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List of the oldest buildings in New York

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This article attempts to list the oldest buildings in the state of New York, including the oldest houses and any other surviving structures. Some dates are approximate and based on architectural studies and historical records; other dates are based on dendrochronology. All entries should include citation with reference to: architectural features indicative of the date of construction; a report by an architectural historian; or dendrochronology.

Sites on the list are generally from the First Period of American architecture. If the exact year of initial construction is estimated, it will be shown as a range of dates.

List

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Building Image Location First Built Notes
Wyckoff House East Flatbush, Brooklyn 1652 Oldest surviving structure in New York, oldest in Brooklyn, oldest on Long Island.
Zachariah Hawkins House Stony Brook 1660 c.
Klinkenberg(h) Bouwerji Coxsackie 1663 c. One of oldest surviving Dutch homes north of greater New York City area. On the western shore of Hudson River. Klinkenberg(h) was translated by Pelletrau in Beer's History of Greene County from Old Dutch as "Echo Hill". On August 25, 1670, Jurian Teunisse Tappen sold his one third of the Rensselaerswyck patroonship to Abraham Staats and Johannes Provoost. The deed in the 1670 sale to Staats and Provoost, later known as The Loonenburg patent, mentions a barn, indicating a preceding settlement.

Notable owners: On September 6, 1694 reports the sale of Klinkenberg was sold to Jacob Casperson Hallenbeck; it became “the original seat of the family of Hallenbecks” for several generations. During the Revolutionary War, Klinkenberg was inhabited by the Provoost family, who were “noted tories.” In Klinkenberg was referenced as “George Houghtaling's house ref: Pelletreau’s chapter “Coxsackie” in "Beers History of Greene County", p 4, 1884. Since 1962, property of family of Harold Oaklander and Isabelle Rapin.

