Conference House dates to around 1680 and stands near the southern tip of Staten Island. Its name comes from the 1776 peace conference where Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, and Edward Rutledge met British representatives in a failed attempt to end the Revolutionary War.
The house is most rewarding if you are already exploring Staten Island beyond the ferry. The setting is quiet, with waterfront parkland nearby and a sense of old New York that is hard to find in the busier boroughs.