Billiou-Stillwell-Perine House

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Billiou–Stillwell–Perine House
Billiou–Stillwell–Perine House
Billiou–Stillwell–Perine House is located in New York City
Billiou–Stillwell–Perine House
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Billiou–Stillwell–Perine House is located in New York
Billiou–Stillwell–Perine House
Show map of New York
Billiou–Stillwell–Perine House is located in the United States
Billiou–Stillwell–Perine House
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Location1476 Richmond Road, Staten Island, New York
Coordinates40°35′34″N 74°6′3″W / 40.59278°N 74.10083°W / 40.59278; -74.10083
Builtca. 1662
Architectural styleDomestic vernacular
NRHP reference No.76001269[1]
NYCL No.0380
Significant dates
Added to NRHPJanuary 1, 1976[2]
Designated NYCLFebruary 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

References

  1. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. March 13, 2009.
  2. 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.)
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. Somma-Hammel, Jan (January 10, 2023). "Cool Spaces: The oldest house on Staten Island is in Dongan Hills". silive. Retrieved September 30, 2025.
  7. "Billou-Stilwell-Perine House". National Park Service. March 22, 2005. Retrieved November 7, 2018.
  8. Jones-Gorman, Jessica (September 26, 2025). "Oldest house on Staten Island secures $500,000 in funding for critical restoration". silive. Retrieved September 30, 2025.