Brief January 19, 2021

Staten Island 1 of 2

Conference House Park Archaeological Site 298 Satterlee Street, Staten Island Tax Map Block 7857 Lot 1 in part Proposed Action: Propose for Calendaring January 19, 2021

Conference House Park Archaeological Site (Ward’s Point), LPC

Conference House Park Archaeological Site January 19, 2021

Staten Island 2 of 2

Located in Tottenville at the southern-most point of Staten Island, the Conference House Park Archaeological Site contains the region’s largest known prehistoric burial ground and the largest and best-preserved known archaeological site documenting Native American life beginning about 8,000 years ago and continuing through the Colonial period. The proposed landmark site includes approximately 20 acres of highly archaeologically sensitive land located within the city’s Conference House Park. Designation would recognize the over-8,000-year history of Native American occupation of the site and protect its below-ground archaeological resources. Native Americans have lived in what is now New York City, including Conference House Park, for hundreds of generations. Over these thousands of years, the geography and ecology of the area have dramatically changed impacting the way people used the land, with the earliest groups moving frequently to hunt, and later groups settling in villages to utilize abundant adjacent resources. At least 16 archaeological projects have occurred in the vicinity of the proposed landmark since the 19th century. These projects uncovered an important burial ground that included over 70 burials. In addition, 127 features were found which were primarily associated with a Woodland-period village at the site, about 1,500 to 500 years ago. The archaeologists also uncovered a series of hearths and other artifacts from the Early Archaic period (about 8,000 years ago) confirming that cooking, butchering and toolmaking were among the activities that occurred at the site. The British enacted a series of land deeds c. 1670 that took Staten Island from Native Americans who were likely Lenape, but we do not know when the last Native Americans left this site. Soon after, Christopher Billopp received a British patent for land that included the proposed landmark site as well as the land to the north, on which he built Conference House circa 1675, a designated New York City Landmark. The designated Henry Hogg Biddle House, built around the 1840s, is located just north of Conference House. Historic archaeological resources, such as projectile points made of copper and brass, have been found at the site and are significant evidence that the area was used during the period of contact between Native Americans and European colonists. In 1926, Conference House Park was donated to the City of New York and today includes paths, trails, undisturbed woods, beach, and a distinctive ridge where many of the documented archaeological discoveries were made. The Conference House Park Archaeological Site would be the city’s first Landmark to recognize its thousands of years of Native American habitation.

Conference House

Henry Hogg Biddle House

Visitor Center

Hylan Bl

Main St

Brighton St

Joline Av

Billop Av

Yetman Av

Chelsea St

Amboy Rd

Sprague Av

Bedell Av

Swinnerton St

Clermont Av

Manhattan St

Page Av

Craig Av

Loretto St

Finlay St

Sleight Av

Rockaw

ay St

Carteret St

Pittsville Av

Aspinwall St

Surf Av

Shore Rd

Connecticut St

Nancy LaHo

pping

Av

Summit Rd

Bentley St

Butler Av

Adlers La

George St

Joline LaSurfside Pz

Amaron La

Summit St

Sylvan Ct

Delia Ct

Giegerich Pl

Patten StKeppel Av Jacob St

Honey La

Fayann La

Forest La

Sea Crest La

Tricia Wy

Ottavio Pr

Academy Av

Wildwood La

Sunset La

Winding W

oods Lo

Aviva

Ct

Aspinwall St

Craig

Av

Carteret St

Surf Av

Finlay St0 .095

Miles

Graphic Source: MapPLUTO, Edition 20v4, Author: New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission, MD, Date: 1.5.2020.

(Proposed) Conference House Park Archaeological Site | LP-2648

Address: 298 Satterlee Street

Proposed Landmark Site: Borough of Staten Island, Tax Map Block 7857, Lot 1 in part

Proposed for Calendaring: January 19, 2021

LegendProposed Landmark Site

New York City Tax Lots

Building Footprints

Existing Landmark

Existing Landmark Site