Bronck House Coxsackie 1663
Billiou–Stillwell–Perine House Dongan Hills, Staten Island 1665 Oldest surviving structure in Staten Island
Brewster House East Setauket 1665
Robert Coles Homestead Glen Cove, Long Island 1668 In May of 1668, Joseph Carpenter of Rhode Island negotiated with the Matinecock Indians to purchase several hundred acres of land on which to build a saw mill and grist mill in what was then Musketa Cove. Robert Coles was one of the "Five Proprietors of the Musketa Cove Patent" and was the first to build his homestead at what is now 34 The Place. He and his wife, Mercy Wright of Oyster Bay, had 9 children and lived in the eastern-most wing of the existing property which still stands today.[1]
Bowne House Flushing, Queens 1669[2] Oldest surviving structure in Queens; once hosted a well-known Quaker meeting
Cubberly-Britton Cottage Richmondtown, Staten Island 1670
Abraham Manee House Prince's Bay, Staten Island 1670
Jans Martense Schenck house Brooklyn 1675 Originally in Flatlands; installed within the Brooklyn Museum 1964
Old Senate House City of Kingston 1676 New York State Constitution written and signed here
Conference House Tottenville, Staten Island 1680 Listed as a National Historic Landmark
Timothy Knapp House Rye 1680 Listed on National Register of Historic Places
Van Nostrand-Starkins House Roslyn 1680[3] Main Street Historic District (Roslyn, New York)
Chichester's Inn West Hills 1680 [4] Listed on National Register of Historic Places. Also known as the 'Peace and Plenty Inn'.
Bevier House Museum Marbletown 1680 [5] Currently houses the Ulster County Historical Society
Philipse Manor Hall Yonkers 1682 Oldest surviving structure in Westchester County.
Old Halsey House Village of Southampton 1688 1688 According to dendrochronology survey by Oxford, 1683 build date according to the local historical society in Southampton http://www.southamptonhistoricalmuseum.org/
Bedell Family Farm House Bellmore 1689 Farmhouse built by early settler Robert Bedell for his son John and his wife Sarah Southard. Originally located on Merrick Boulevard.
Alice Austen House Rosebank, Staten Island 1690 Built by a Dutch merchant then remodeled in the Gothic Revival Style in 1844
Jeremiah Conklin House Amagansett 1690 [citation needed] Built by Jeremiah Conkling and his wife Mary, daughter of Lion Gardiner, first English settler of New York colony [citation needed]
Joseph Whitman House West Hills, Long Island 1692
Old Quaker Meeting House Flushing, Queens 1694 Oldest religious building in New York City still standing [6]
Joachim Staats House[7] Staats Island, Rensselaer County 1696[8] Called Hoogebergh, meaning "high hill", the house has remained the family homestead since it was erected by Joachim Staats in 1696.[8] William Staats, a 9th generation Hoogebergh inhabitant, details the history of the house and chronicles the family anecdotes of the 20th century in his book, Three Centuries on the Hudson River.[9]
Old Dutch Church of Sleepy Hollow Sleepy Hollow 1697 Possibly the oldest surviving church in the state. May date to 1685.
Old House Cutchogue 1699[10] Dated by dendrochronology[10]
De Wint House Tappan 1700 Washington Revolutionary headquarters; one of the oldest surviving buildings in Rockland County
Ezra Carll Homestead South Huntington, Long Island 1700
Jarvis-Fleet House Huntington, Long Island 1700
Lispenard–Rodman–Davenport House New Rochelle 1700
Tobias van Steenburgh House Kingston 1700 c. One of the few buildings in Kingston not burned in 1777 by British troops (though most of the burned stone houses were repaired and remain).
Treasure House Richmondtown, Staten Island 1700
Tysen-Neville House New Brighton, Staten Island 1700
John Wood House Huntington Station, Long Island 1704 Built by a Dutch merchant then remodeled in the Gothic Revival Style in 1844
Mabee House Rotterdam 1705 The oldest house in the Mohawk Valley
Jan Van Loon House Village of Athens 1706 One of the oldest houses in Greene County[11]
Crailo Rensselaer 1707 Residence of Hendrick van Rensselaer
Madam Brett Homestead Beacon 1709 Oldest building in Dutchess County, first house on Rombout Patent, on National Register
Gomez Mill House Town of Newburgh 1712 Oldest known extant residence of a Jewish American
Lewis Pintard House New Rochelle 1710 Home of Revolutionary War patriot Lewis Pintard
Fraunces Tavern Lower Manhattan 1719 Etienne "Stephen" DeLancey built the current building as his house; tavern since 1762
Brinckerhoff House Fishkill 1717 Originally two-room stone cottage used as a trading post and later rebuilt as a mansion & now converted to an Inn.
Pieter Winne House Selkirk, Albany County 1720 Purportedly the oldest house in the Town of Bethlehem [citation needed]
Ariaanje Coeymans House Coeymans 1720 There is another Coeymans house a mile south of this one, on the Hannacroix Creek. Date unknown.
Hendrick I. Lott House Marine Park, Brooklyn 1720
Jan Van Hoesen House Claverack c. 1720
John Oakley House West Hills, Long Island c. 1720 The original structure was built about 1720 and expanded in the 1780s.
Bull Stone House Hamptonburgh 1720s Property also contains the oldest intact Dutch barn in the state
Thomas Dodge Homestead Port Washington, Long Island 1721 The original farmhouse was built in 1721 with additions completed in 1750 and 1903
Kreuzer-Pelton House West New Brighton, Staten Island 1722
Albertus Van Loon House Village of Athens 1724 Possibly the second-oldest house in Greene County
Heermance Farmhouse Red Hook (town), New York 1725 Oldest house in the Town of Red Hook. Retains much original detail in the interior. Original woodwork including panelling, tiger maple bannister and granary door.
Abraham Yates House Schenectady c. 1725 Possibly the oldest house in Schenectady
French Castle at Fort Niagara Porter 1726 Oldest building on the Great Lakes, oldest building in Western New York.
48 Hudson Avenue Albany 1728 Oldest stand-alone structure in Albany
Lent Homestead East Elmhurst, Queens 1729 The western portion of the house may date to 1654
Benner House Village of Rhinebeck 1730 Oldest house in the village; a rare example of German vernacular architecture, and the sole remaining house in Dutchess County with a one-room floorplan built to German traditions rather than Dutch. Here was held the first Methodist church services in the town conducted by the Rev. Freeborn Garrettson from 1791–1793.
King Mansion Jamaica, Queens 1730 The rear section of the house dates to 1730, the left section to 1755, the main structure (right section) to 1806.
