KNOWING the toll modernization was taking on the island, and perhaps presciently imagining the devastation to be wreaked on Staten Island’s old and out-of-the-way places by the opening of the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, Historic Richmond Town was established in 1958 by the Staten Island Historical Society and the City of New York at the area surrounding the junction of Richmond, Richmond Hill, and Arthur Kill Roads. Colonial-era homes from all over the island were moved to this 25-acre site over the ensuing years. Besides the houses, keep an eye peeled for a roadside milestone, a family cemetery, a transplanted Staten Island Rapid Transit railroad station house (from New Dorp) and an original hitching post along Center Street.
As far back as 1685, the area was an important crossroads, and a town called Cocclestown was established, named for the oysters found in Richmond Creek and other area streams. The town gradually gained in importance and became the county seat, and a town called Richmond and later, Richmond Town, evolved.
This Dutch Colonial dwelling on Richmond Road was built in New Dorp by Joseph Guyon in about 1740. (You can find his name inscribed in one of the walls.) This was once the seat of a 112-acre estate that included granaries and cider houses; it passed through the Lake and Tysen families and was then donated to Richmond Town and moved here to Richmond Road in 1969. Of all Richmond Town’s ancient houses, this is the one where both tourgoers and guides have felt the presence of spirits, as cabinet doors have been thrown open with no logical explanation, unaccounted-for footsteps have been heard upstairs, and faces have been seen peering out the windows of the building before the doors have been unlocked. Perhaps some of the families’ members are unhappy that their house has been moved down the road.
Richmond Town’s 4th of July celebration is always a hot ticket that I recommend.
Check out the ForgottenBook, take a look at the gift shop. As always, “comment…as you see fit.” I earn a small payment when you click on any ad on the site.
7/2/25
6 comments
The guy who could be your Mayor in Waiting will seize this & properties like it, & this could mean your modest co-op, to accomodate his favored constituencies (not you, BTW). Can you afford to dismiss any of this?
https://nypost.com/2025/06/30/opinion/zohran-mamdanis-dream-of-no-billionaires-fits-his-goal-make-everyone-live-equally-in-misery/
Thank you for your concern, but you should not worry. In New York State, dedicated park land, such as Historic Richmond Town, can only be “undedicated” by law, requiring passage in both houses of the Legislature and the signature of the Governor. Such happens very, very rarely. There would be no appetite in Albany to do so in this case.
I’ve rarely seen anyone walking around on the grounds as I drive through the area. It must be those Special Event Days that keeps them in business. What’s with this CAPTCHA? I just clicked through a dozen challenges to post!
I don’t control the capcha, when I go to google on my iphone it wants to verify I am me by putting me through my capcha paces.
School tours, special events such as flea markets and July 4th, and some good Civil War reenactments, usually see a nice crowd. The Richmond County Fair on Labor Day weekend is always fun and well attended. I actually like Richmond Town when it’s quiet and not overrun by visitors. I’ve often sat on the old Courthouse porch with a good history book and spent a few quiet hours in the 19th Century.
I remember when a house was moved from Woodrow Rd to Richmondtown some time in the late 1980’s. What an effort it was the house as was loaded on a tractor-trailer. There was a fleet of trucks from various City agencies and utilities preceding the house removing traffic lights and wires. and a second fleet of work trucks following to restore everything. the trip took 3 days, because of a breakdown of the tractor. It was stuck in
front of the Greenridge shopping center. The next morning the tractor returned to find a parking ticket on the house, as it was in a no-stopping zone. Only in New York!
.