Thanks to funding provided by the Fan Association of North America (FANA), our Online Collections Database now features 37 beautiful examples of women's fans from the Historical Society's artifact collection. Click here to explore images and descriptions of the fans. To learn more about FANA, visit www.fanassociation.org.
istoric Richmond Town is New York City’s living history village and museum complex. Visitors can explore the diversity of the American experience, through the lives of ordinary people, who struggled, survived and thrived from the colonial period to the present.
Historic Richmond Town 441 Clarke Avenue Staten Island, NY 10306 (718) 351-1611 Click for directions.
When you visit you'll discover that Historic Richmond Town rests on over 100 acres and encompasses four sites, include NYC's oldest continuously operating farm. The main village is located in the heart of Richmond County and occupies almost 50 acres featuring over 30 original historic structures, including homes and commercial and civic buildings, as well as a historical museum. We stress "original" because unlike many other museums R-Town is not reconstructed or rebuilt. It's the real thing. Three additional sites include one of the oldest homes in the country, still standing on its original location for almost 350 years, and our 11 acre organic farm.
We recommend you come early and plan to stay for awhile. A visit to Historic Richmond Town is a family outing that provides an opportunity for everyone to experience the domestic, commercial and civic activities that supported families and community for more than 300 years.
Court Place
V
isitors can walk through the former county seat of Richmond, see historically furnished interiors and explore museum exhibits. Staff and volunteers provide guided tours and demonstrate the daily activities of early Staten Islanders on a seasonal, scheduled basis. The museum also presents and host over one hundred events and special programs throughout the year. Please browse our calendar to plan your visit.
Established in 1958, Historic Richmond Town is a joint project of the Staten Island Historical Society, an independent nonprofit cultural organization, and the City of New York, which owns a portion of the land and structures. The City supports part of the museum's operations with public funds from the Department of Cultural Affairs and the New York City Council.
Guyon-Lake-Tysen House
Stephens-Black House and General Store
The Staten Island Historical Society also receives support from the New York State Department of Education, the New York State Council on the Arts, the Institute of Museum & Library Services, the Office of the Borough President, and private contributions from corporations, foundations and individuals.
Remembering Our Friends...
Margaret Robinson, 1945 (Staten Island Historical Society)
Margaret Robinson
Board Member
1924-2010
On a warm summer day in 1937, Margaret Robinson along with her class of young school friends came to Historic Richmond Town as part of a project to restore the Voorlezer’s House. For young Margaret Robinson, this event began 73 years of volunteer service at an institution she would grow to love. Born on March 2nd, 1924 , it seems that Margaret Robinson was rooted in Richmond Town from the start. As a native Staten Islander, she attended P.S. 28 and later graduated from New Dorp High School. Her service to the Staten Island Historical Society would increase as the years progressed and even involved her helping to transition the organization from a volunteer establishment to an active not-for-profit institution.
Resident Artist, Creative Visionary of Historic Richmond Town
For years neighbors and friends of Historic Richmond Town have come for miles to delight in the December Christmas in Richmond Town festivities. As guests toured the village, they warmed their hands to a cup of hot apple cider which had been freshly brewed by Historic Richmond Town’s resident artist and creative visionary, Mark Landis. When the evening celebration concluded, the village visitors would gather; cider in hand, around the village Christmas tree. The gloriously lit tree that beamed brightly in the winter wind, had been meticulously adorned by none other than Mark Landis.
Mark Landis helping a visitor with the Pen & Ink activity at the 300th Anniversary of the Voorlezer House.
