House at 103 Roslyn Avenue
Why it's listed
Built in 1884, this two-story clapboard house sits on a large triangular lot where Glen, Roslyn and 15th Avenues meet in the center of Sea Cliff. It is a Queen Anne style residence with a slate cross-gable roof and a three-story square tower with a pyramidal hipped roof. Alternating bands of fishscale and standard shingles decorate the tower and gable ends, and a wraparound porch has turned posts, spindle and ball detail, and a denticulated cornice. Three corbelled brick chimneys rise above the roofline. Inside, black marble and brick fireplaces, a skylight and paneled woodwork remain. The house was built by W. H. Smith, a prominent local builder, during the years when Sea Cliff was changing from a camp meeting ground into a fashionable seaside resort. It is described as a particularly large summer residence of that era, and its high-quality Victorian ornament recalls the period of the village's most extensive growth. The exterior is reported unaltered since construction.
Significance in brief: The house is presented as a distinguished example of late nineteenth century resort architecture in Sea Cliff. It keeps a high level of integrity and shows fine Victorian-era detail, including a corner tower, wraparound porch and decorative shingling. It also reflects Sea Cliff's mid-1880s shift from a rustic camp meeting ground to a fashionable summer resort.
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 88000018, listed February 18, 1988. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 103 Roslyn Ave., Sea Cliff |
|---|---|
| County | Nassau County |
| Listed | February 18, 1988 |
| Reference number | 88000018 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Architect unknown; builder W. H. Smith |
| Architectural style | Queen Anne |
| Areas of significance | Entertainment/Recreation, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still used as a private house, its original use; condition marked good, with the exterior described as unaltered since construction and the interior relatively intact. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 40.84751, -73.64498 (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 88000018.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5913843
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.