A Survivor on Richmond Terrace!

The extraordinary Captain Stephen Barnes house was built in 1853—before the Civil War! Located on Richmond Terrace in Mariner’s Harbor, it was part of “Captain’s Row,” a series of mansions owned by oyster boat captains that called Staten Island home. Here, the captains looked out over the Kill Van Kull and planned their next voyages…

Most of these historic homes are long gone, but this gem survives in no small part due to its designation. It is a New York City Landmark and has been since 1976. The Captain Barnes mansion has both Gothic and Italianate elements unlike many of the other Captain’s Row houses which were generally in the Greek Revival style. In addition, unlike those buildings, it is made of brick. It’s neighbors were generally made of wood. One wonders if they went up in smoke? No doubt they fell to the developer’s dozer.