The Governor’s House

The Governor’s House. Governors Island. , The Governor’s House was constructed in 1813 as a guardhouse for the Island. Its location on a bluff overlooking Buttermilk Channel and the primary Island dock was ideally suited for this purpose. By 1824, it was used as the residence for the commanding officer of the post. The commanding officer continued to live here until the Commanding Officer’s Quarters, located two doors to the south, was completed in 1843. At that time, the Governor’s House was used as offices for the post commander, while the basement continued to be used as a guardhouse until approximately 1863., The name “Governor’s House” is a misnomer as no New York State governor ever occupied the building. In 1698, the British officially acquired the Island and English colonial governors established a headquarters here, resulting in the name “Governors Island.” The house may have been called “the Governor’s House” due to its proximity to the location of the original English colonial governor’s residence, which no longer survives., The house was altered many times over the years. The most dramatic of these changes was the removal of the original two-story porches located on the east and west facades of the building, and the addition of the garage and patio at its rear. The majority of the alterations were made in the 1830s when the roof and porches were changed. The rear garage addition was created in the 1930s.