Suydam House Centerport, Long Island c. 1730
John Rogers House Dix Hills, Long Island 1732
Queen Anne Parsonage [citation needed] Fort Hunter 1734
Cornelius Van Wyck House Douglaston, Queens 1735
Nicoll-Sill House – Bethlehem House [citation needed] Selkirk, Albany County c. 1735 Home of Rensselaer Nicoll and Elizabeth Salisbury Nicoll
St. James Church Elmhurst, Queens 1736
Jacob Smith House West Hills, Long Island c. 1740 The home consists of a three-bay, 1+12-story saltbox built about 1740 and a five-bay, 1+12-story dwelling with a shed roof wing added about 1830.
Lake-Tysen House Oakwood, Staten Island 1740
Kasparus Westervelt House [12] Town of Poughkeepsie 1745
Stoothoff–Baxter–Kouwenhaven House Flatlands, Brooklyn 1747
Van Cortlandt House Van Cortlandt Park 1748 Oldest building in the Bronx
Creedmoor (Cornell) Farmhouse Glen Oaks, Queens 1750
David Conklin House Huntington, Long Island c. 1750
Ireland-Gardiner Farm Greenlawn, Long Island c. 1750
Isaac Losee House Huntington, Long Island c. 1750 One of the oldest private residences on Long Island
Henry Smith Farmstead Huntington Station, Long Island 1750 Built about 1750 and remodelled in the 1860s
Steenburgh Tavern Rhinebeck 1750 German vernacular stone house built into a hillside with an unusual sweeping Dutch roof
William Arthur House Smithtown 1752 NY-25A and Redwood Lane [1] 40°51′18.6″N 73°11′57.3″W / 40.855167°N 73.199250°W / 40.855167; -73.199250
Stone Jug Clermont 1752 Contributing property to the Hudson River Historic District
The Old 76 House Tappan 1754 Oldest surviving building in Rockland County; third oldest public house in America; Maj. John Andre held before trial and hanging in Tappan
Christopher House Richmondtown, Staten Island 1756
Valentine–Varian House Norwood, Bronx 1758 Second oldest house in the Bronx
Palatine German Wohleben House Frankfort, New York 1760
Bryant Skidmore House Northport 1761 Located near Great Cow Harbor and Red Hook.
Strawberry Hill Rhinebeck 1762 The National Register of Historic Places called this the most monumental stone farmhouse in Northern Dutchess County. Built by Henry Beekman in 1762.
St. Paul's Chapel Lower Manhattan 1764 Third oldest surviving church in New York City, after the Flushing Friends Meeting House (1694) and St. Andrew's Church, Staten Island (1709).
Morris–Jumel Mansion Upper Manhattan 1765
Wyckoff-Bennett Homestead Flatlands, Brooklyn 1766
Beekman Arms and Delamater Inn Village of Rhinebeck 1766[13] Oldest surviving inn in America and oldest structure in the village.
Indian Castle Church Danube 1769 Only colonial Indian missionary church surviving in the state, and the only Iroquois building surviving from its time[14]
Voorlezer's House Richmondtown, Staten Island 1769 c. Long held to be the oldest schoolhouse in America, although the original schoolhouse built on the property does not survive. Traditionally dated to 1695/6.
Boehm-Frost House Richmondtown, Staten Island 1770
Fulton County Courthouse Johnstown 1772 Oldest courthouse in the United States that remains in use
Kingsland Homestead Flushing, Queens 1774
Lefferts Homestead Prospect Park, Brooklyn 1777 Moved to Prospect Park from its original location at 563 Flatbush Avenue
Baylis Homestead 116_Carnation] Floral Park, Nassau County 1779 Oldest House in Floral Park
Dyckman House Inwood, Manhattan 1784 Only remaining original farmhouse in Manhattan
Edward Mooney House Lower Manhattan 1785 Oldest surviving row house in Manhattan
Ellis Squires Jr. House Hampton Bays 1785 Oldest surviving row house in Hampton Bays
Stone-Tolan House Brighton c. 1792 A Federal-style structure said to be the oldest surviving building in Monroe County
Joost Van Nuyse House Flatlands, Brooklyn 1793
Bridge Cafe Lower Manhattan 1795 Oldest wooden building in Manhattan
Flatbush Dutch Reformed Church Flatbush 1796
Blackwell House Roosevelt Island 1796 40°45′37″N 73°57′4″W / 40.76028°N 73.95111°W / 40.76028; -73.95111
Mount Vernon Hotel Museum Upper East Side, Manhattan 1799 Listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Gracie Mansion Upper East Side, Manhattan 1799 Mayor's Residence
Van Nuyse-Magaw House Midwood 1800 1041 East 22nd Street [2] 40°37′36.5″N 73°57′15.5″W / 40.626806°N 73.954306°W / 40.626806; -73.954306
Hamilton Grange Hamilton Grange at St. Nicholas Park in October 2009 Hamilton Heights 1802 Home of Alexander Hamilton. Relocated twice (1889 and 2008).[15][16]
Wadsworth Homestead Geneseo 1804 Built in 1804 by James Wadsworth who came to Geneseo in 1790. Originally a two-story foursquare home. Enlarged in 1815[17]
Swart-Wilcox House Oneonta 1807 Listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Built in 1807. Now operated as the Swart-Wilcox House Museum..
Gideon Tucker House Tribeca, Manhattan 1809 2 White Street. Small Federal style row house
Willets Point Farmhouse Bayside, now Fort Totten, Queens 1829 Built by Charles and Martha Willet and eventually moved to Fort Totten. The fort itself was built in 1857, and an Officer's Club was built in 1870 which is now home to the Bayside Historical Society.
Cantonment Farm 1812 This private residence is the last standing officers' barracks built in 1812.
Putnam County Court House Carmel 1814 Second oldest courthouse in the United States that remains in use
Clarkson Community Church Clarkson 1825 This Protestant church, perhaps the oldest in western Monroe County, was established in 1816 and has operated continuously since that date. The original 1825 Colonial structure, with a 100' steeple, has had two subsequent additions (in 1967 and in 1985).
Dash home[citation needed] Eden 1816 Has been consistently lived in since 1816. The property backs up to 18 mile creek & has a tributary with 5 waterfalls. There are 200 year old black walnut, apple & mulberry trees also on the property.
Hull Family Home and Farmstead Lancaster c. 1820 Lived in until 1990’S, but is now a preserved home and is able to be visited. The Hulls moved into the property c1800 but built the house in 1820. The house is the oldest stone house in Erie county.
LaTourette House Staten Island 1836 1836 brick Federal-style building now used as clubhouse for city-owned golf course.[18]
Anshe Slonim Synagogue Lower Manhattan 1849 Oldest surviving synagogue building in New York City
203 East 29th Street Kips Bay, Manhattan 1790/1870 Private owned house dated back from 1790 or 1870 based on different sources. Listed in National Register of Historic Places

