, 2025.
- ^ "Billou-Stilwell-Perine House". National Park Service. March 22, 2005. Retrieved November 7, 2018.
- ^ Jones-Gorman, Jessica (September 26, 2025). "Oldest house on Staten Island secures $500,000 in funding for critical restoration". silive. Retrieved September 30, 2025.
- Hine, Charles Gilbert; Perrine, Howland Delano; Society, Staten Island Antiquarian (October 27, 2022). The Story and Documentary History of the Perine House: Dongan Hills, Staten Island, Headquarters Of. Creative Media Partners, LLC. ISBN 978-1-01-583944-1.
External links
- Billiou-Stillwell-Perine House Archived October 4, 2022, at the Wayback Machine, Landmarks Preservation Commission
- Billiou-Stillwell-Perine House, Historic Richmond Town
- The Story and Documentary History of the Perine House, Staten Island Antiquarian Society, 1915