Tobias Van Steenburgh House

The Tobias Van Steenburgh House is a limestone structure in Kingston with one and a half stories, a steeply pitched gabled roof, and distinctive mortise and tenon windows. The compact building sits on Wall Street and demonstrates early Dutch-American construction techniques.

Built around 1700 for Jan Janisse, the house survived the British burning of Kingston in 1777 without damage. A stone marker on its front wall documents its survival as one of the few structures spared during the Revolutionary War period.

This house shows how early American families arranged their homes, with a central hallway leading to rooms and a large fireplace for cooking and heating. The Federal style details reveal what colonists valued in their living spaces during that period.

The building can be viewed from outside along Wall Street, near its intersection with Franklin Street in Kingston. Visitors can observe the exterior and historical markers without needing to enter the residence.

A commemorative plaque installed by the Daughters of the American Revolution in 1897 marks the house. This early preservation effort shows how the late 1800s recognized the value of protecting colonial structures.

Location: New York

GPS coordinates: 41.92694,-74.01556

Latest update: December 14, 2025 14:25