The Persen House is located at 74 John Street in uptown Kingston within Kingston’s Stockade National Historic District. Its earliest portions date from c.1661 and it is one of four landmark buildings on each corner of John and Crown Streets. This is the only known intersection in the United States with pre-revolutionary stone houses on all four corners.
The Dutch were the first Europeans to colonize New York in 1614. The City of Kingston was originally called Wiltwyck and New York was called New Netherland. The English took over the colony in 1664 and changed the names to Kingston and New York, but the official records of the town were kept in the Dutch language until 1712.
The earliest portion of the Persen House dates from c. 1661 and is one of four landmark buildings on each corner of John and Crown Streets in Kingston. This intersection is the only intersection in the United States with 18th century stone houses on all four corners. The house was built in 5 distinct phases from 1661 to 1922 and the phases represent distinct eras of American history; from the Dutch colonists, to the Revolutionary War, to the Industrial Revolution.
Restoration of the Persen house began in 1999 after the occupants were moved out due to structural instability. During the restoration, the historic significance of the structure was uncovered and the decision was made to remove the contemporary walls to reveal the five different phases of the house. The house it left open to highlight the architectural significance of the different phases and how they interact with one another.
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