This impressive French Second Empire house was built between 1856 and 1857 for William B. Cronyn, a prosperous Wall Street merchant. A reminder of the development of this section of Brooklyn, this large freestanding residence remains a striking feature of the area. Of frame and brick construction covered with stucco, the three-story house features a central half-story cupola with a clerestory which lights the interior staircase. Charles M. Higgins acquired the property in 1898 as the headquarters for his India ink company which occupied the building until the mid-20th century.