House at 362 Sea Cliff Avenue
Why it's listed
Perched at the top of a steep hill in the heart of Sea Cliff, this house was built around 1875 as a boarding house for summer visitors drawn to the village's Methodist camp meeting ground, established in 1871. It is a Second Empire building with a high slate-covered mansard roof, pedimented dormers, bracketed eaves and a wraparound porch with scrollsawn detail. From the front it looks like a story and a half, yet the rear rises three and a half stories. In 1890, as Sea Cliff became a fashionable resort, a two and one-half story wing with a two-story bay window was added on the east side to house more seasonal guests. Most of the village's hotels and large boarding houses were later demolished or heavily altered after the resort's popularity declined in the early twentieth century. This house survives as one of the few largely intact examples, with much of its interior finish retained, and it illustrates the village's resort era.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is a distinguished local example of Victorian-era domestic architecture and one of a few Second Empire buildings in the village. It is also one of the few largely intact late nineteenth century summer boarding houses in Sea Cliff, reflecting the village's growth as a summer resort after the Methodist camp meeting ground was founded in 1871.
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 88000037, listed February 18, 1988. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 362 Sea Cliff Ave., Sea Cliff |
|---|---|
| County | Nassau County |
| Listed | February 18, 1988 |
| Reference number | 88000037 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Joseph E. McCormack (architect and builder) |
| Architectural style | Second Empire |
| Areas of significance | Entertainment/Recreation, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Currently a private residence in good condition on its original site; interior described as relatively intact; no threats known. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 40.84964, -73.64992 (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 88000037.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5914265
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.