3. The Manee-Seguine Homestead, 1670

Photo from the rear of the Manee-Seguine Homestead

Alternatively called the Abraham Manee House, the Manee-Seguine Homestead lies on the South Shore of Staten Island, next to Lemon Creek. This New York City landmark is unfortunately in a terrible state of disrepair, with the house completely covered in tarp and the front yard (on the other side of the above photograph) completely overgrown. As of the end of 2017, the owner had been forced to give up the house to the city after racking up $8.55 million in fines and subsequently losing a lawsuit against the city. You can read about the legal background regarding the house here.

Built close to the water, the house’s oldest, one room stone section is speculated to have been built in 1670 by Paulus Regrenier, a French Huguenot like Pierre Billiou. Major additions to the homestead were made by Abraham Manee and the Seguine family in the early 18th and 19th century, respectively.

The Manee-Seguine Homestead is notable for its spring eave designs, reflecting the Flemish background of its builders, as well as the rubble-stone and tabby additions made by Abraham Manee. During the late 19th century, the building became the “Homestead Hotel”, a tavern and inn owned by Stephen Purdy, a remnant of Staten Island’s history as a summer resort. You can see what the homestead looked like historically on the Staten Island Museum website.

The Manee-Seguine Homestead is located on 509 Seguine Avenue