Dodge, Thomas, Homestead
Why it's listed
Built in 1721 on Cow Neck, now Port Washington, this farmhouse overlooks the Mill Pond on Harbor Road. Thomas Dodge I bought the surrounding land in 1718 and 1721, and the nominated acre is what remains of the original 253.75 acres. The one-and-one-half-story, cedar-shingled house keeps its heavy-timber framing with mortise and tenon joints, plank partitions and doors, original mantels, and wrought-iron hardware. Walls are filled with bay mud and sea salt over notched lath. A dining room and kitchen wing were added around 1750. In 1903 the kitchen wing was replaced and a rear shed addition, dormers and porches were built. Heating, electricity and plumbing arrived in 1909. A barn from 1880, a privy from 1886, and a chicken coop and woodshed from the 1920s remain. The Dodge family farmed here for nearly 180 years, and the house reflects the area's change from farming community to suburb.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is a rare, largely intact early-eighteenth-century Long Island farmhouse that retains its heavy-timber framing, plank partitions and doors, and hand-wrought hardware. Later additions by the builder's descendants show changing rural life on Long Island. It is also tied to Thomas Dodge I, an early Port Washington settler, and to his descendants, who were prominent locally for over two centuries.
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 86001387, listed June 26, 1986. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 58 Harbor Rd., Port Washington |
|---|---|
| County | Nassau County |
| Listed | June 26, 1986 |
| Reference number | 86001387 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1700-1799, 1800-1899, 1900- (specific dates 1721, c.1750, 1903) |
| Architect / builder | Unknown |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied as a private residence; condition listed as good, with alterations, on its original site. |
| Acreage | 1 |
| Coordinates | 40.83861, -73.68537 (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 86001387.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14707467
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.