Moore, Benjamin, Estate
Also known as: Chelsea
Why it's listed
Chelsea is a forty-two acre country estate in Muttontown, on Long Island's Gold Coast, built for Benjamin Moore and his wife. William Adams Delano of Delano and Aldrich designed the main house in 1923-4 and added a service wing in 1929. The house is roughly U-shaped, two and one-half stories, and covered in whitewashed concrete block. Its design blends Chinese and French Renaissance sources, with a severe front facade, a brick tourelle, a rambling roof and a corner moat. The grounds hold gardens, fountains, a lily pond, a gate house, garage, conservatory and octagonal gazebo. The Moores used the estate as their principal residence rather than a seasonal retreat. They later gave land to Nassau County for what became the Muttontown Preserve. The estate was recognized as a well preserved example of 1920s estate design and of Gold Coast development, and as work of a prominent architectural firm.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it one of the best preserved Long Island Gold Coast mansions. It combines Chinese and French Renaissance elements in an eclectic design by Delano of Delano and Aldrich, with imaginative landscape design. It also illustrates 1920s ideas of restrained estate design and is near the center of the Muttontown Preserve.
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 79001596, listed May 14, 1979. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | N of Muttontown on NY 25A, Muttontown |
|---|---|
| County | Nassau County |
| Listed | May 14, 1979 |
| Reference number | 79001596 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1923-4 |
| Architect / builder | William Adams Delano |
| Architectural style | Eclectic combination of Chinese and French Renaissance elements |
| Areas of significance | Landscape Architecture, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described in the form as still in private residential use, with the property to become part of the Muttontown Preserve; the county owner's letter says it operates the property as a historical and natural preserve. |
| Acreage | 33 |
| Coordinates | 40.83902, -73.53839 (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 79001596.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4889037
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.