Smith, Stephen and Charles, House
Why it's listed
This two-and-one-half story timber frame house at 450 Bryant Avenue in Roslyn Harbor was built about 1860 in a vernacular Italianate style. It sits at the base of a steep hill, screened by mature plantings. Typical period details include overhanging eaves with scrollwork brackets, paired front doors with etched glass, and flat-board window trim. Inside, original wide pine floors, plaster cove ceilings and Gothic-detailed fireplaces survive. Around 1911, during Nora Godwin's ownership, the house was enlarged with a north porch, a raised rear ell, a front dormer and a larger front porch. The land passed from the Hicks family to Stephen Smith in 1850, and the house was probably built during his ownership. Charles Smith acquired it in 1868. Neither man's identity is firmly established, though several ship captains lived on the east side of the harbor. The house was listed as a good example of small residential architecture from 1850 to 1890 and for its role in the community's development. It remains a single-family home.
Significance in brief: The house is presented as a good representative example of the Small Residential Properties type (1850-1890) in Roslyn Harbor, and it is significant in architecture and community planning and development. It retains original Italianate and Gothic-detailed interior features. Its owners probably included local ship captains, and later Nora Godwin, a granddaughter of William Cullen Bryant.
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 99000873, listed July 22, 1999. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 450 Bryant Ave., Roslyn Harbor |
|---|---|
| County | Nassau County |
| Listed | July 22, 1999 |
| Reference number | 99000873 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | C. 1860 |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian / Italianate |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Community Planning and Development |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still used as a single-family dwelling, with a modern non-contributing garage at the rear. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 40.81329, -73.64544 (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 99000873.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7610914
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.