{"nrhp_refnum":"97000164","name":"Big Duck, The","other_names":[],"category":"building","location":{"address":"NY 24, NW of jct. with Bellows Pond Rd., Town of Southampton","address_restricted":false,"city":"Flanders","county":"Suffolk County","state":"NY","lat":40.88805984600003,"lon":-72.55703534099996,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"1997-04-28","is_nhl":false,"nhl_designated_date":null,"areas_of_significance":["Architecture"],"significance_levels":["national","state","local"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"A small retail poultry store built in 1930-31 in the shape of a giant white Peking duck, located on NY Route 24 in Flanders, Town of Southampton, Suffolk County, New York. It was built for duck farmer Martin Maurer and moved to its present site in 1988.","why_significant":"The nomination argues the building is a distinctive and widely recognized example of early twentieth-century mimetic roadside architecture, one of very few surviving in New York State. It drew national attention in later architectural criticism and debate, including the 'duck' and 'decorated shed' theory. Its design reflects efforts to attract motorists in the automobile era.","narrative":"Shaped like an oversized white Peking duck, this small building on NY Route 24 in Flanders was constructed in 1930-31 as a poultry store for duck farmer Martin Maurer. Its wood ribs are covered in galvanized wire mesh and four coats of white cement, with Model T tail lights serving as eyes. It measures about 15 feet wide, 30 feet long and 20 feet high. Designed by the Collins brothers, framed by carpenter George Reeve and surfaced by Smith & Yeager, it was meant to catch the eye of passing motorists. Maurer moved it to Flanders in 1937, and it closed as a store in 1984. After it was donated to Suffolk County, it was relocated in 1988 to a park site on the same road. It is valued as one of very few surviving mimetic roadside buildings in New York and as a reference point in later architectural criticism. A gift shop now occupies the interior.","period_of_significance":"1930-31","architect_builder":"Collins Brothers, designers; Smith & Yeager, masons; George Reeve, builder","architectural_style":"No style; other: roadside architecture","criteria":["C"],"status_note":"Now houses a retail gift shop; moved in 1988 to Sears-Bellows Pond County Park, and owned by Suffolk County.","vacant_flag":false,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.0-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 02:51:50.106728-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_NY/97000164.pdf"},"photo":{"url_800":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/97000164/bc165ca93b-800.webp","url_1600":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/97000164/bc165ca93b-1600.webp","licence":"Public domain","author":"Photograph by Mike Peel (www.mikepeel.net).","credit_html":"<a href=\"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Big_Duck_2018_05.jpg\" rel=\"noopener\">Photograph by Mike Peel (www.mikepeel.net).</a>, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons","source_page":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Big_Duck_2018_05.jpg"},"district":null,"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/75322039","wikipedia":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Duck","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2385515"},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/new-york/suffolk-county/big-duck-the-97000164/"}