It is widely believed to be the oldest known schoolhouse in what is now the United States, although the sole inhabitant to hold the title of voorlezer, Hendrick Kroesen, only lived on the property from 1696 until 1701.

The present structure became a private residence for more than a century and is now owned and operated by the Staten Island Historical Society.

Despite being traditionally dated to before 1696 and sitting on land patented in 1680, it is more likely to have been constructed in the mid-eighteenth century, probably in the 1760s by Jacob Rezeau, whose family came into possession of the property in 1705.

A Voorlezer or Voorleser was the title given to a highly responsible citizen in New Netherland and later Dutch settlements in North America, who had semi-official duties in local law, education and religion.

[7] While never officially consecrated as a place of worship, a now-lost structure near the Voorlezer's House (possibly the original schoolhouse) was used as a meeting place for members of the Dutch Reformed Congregation until the French Church (established in Greenridge, and lasting only about 15 years) was built in 1698, and later in 1718 when a permanent Dutch Reformed Church was established on the north shore of the Island.

Subjects most likely included: In 1981, the building was closed for major renovation to stabilize the structure while retaining as much of its historic fabric as possible.

The kitchen was restored, and most notably, the leaded casement windows were installed to more accurately represent its appearance of a circa 1696 structure.