Historic Richmond Town

In the early 18th century, Richmond Town emerged as a hub of commercial activity and the seat of county government on Staten Island. The mixed Dutch, English, and French population worked in prosperous local industries and farms, and the 1837 construction of a Greek Revival–style courthouse reinforced the town's importance as the judicial center. Ultimately, however, other villages achieved greater commercial success, and the 1898 consolidation of New York's five boroughs further diminished Richmond Town's prominence. Historic Richmond Town is composed of 28 buildings dating from the late 17th to the early 20th centuries. Twelve of these structures are open to public visitation, in conjunction with seasonal living history programs and museum exhibitions that illustrate the evolution of daily life and customs in New York City and the surrounding region.

On-site programs: Winter Workshops teach lessons in math, social studies, and language arts through hands-on activities such as candle making, object and architecturally based research, role-playing a trial scenario, cooking in a circa 1820 kitchen, designing a quilt, and textile production. Fall Curriculum Tours examine topics including land surveying, early-American farm life, family and community relationships, neighbor networks, citizenship, and African American history. Teachers who choose an Open Village visit in the spring receive a curriculum guide to Historic Richmond Town buildings and can visit all the open buildings and sample period appropriate hands-on activities. Pre- and postvisit materials, including brief lesson plans and resources, are available. (Pre-K–8; Open Village for Grades 1–12; $)

In-school programs: Costumed interpretive staff lead interactive lessons on subjects including butter making and the role of butter in early American cooking, household chores and children's games, food storage before refrigeration and motorized transportation, changing fashion and function of clothing, and the history of citizenship. (Pre-KGrade–5; $)

Professional development: Teacher workshops are available upon request, tailored to the needs of the particular district, school, or grade. ($)

Student/teacher events: Old Home Day features craftspeople producing traditional products, such as wooden spoons, woven fabrics, spun wool and hearth-baked breads. The Richmond County Fair combines family fun and rural traditions. Alternating years bring Civil War or Revolutionary War encampments that explore the impact of those struggles on the New York City region.

General information: Address; 441 Clarke Avenue, Staten Island, NY 10306; Phone; (718) 351-1611, x280; Web: www.historicrichmondtown.org.

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