November 30, 2025

Legendary Staten Island preservationist Barnett Shepherd passed away in August 2025. Shepherd founded the Preservation League of Staten Island in the 1970s to raise awareness of the importance of saving historic buildings. Since then, he worked to preserve Sailors’ Snug Harbor, Historic Richmond Town, and various historic properties in the borough.

Shepherd wrote several books on Staten Island history and architecture, including Sailors’ Snug Harbor, 1801-1976 and Tottenville: The Town the Oyster Built. He worked with the Tottenville Historic Society to survey 250 historic buildings as research for the book. He also served as the director of Historic Richmond Town for nearly 20 years, during which time he oversaw the renovation of many structures and the relocation of a few historic buildings. Additionally, he was an adviser for the Historic Districts Council.

In a 2012 oral history for the New York Preservation Archive Project, cited by The New York Times in his obituary, Shepherd commented that he left a career in the church because “it was not fulfilling after a number of years, that I really had the greater love for art and culture.” Jessica Phillips, Chief Exectuive Officer of Historic Richmond Town, reflected that Shepherd’s “legacy will live on in every building saved, every story told and every visitor inspired by this community he helped to shape.” §

This article was printed in the Archive Project’s Fall 2025 newsletter.