House at 226 West Penn Street
Also known as: Long Beach Historical Museum
Why it's listed
Two blocks north of the Atlantic Ocean in Long Beach, New York, a white stucco house with a red barrel-tile roof now serves as the Long Beach Historical Museum. Built around 1909 as part of the Estates of Long Beach, it began as a Mediterranean-inspired house and later took on Craftsman-style character. Its porches, once open, were later enclosed with French doors and transoms. Inside, the entrance hall, living room and dining room keep original woodwork, doors, a brick fireplace and pressed-paper wainscoting. A matching garage, shown on a 1914 insurance map, stands on the southeast corner of the lot. The house was built by the Elmohar Company, founded by developer William H. Reynolds, who planned Long Beach as a resort community with covenants requiring tile roofs and white stucco. Owners included Kate Goldner, the Lewis family and, from 1937, the Barretts, a vaudeville family, until the historical society bought it in 1997.
Significance in brief: The house is one of the original Estates of Long Beach residences built by the Elmohar Company, founded by developer William H. Reynolds. It reflects the Mediterranean-style covenant of red tile roofs and white stucco, and later Craftsman-era alterations and interior detail. It is tied to the early development of Long Beach as an 'American Riviera' 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 08000932, listed September 24, 2008. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 226 West Penn St., Long Beach |
|---|---|
| County | Nassau County |
| Listed | September 24, 2008 |
| Reference number | 08000932 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Elmohar Company, founded by William Reynolds |
| Architectural style | Early 20th Century Craftsman |
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Community Planning and Development |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Currently in use as the Long Beach Historical Museum, owned by the Long Beach Historical and Preservation Society; locally landmarked by the City of Long Beach in 1999. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 40.58730, -73.67092 (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 08000932.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5914133
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.