Things to do / Travel Guide
Address:7455 Hylan Blvd.
New York, New York
Tel:
(718) 984-0415
Walk the same floorboards that Ben Franklin, John Adams and Edward Rutledge walked in the 1776 Peace Conference! Step back into 18th century life when cars were horses, heat came from fireplaces and the supermarket was your own backyard!
Located at the southernmost tip of New York State in Staten Island, the Conference House was the site of a conference to which Ben Franklin, John Adams, and Edward Rutledge were invited by Admiral Lord Howe, Commander of His Majesty's Atlantic Squadron, in an attempt to persuade the Colonists to return to the folds of the British Empire. Within 3 hours, the conference was over, and the Admiral was disappointed and concerned over the fate of America, which he was certain would fall. In spite of the Admiral's intent, today, Americans and tourists alike can visit this 2.5 story fieldstone which is open to the public and features complete colonial-style furnished rooms.
Visitors can enjoy a variety of special events including a Stained Glass workshop, the Watermelon Festival, Annual Art Show and many others. There are plenty of Children's programs, and families should not miss the Touch-and-Smell Tours, which highlight the importance of herbs for food, and medicine and flowers for beauty. Also not to be missed is the archeological information on the 10,000 year old glacial ridge and Indian artifacts, which lie beneath The Conference House. The Conference House is open for Guided Tours from April through Mid-December on: Fridays, Saturdays & Sundays from 1:00pm - 4:00pm, so come on over and see the only pre-revolutionary manor house still surviving in New York City!
To get to The Conference House, take the S78 to Craig Avenue, walk one block south to Satterlee Street, cross the street, and enter Conference House Park.
From The Conference House:
The House, a National and New York City Landmark, is the only pre-Revolutionary manor house still surviving in New York City. It stands majestically in Conference House Park (the Park celebrated it's 75th anniversary in Spring 2001) overlooking Raritan Bay.