Swan, Edward H., House
Why it's listed
Edward H. Swan House is a brick residence on Cove Neck Road in Oyster Bay, built in 1853 and facing south over a formal lawn toward a meadow. Its double brick walls are separated by a nine-inch air space, and it rises two and one-half stories under a mansard roof of hexagonal slates. Round-arched windows, three-sided bay windows and a cast iron entrance portico mark the symmetrical front. A veranda runs along the west side, and a wing (1919) and belvedere (1920) were added later. Inside are paneled rooms, marble mantels and Corinthian columns in the dining room. A small board-and-batten cottage with scalloped bargeboards stands on the grounds. The house was built for a family that made its fortune in shipbuilding and maritime trade, after fire destroyed an earlier dwelling on the site. It is regarded as one of Long Island's finest Second Empire residences and as evidence of Oyster Bay's growth as a retreat for wealthy merchants.
Significance in brief: The house is described as one of the finest Second Empire style residences on Long Island. It reflects Oyster Bay's change from a rural farming and shellfishing settlement into a place of country seats for prosperous New York merchant families in the 1850s. It remains a typical example of the rural retreats central to the history of Oyster Bay and the North Shore.
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 76001233, listed May 24, 1976. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Cove Neck Rd., Oyster Bay |
|---|---|
| County | Nassau County |
| Listed | May 24, 1976 |
| Reference number | 76001233 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Second Empire |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Privately owned and occupied as a private residence; the form lists its condition as unaltered while noting a 1919 east wing and a 1920 belvedere. |
| Acreage | 4 |
| Coordinates | 40.87729, -73.50303 (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 76001233.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5343254
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.