Governor's House (Governors Island)

Last updated November 15, 2025

Significant dates

Governor's House
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
New York City Landmark No. 0545


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Location	Governors Island, New York, New York
Coordinates	40°41′27″N74°0′48″W / 40.69083°N 74.01333°W / 40.69083; -74.01333
Area	less than one acre
Built	1805–1813
Architectural style	Georgian
NRHP reference No.	73001217 ^[1]
NYCL No.	0545
Added to NRHP	April 26, 1973
Designated NYCL	September 19, 1967

The Governor's House, also known as Building 2, is a historic house on Governors Island in New York City. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973.^[2]

The Governor's House was built c. 1805–1813, during the War of 1812 and was originally known as the Guard House.^[3]^[4] It is the oldest structure on the island that is not a fortification,^[4]^[5] but contrary to popular misconception, is not the Colonial Governor's Mansion, which was built in 1702.^[5] Building 2 was commanding officers' quarters between 1822 and 1843, then was used the main guard house and post commanding officers' quarters until the 1920s.^[5] The building was then used as officers' quarters by 1922.^[5] A brick annex was built to the south in 1939.^[3]

The Governor's House is a two-story Georgian brick structure. The footprint is similar to a Greek Cross, and the gable roof projections, covered with asphalt, intersect at the center of the "cross". The entrance portico contains Ionic columns under an entablature, with a paneled wooden door behind a transom, and is accessed by a concrete-upon-brick stoop.^[4] At the entrance portico above the second story is a small lunette window.^[3] The windows around the house are six-over-six, double-hung, with brownstone windowsills. The east-side annex has a Colonial Revival doorway and cast stone sills.^[4]

References

↑ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places . National Park Service. March 13, 2009.
↑ Stephen S. Lash (September 1971). National Register of Historic Places Registration: New York SP Governor's House. National Archives and Records Administration. Retrieved November 13, 2025. (Downloading may be slow.)
1 2 3 Edwards and Kelcey Engineers, Inc. (November 4, 1998). Governors Island Disposition of Surplus Federal Real Property: Environmental Impact Statement. p. 244.
1 2 3 4 Hansen, Laura; Pearson, Marjorie (June 8, 1996). "Governors Island Historic District" (PDF). City of New York; New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission. p. 49 (PDF p. 54). Archived from the original (PDF) on February 3, 2017. Retrieved June 3, 2019.
1 2 3 4 "National Register of Historic Inventory - Nomination Form For Federal Properties: Governors Island". United States Department of the Interior, National Park Service. February 4, 1985. p. 7.

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See also: National Register of Historic Places listings in Manhattan (Islands, Below 14th St., 14th–59th Sts., 59th–110th Sts., Above 110th St.) and List of National Historic Landmarks in New York City
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