Rock Hall
Why it's listed
Rock Hall is a shingled frame mansion with a gambrel roof at 199 Broadway in Lawrence, New York, built about 1767 for Josiah Martin, a wealthy shipping merchant and Crown official. It sits on three acres overlooking Jamaica Bay, set back behind trees and a long drive. The house is described as one of the finest surviving Georgian buildings on Long Island, with a Chinese Chippendale roof balustrade, paneled rooms, original mantels and Delft-tiled fireplaces. Federal-style changes were made in the early nineteenth century, and the Hewlett family added an east wing in 1881. During the Revolutionary War the Martin family lived here; the younger Josiah Martin was the last colonial governor of North Carolina, and the house was a center of Loyalist activity. The Hewlett family's descendants gave it to the Town of Hempstead in 1948. The town restored it to its eighteenth-century appearance in the early 1950s, and it now operates as a house museum.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it one of the finest surviving Georgian structures on Long Island, notable for its early use of Georgian motifs, its Chinese Chippendale roof balustrade and its interiors. It is also tied to the Martin family, prominent Loyalists, including the younger Josiah Martin, the last colonial governor of North Carolina.
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 76001230, listed November 21, 1976. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 199 Broadway, Lawrence |
|---|---|
| County | Nassau County |
| Listed | November 21, 1976 |
| Reference number | 76001230 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Georgian |
| Areas of significance | Politics/Government, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Owned by the Town of Hempstead, restored in the early 1950s, and operated as a historic house museum; condition listed as excellent and occupied. |
| Acreage | 3 |
| Coordinates | 40.60909, -73.73421 (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 76001230.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7354447
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.