Denton, George W., House
Why it's listed
Perched at the top of a winding driveway on a steep, wooded hillside in Flower Hill, this clapboard-sheathed frame house was built around 1873 for George W. Denton, a prosperous local attorney who later became the first Nassau County attorney. It looks out over Hempstead Harbor. Its design is a local interpretation of an Italian villa, with an asymmetrical plan, an engaged tower, semi-octagonal bay windows, round-arched windows, broad bracketed eaves and a wrap-around arcaded verandah. An early twentieth century enlargement of the verandah was removed in the 1970s. Inside, nearly all original finishes survive, including plasterwork, door and window surrounds, and the main staircase. A brick ice house built into the hill behind the house is also part of the property. The house was listed as the most intact of several picturesque residences that mark the harbor's nineteenth-century growth as a fashionable retreat, and as a standout example of its style in Nassau County. A 1877 railroad guide named it among Roslyn's showplaces.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is a textbook, intact example of mid-nineteenth century Italian Villa suburban architecture, unlike the plain traditional Long Island style. It is the most intact of several large picturesque residences recalling Hempstead Harbor's change into a fashionable retreat. It was built for attorney George W. Denton, later the first Nassau County attorney, and was a recognized local landmark by 1877.
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 85001937, listed August 29, 1985. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | West Shore Rd., Flower Hill |
|---|---|
| County | Nassau County |
| Listed | August 29, 1985 |
| Reference number | 85001937 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architectural style | Italian Villa |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition listed as excellent and largely unaltered; occupied as a private residence, in single-family use since the early twentieth century. |
| Acreage | 2 |
| Coordinates | 40.80448, -73.65499 (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 85001937.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5545582
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.