3 Crown Street, Stockade District, Kingston

The Henry Sleight House in the historic Stockade District of Kingston was built in the late 17th century and is considered to be a fine example of Dutch and English Colonial architectural style. The first known owner of the house was Anthony Crispell. The house is named for former Kingston resident, local merchant and Village President Hendricus (Henry) Sleight, who purchased the house in 1736 for £120. The building was damaged during the American Revolution when the British Army attacked and burned the city of Kingston on October 16, 1777, but was quickly restored. In 1782, Henry Sleight, as Village President, famously welcomed George Washington to the Kingston village during his tour of New York after the surrender of the British Army at Yorktown, Virginia (which effectively won the American Revolution). Although Washington’s primary destination was the Old Dutch Church, it is believed that General Washington visited the Henry Sleight House as well.

By 1785, the house was owned by John Tappen, a lawyer who also owned and operated an early local newspaper called the Ulster Plebian out of the second floor of the house. For the next 124 years, ownership changed many times; but since 1909 the Henry Sleight House has been owned The Wiltwyck Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR). DAR is a non-profit women’s service organization whose membership consists of female descendents of those who served during the American Revolution. The building is open to the public by appointment only.