{"nrhp_refnum":"82001199","name":"Kreischer House","other_names":[],"category":"building","location":{"address":"4500 Arthur Kill Rd.","address_restricted":false,"city":"New York","county":"Manhattan","state":"NY","lat":40.53260582100006,"lon":-74.23780244899996,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"1982-10-29","is_nhl":false,"nhl_designated_date":null,"areas_of_significance":["Architecture"],"significance_levels":["local"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"A two and one-half story wood frame Victorian house at 4500 Arthur Kill Road on Staten Island, built about 1885 on a landscaped knoll overlooking the Arthur Kill. It was built for brick manufacturer Balthasar Kreischer; the architect is unknown.","why_significant":"The house is a representative example of the large Victorian wood frame dwelling built for the prosperous middle class in the later nineteenth century. Its jigsaw ornament recalls Swiss chalet designs from pattern books. It was the home of Balthasar Kreischer, whose brick works led to the growth of the community of Kreischerville.","narrative":"Set high on a wooded, landscaped knoll above the Arthur Kill on Staten Island, this large two and one-half story wood frame house dates to about 1885. It descends from the mid-nineteenth century picturesque cottage but is larger and more elaborate. Features include wraparound verandas, jigsaw bargeboards and railings, tall chimneys, and a three-sided corner tower with a pointed roof. The north gable, with its balcony and ornate trim, deliberately recalls Swiss chalets as shown in period pattern books. The house was built for Balthasar Kreischer, who opened a fire brick and clay retort works in 1874 in what became known as Kreischerville. His plant made brick, roof tiles, and terra-cotta ornament, including pieces used at Barnard College, St. Luke's Hospital, and Columbia University. The house was the showplace of the community and remains a visual reminder of the area's industrial development. It is regarded as one of the finest and rarest houses of its kind in New York City. The architect is unknown.","period_of_significance":"1800-1899","architect_builder":null,"architectural_style":"Victorian picturesque cottage descendant with Swiss chalet-style detailing","criteria":[],"status_note":"Occupied as a private residence; condition listed as good and altered. A garage was recently destroyed by fire.","vacant_flag":false,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.0-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 02:50:42.028505-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_NY/82001199.pdf"},"photo":{"url_800":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/82001199/8cb0796641-800.webp","url_1600":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/82001199/8cb0796641-1600.webp","licence":"CC0","author":"Jim.henderson","credit_html":"<a href=\"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Kreischer_House_uncut_jeh.jpg\" rel=\"noopener\">Jim.henderson</a>, <a href=\"http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/deed.en\" rel=\"license noopener\">CC0</a>, via Wikimedia Commons","source_page":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Kreischer_House_uncut_jeh.jpg"},"district":null,"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/75319672","wikipedia":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kreischer_House","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q6436630"},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/new-york/manhattan/kreischer-house-82001199/"}