Billop House, 1967.

This two-story, rubble stone masonry building was constructed circa 1680 by Captain Christopher Billopp, who arrived to the colonies in 1674. As the story goes, Billopp circumnavigated Staten Island in one day in 1675 thus securing the island for New York (settling a long standing dispute with New Jersey for the right to land). He was given a land patent for 932 acres on the southern tip of Staten Island and 30 more acres of salt meadow on the west shore. Later he was awarded even more land and was active in local government.

By the Revolutionary War his great-grandson also named Christoper Billopp owned the large manor. Well known as an ardent Royalist, it was his home that perhaps claims more fame than the man himself.

On September 11, 1776, Continental Congress representatives John Adams, Edward Rutledge, and Benjamin Franklin met with Lord Howe, commander in chief of the British forces in America, for an attempted peace conference. The King's man was ordered not to consider the plea for independence, while the colonies were only empowered to negotiate if the terms included independence. After three hours, no deals were reached and the prospect of war became fully apparent. The name of the home resulted from this unsuccessful peace conference.

The house came under the control of the City of New York in 1926 and it became very clear that massive restoration work was required. The work began that same year and continued in earnest, first to improve basic infrastructure and then room by room restoration, until 1937. By 1937 the entire house had been restored, with a new roof, new floors and a Colonial rose garden, and it was opened to the public as the first house museum on Staten Island.