House at 19 Locust Place
Why it's listed
Built in 1893 as a summer house for D. W. Pardee, this large residence at Locust Place and Dayton Avenue in Sea Cliff is a fine example of the American Shingle style. It is a rambling two-and-one-half story building with a round, conical-roofed tower at the southeast corner. The first floor is clapboard, while the upper floors and tower are covered in decorative wood shingles. A wide wraparound porch with tapered Doric columns, a pedimented entrance and a porte-cochere completes the exterior, and a Palladian window marks the main gable end. Inside, oak paneling, sliding mahogany doors, molded plaster ceilings and fluted Corinthian columns survive. The house was listed because it illustrates Sea Cliff's late nineteenth century resort era, when prosperous New York City visitors built substantial summer homes. Pardee was a successful businessman who served as village president from 1894 to 1895. Apart from the tower, rebuilt after a 1974 fire, the exterior is unaltered.
Significance in brief: The house is presented as a large and distinguished example of Sea Cliff's late nineteenth century resort-era architecture. It shows the tastes and prosperity of the prosperous New York City visitors who built summer houses there. It is one of the largest houses of the period and keeps a high level of integrity.
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 88000010, listed February 18, 1988. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 19 Locust Pl., Sea Cliff |
|---|---|
| County | Nassau County |
| Listed | February 18, 1988 |
| Reference number | 88000010 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | American Shingle style |
| Areas of significance | Entertainment/Recreation, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Used as a private residence, in excellent condition; the tower was rebuilt after a 1974 fire. The original barn, carriage house and greenhouse were sold off in 1974 and are not part of the nomination. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 40.84402, -73.65063 (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 88000010.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5914055
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.