Billiou–Stillwell–Perine House
Historic house in Staten Island, New York
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Billiou–Stillwell–Perine House is a Dutch Colonial structure and the oldest standing building on Staten Island, New York.[3]
Billiou–Stillwell–Perine House | |
Billiou–Stillwell–Perine House | |
  Location within New York City  Location within New York  Location within the United States | |
| Location | 1476 Richmond Road, Staten Island, New York |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 40°35′34″N 74°6′3″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 |
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]
