{"nrhp_refnum":"74001264","name":"Raynham Hall","other_names":["Townsend Homestead"],"category":"building","location":{"address":"20 W. Main St.","address_restricted":false,"city":"Oyster Bay","county":"Nassau County","state":"NY","lat":40.87242845600008,"lon":-73.53161893299995,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"1974-06-05","is_nhl":false,"nhl_designated_date":null,"areas_of_significance":["Architecture"],"significance_levels":["local"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"Raynham Hall, also called the Townsend Homestead, is a wood frame house complex at 20 West Main Street in the center of Oyster Bay, Nassau County, New York. It combines Samuel Townsend's dwelling of about 1738 with wings added about 1851 and 1855.","why_significant":"The nomination presents it as an architectural record of the growth of Oyster Bay and the prominent Townsend family, illustrating vernacular domestic design common on Long Island in the 18th and 19th centuries. It was the home of Revolutionary patriot Samuel Townsend and served as headquarters for British Queens Rangers officer Lt. Col. John G. Simcoe during the Revolution.","narrative":"Raynham Hall, also known as the Townsend Homestead, sits in the center of Oyster Bay on West Main Street. It consists of three wood frame sections: Samuel Townsend's two-and-one-half story house from about 1738, a larger wing added about 1851, and a kitchen wing from about 1855. Townsend, a merchant, importer and public official, supported the Revolution, and the house served as headquarters for Lt. Col. John G. Simcoe of the Queens Rangers during the British occupation of Long Island. His descendants lived here until 1941, and his grandson Solomon Townsend II expanded the house as a summer residence when Oyster Bay began drawing vacationers. The earlier house reflects 18th century proportions common in New England and eastern Long Island, while the later wings show mid-19th century rural prosperity. Mid-century additions to the original house were removed during restoration in the 1950s. The Town of Oyster Bay now operates the property as a museum.","period_of_significance":"18th and 19th centuries","architect_builder":"Samuel Townsend (original dwelling); Solomon Townsend II (mid-19th century wings)","architectural_style":"Domestic vernacular design; the 18th century dwelling follows a style common in New England and eastern Long Island","criteria":[],"status_note":"Condition excellent; restored during the 1950s, owned by the Town of Oyster Bay, furnished by period and open to the public as a museum.","vacant_flag":false,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.0-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 02:50:39.944334-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_NY/74001264.pdf"},"photo":{"url_800":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/74001264/66fa88407d-800.webp","url_1600":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/74001264/66fa88407d-1600.webp","licence":"Public domain","author":"Benson J Lossing","credit_html":"<a href=\"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Townsend_House.JPG\" rel=\"noopener\">Benson J Lossing</a>, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons","source_page":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Townsend_House.JPG"},"district":null,"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/75319179","wikipedia":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raynham_Hall_Museum","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7299339"},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/new-york/nassau-county/raynham-hall-74001264/"}