Conference House

The most imposing surviving Seventeenth Century manor house on Staten Island is a magnificent two and one-half story fieldstone residence, constructed between the years 1680 and 1688, now called the Conference House. The house is rectangular in plan with a centrally designed hall and has an attic of immense dimensions. The stone masonry, impressively bold in appearance, is characteristic of the medieval influence in some of our early Colonial architecture.

This house is celebrated as the scene of the abortive peace conference held there on September 11, 1776 between Benjamin Franklin, John Adams and Edward Rutledge, representing the American Side, and for the British, Lord Richard Howe, Admiral of the British Fleet, assisted by Henry Strachey, Howe’s secretary.

STATUS Designated Individual Landmark

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Fern Luskin: Lamartine Place Historic District; Friends of Lamartine Place & Gibbons Underground Railroad Site

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Zella Jones: NoHo Historic District; NoHo East; and NoHo Extension

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“I remember Richard saying at a meeting, we have someone here from HDC, Nadezhda Williams, Director of Preservation and Research, to help us. She said to us, ‘You are not the only ones going through this.’ HDC included us in an enormous community”

Erika Petersen: West End Preservation Society

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"HDC has begun a series of projects to highlight the Bronx's architectural and cultural history. From booklet's and research highlighting specific sites and historic districts to the HDC's symposium in October 2018 to the latest community-based committee to look into further possible sites to qualify for landmarking, the HDC has established projects that will serve the Bronx community well."

Elena Martinez
City Lore, Folklorist
Bronx Music Heritage Center, Co-Artistic Director

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"Welcome2TheBronx is grateful for the advocacy done by the Historic Districts Council on behalf of the people of The Bronx. Through their deep connections and understanding of the importance of preserving our local histories, The Bronx has been able to have several spotlights shown on endangered communities as gentrification creeps into the borough."

Ed García Conde,
founder and Executive Director,
Welcome2TheBronx