The Old Britton House was a house located on the western side of Amboy Road almost directly opposite of Tysens Lane in the New Dorp Beach section of Staten Island, New York.[1][2] At one time, it was one of the oldest structures on Staten Island. Built between 1650 and 1680 by a Huguenot refugee, the house was the site of an Indian massacre, the headquarters for a Hessian commander during the American Revolutionary War, a smallpox hospital and a colonial courthouse.[1][2] It was demolished in 1896 and the stones that formed the walls were crushed up into macadam.[3]

The Old Britton House

Alleged haunting

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The area around the house was said to be haunted by shadows. After midnight, it was said that a reenactment of the Indian massacre would take place. The sounds of the English family's screams could be heard along with the yells of the attacking Indians.[2]

References

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  1. ^ a b Historical Guide to the City of New York. New York: Frederick A. Stokes Company. 1909. p. 341. Retrieved 2017-06-11. old britton house.
  2. ^ a b c Childe, Cromwell (1895). "Haunted Houses". The American Magazine. Vol. 40. New York: Frank Leslie's Publishing House. Retrieved 2017-06-11.
  3. ^ Proceedings - Staten Island Institute of Arts and Sciences. Vol. 4–6. New York. 1895. Retrieved 2017-06-11.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)

40°34′08″N 74°07′30″W / 40.569°N 74.125°W / 40.569; -74.125