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Franz P. Roggen House
Photograph by John E. Reinhardt
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Swiss immigrant Franz P. Roggen built this Dutch Colonial style house shortly after his arrival in Kingston in 1750, but it is the property's place in local mythology and legend that differentiates this house from the other Dutch Colonial architecture located in the Stockade Historic District. After the British burned Kingston in 1777 in retaliation for the town's role in supporting the American Revolution and the new State government of New York, the interior of the Roggen house was completely gutted and remained in ruins until 1800. It is during this time that the Roggen House began its role in local legend, when the remaining beams of the original building were purportedly used as a gallows site. The "hanging beams" were incorporated into the house's reconstruction, contributing to the building's "haunted" status. After many years as a residence, the Roggen House is now occupied by a securities firm that has adapted the interior for business purposes while maintaining the historic integrity of the exterior.
The Franz P. Roggen House is located in the Stockade Historic District at the corner of John and Crown Streets. The property is not open to the public.
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