Elmwood
Also known as: Young,Thomas F.,Estate
Why it's listed
Elmwood is a country estate on Cove Road in Oyster Bay, built in 1836 for Thomas F. Youngs, a New York City merchant from one of the area's earliest settler families. The two-story wood-frame house is dominated by a tetrastyle Ionic portico, with a plain wall surface, a prominent cornice and architrave, and symmetrical windows. Inside, a central hall holds the staircase, and the tapered, pedimented window and door frames carry plaster rosettes, with black marble mantels and decorative plaster at the stair ends. A two-story south wing was added around 1915 during the ownership of Charles L. Tiffany II, and a brick coach house followed in 1918. The grounds hold a gatehouse, gazebo, icehouse, greenhouse, barns and an octagonal water tower. The house is valued as a refined Greek Revival design and as an early example of the merchant country seats that shaped Oyster Bay's 19th and 20th century development, still in a rural setting on about 26 acres.
Significance in brief: The nomination presents Elmwood as an elegant example of Greek Revival architecture in Nassau County and an early illustration of the pattern of wealthy city merchants building country residences in Oyster Bay. It also notes its later ownership by Charles L. Tiffany II, and that the estate survives in a rural setting with an extensive group of frame dependencies.
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 75001200, listed April 3, 1975. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | E side of Cove Rd., Oyster Bay |
|---|---|
| County | Nassau County |
| Listed | April 3, 1975 |
| Reference number | 75001200 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Thomas F. Youngs (original owner/builder), possibly assisted by his brother Henry |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Excellent condition and unaltered; occupied as a private, seasonal residence. |
| Acreage | 26 |
| Coordinates | 40.86647, -73.49532 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
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 75001200.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5366950
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.