Notes

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  1. ^ Russell, Daniel E. "The Robert Coles Homestead 1668" (PDF). Glen Cove Heritage. Glen Cove, New York. Retrieved August 16, 2024.
  2. ^ Cook, Edward R.; Callahan, Jr., William J.; Krusic, Paul (April 2006). "A Dendrochronological Analysis of the John Bowne House Flushing, Queens, New York" (PDF). Hudson-Mohawk Vernacular Architecture. Retrieved August 16, 2024.
  3. ^ "Bryant Library Local History". The Bryant Library.
  4. ^ "Peace and Plenty Inn". Patch Huntington NY. 2010-08-20.
  5. ^ "BEVIER HOUSE MUSEUM". Ulster County Historical Society. 2015-05-26.
  6. ^ Landmarks Preservation Commission. “Friends Meeting House.” August 18, 1970. Vertical files, Queens Borough Public Library. Archived 2013-11-05 at the Wayback Machine
  7. ^ "National Register of Historical Places – NEW YORK (NY), Rensselaer County". www.nationalregisterofhistoricplaces.com. Retrieved 2017-08-24.
  8. ^ a b "A link to Capital Region through 3 centuries". Times Union. Retrieved 2017-08-24.
  9. ^ Staats, W. L. (2012-10-16). Three Centuries on the Hudson River: One Family...One Dutch House. William Staats. ISBN 978-0-578-06243-3.
  10. ^ a b "Old House, Cutchogue, New York". Oxford Tree-Ring Laboratory. Baltimore, Maryland. Retrieved August 16, 2024.
  11. ^ Cutter, William Richard; Reynolds, Cuyler (1913). "14". Genealogical and Family History of Southern New York and the Hudson River Valley: A Record of the Achievements of Her People in the Making of a Commonwealth and the Building of a Nation . Vol. 3. Lewis Historical Publishing Company. p. 1112. ISBN 9780806346755. OCLC 423822035. Retrieved 8 March 2018. Jan built house in the lower part of what is now village of Athens a short distance north Black Rock on ground later occupied as shipyard by Matthias Van Loon A from the original house bearing the 1706 JVL gives the name of builder and the date of erection.
  12. ^ "Joseph Westervelt House Location: 202 Spackenkill Road". Town of Poughkeepsie, Historic Landmarks. Retrieved August 16, 2024.
  13. ^ "History | Beekman Arms & Delamater Inn Rhinebeck". Beekman Arms & Delamater Inn. Rhinebeck, New York. Retrieved August 16, 2024.
  14. ^ "Indian Castle Church data pages". Historic American Buildings Survey. Library of Congress. 2007-11-16.
  15. ^ "Hamilton Grange Convent Ave location (U.S. National Park Service)". www.nps.gov. Retrieved 2023-09-14.
  16. ^ "A Monumental Move (U.S. National Park Service)". www.nps.gov. Retrieved 2023-09-14.
  17. ^ "WELCOME TO THE WADSWORTH HOMESTEAD". Wadsworth Homestead. Geneseo, New York. Retrieved August 16, 2024.
  18. ^ Santoro, Lisa M. (2017-05-24). "Touring the historic homes of Staten Island's Lighthouse Hill". Curbed NY. Retrieved 2017-06-29.
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