Crowell House
Why it's listed
Built around 1871 as a summer house, this residence at 375 Littleworth Lane in Sea Cliff is a one-and-one-half story building with 12-inch poured concrete walls, a slate mansard roof with bracketed eaves and gable dormers, and a two-and-one-half story central tower with a tent roof. Round windows, corbeling and pointed-arched windows add detail, and the interior retains period finishes. Dr. Crowell, the original owner, reportedly had tanks built on the roof to raise trout; by the mid-1880s the fish moved to a spring-fed pond on the property and the tanks were removed. It is a local Second Empire example and the only late nineteenth century village building with concrete exterior walls. Set away from the compact Methodist campground resort area, it was never part of that encampment. The house now sits on a wooded parcel beside Scudders Pond, a protected wildlife preserve, among mid-twentieth century homes. It recalls Sea Cliff's early development as a summer resort.
Significance in brief: It is a distinguished example of Sea Cliff's late nineteenth century middle-income seasonal architecture and a local example of the Second Empire style. It is the only late nineteenth century building in the village with concrete exterior walls. It is also one of the few early summer homes located away from the dense resort community in the northwest part of the village.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 88000020, listed February 18, 1988. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 375 Littleworth La., Sea Cliff |
|---|---|
| County | Nassau County |
| Listed | February 18, 1988 |
| Reference number | 88000020 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Architect unknown; builder Dr. Crowell, original owner |
| Architectural style | Second Empire |
| Areas of significance | Entertainment/Recreation, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed in good condition and used as a private residence; the original fish tanks on the roof were removed. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 40.83908, -73.64812 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary for a privately owned home: it does not by itself restrict what an owner may do with their own money, and it does not require public access. Restrictions come from local landmark or historic-district ordinances, which are separate (how they differ).
Owner-occupied houses are not eligible for the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit, which applies to income-producing buildings, but many states offer credits for homeowners. Listing also opens the door to preservation easements and to buying a plaque. Start with what listing means for homeowners, renovating a listed house and selling one.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 88000020.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5189222
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.