Alice Austen House, Dutch Colonial Revival house in Rosebank, Staten Island, United States.
The Alice Austen House is a Dutch Colonial Revival dwelling in Rosebank with white wooden walls, numerous windows, and a waterfront position overlooking New York Harbor. The structure spans multiple levels and contains original period rooms that reflect how residents lived across different eras.
The structure dates to 1690 when it was built as a simple dwelling, then underwent transformation after the Austen family acquired it in 1844. It eventually became known as an artistic space and later opened as a museum to preserve the building's evolving history.
The house served as a base for a photographer who documented daily life around her for decades, capturing neighbors and their activities through her camera. Visitors can see images today of gatherings, street scenes, and people from different backgrounds that made the space a window into local communities.
The building sits on elevated ground overlooking the water, making it easy to spot from outside. Visitors should note that rooms are connected by stairs and the surrounding ground may be uneven in places.
The photographer lived here with her life partner in a relationship that remained largely private and hidden from public view during that time. This aspect of her personal life was only widely recognized by historians decades after she left the house.
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