{"nrhp_refnum":"73001212","name":"Beekman, James William, House","other_names":["\"The Cliffs\""],"category":"building","location":{"address":"West Shore Rd.","address_restricted":false,"city":"Oyster Bay","county":"Nassau County","state":"NY","lat":40.87757011300005,"lon":-73.54488111550856,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"1973-12-12","is_nhl":false,"nhl_designated_date":null,"areas_of_significance":["Historic - Aboriginal","Architecture"],"significance_levels":["local"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"\"The Cliffs,\" the James William Beekman estate on West Shore Road in Oyster Bay, Nassau County, New York. It is a Rural Gothic wood-frame country house with outbuildings, built in 1863-64 on a rocky bluff above Oyster Bay, and the grounds also contain the Spring Lake archeological site.","why_significant":"The house is one of only a few sophisticated examples of Rural Gothic architecture on Long Island, and its dwelling, dependencies and natural setting survive as a complete historical unit. It was built for James William Beekman, a New York legislator and philanthropist. The Spring Lake site is a probable Matinecock village area that could yield rare information about Native village settlement on Long Island.","narrative":"Perched on a rocky bluff about 70 feet above Oyster Bay, \"The Cliffs\" is a wood-frame country house built in 1863-64 for James William Beekman, a New York State legislator, civic leader and philanthropist. Architect Henry G. Harrison designed it in the Rural Gothic style popularized by Davis and Downing, with steep gables, traceried windows, verandas and elaborate brick chimneys. Inside, original coffered ceilings, mosaic floors, marble mantels and ornate woodwork remain. A stable, carriage house, greenhouse, pumphouse, ice house and boat house survive nearby, and the natural setting has stayed largely intact. This unusually complete estate is one of only a few sophisticated examples of its style on Long Island. The grounds also include the Spring Lake archeological site, a shell midden that probably marks a Matinecock village. Surface finds of tools, pottery, European crockery and wampum-making materials suggest occupation in the historic period, and the largely undisturbed site holds promise for future research.","period_of_significance":"19th Century (specific dates 1863-1864)","architect_builder":"Henry G. Harrison (architect; also given as Henry J. Harrison in the description section)","architectural_style":"Rural Gothic / Gothic Revival","criteria":[],"status_note":"Condition stated as excellent and unaltered, on its original site; in use as a private residence and occupied. The setting and outbuildings are described as well preserved.","vacant_flag":false,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.0-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 02:50:38.60497-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_NY/73001212.pdf"},"photo":null,"district":null,"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/75319071","wikipedia":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_William_Beekman_House","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q6145549"},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/new-york/nassau-county/beekman-james-william-house-73001212/"}