{"nrhp_refnum":"74001252","name":"Quarters A","other_names":["Commander's Quarters","Matthew C. Perry House"],"category":"building","location":{"address":"U.S. Naval Facility","address_restricted":false,"city":"New York","county":"Brooklyn","state":"NY","lat":40.70222138650004,"lon":-73.98033315601847,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"1974-05-30","is_nhl":true,"nhl_designated_date":"1974-05-30","areas_of_significance":["Military","Politics/Government","Architecture"],"significance_levels":["national"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"Quarters A, also called the Commander's Quarters or Matthew C. Perry House, is a Federal-style residence on a hill overlooking the New York Navy Yard in Brooklyn, built in 1805-1806 and reputedly designed by Charles Bulfinch with John McComb, Jr.","why_significant":"It was the home of Matthew C. Perry while he commanded the New York Navy Yard from 1841 to 1843. Perry later negotiated the opening of Japan, and during his New York decade he advanced steam navigation, ordnance, lighthouse service and naval education. The house is also described as a distinguished Federal-style country house that retains many original features.","narrative":"Quarters A is a Federal-style house built in 1805-1806 on a hill above the New York Navy Yard in Brooklyn. Reputedly designed by Charles Bulfinch with John McComb, Jr., it has housed the yard's ranking officer ever since. The frame is hand-hewn oak, the plaster is lime mortar made from burned shells, and the nails are handmade wrought iron. An oval back parlor, now the dining room, is reportedly one of only three Bulfinch designed. Additions came in 1860, 1904 and 1936. The property also includes a carriage house, stables and grounds. The house is tied to Matthew C. Perry, who moved in as commander of the yard in 1841. During his decade at the yard he worked on steam navigation, ordnance, lighthouse service and naval education, and he later negotiated the opening of Japan. The house remains a Navy-owned residence closed to the public.","period_of_significance":"1841-1843","architect_builder":"Reputedly Charles Bulfinch in association with John McComb, Jr.","architectural_style":"Federal","criteria":[],"status_note":"Condition listed as excellent and altered; the Navy owns it, it is privately occupied as the commanding officer's residence, and it is not open to the public.","vacant_flag":false,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.0-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 02:50:38.917841-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_NY/74001252_NHL.pdf"},"photo":{"url_800":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/74001252/d40c04ec4c-800.webp","url_1600":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/74001252/d40c04ec4c-1600.webp","licence":"Public domain","author":"Jim.henderson","credit_html":"<a href=\"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Quartersabloomjeh.jpg\" rel=\"noopener\">Jim.henderson</a>, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons","source_page":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Quartersabloomjeh.jpg"},"district":null,"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/75315783","wikipedia":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quarters_A,_Brooklyn_Navy_Yard","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7269330"},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/new-york/brooklyn/quarters-a-74001252/"}