Blydenburgh Park Historic District
Why it's listed
Bushy Neck, a small settlement within Blydenburgh County Park in Smithtown, Long Island, survives as a ten-acre district of nine historic structures. A mill complex on the New Mill Pond includes the c.1800 New Mill, a grist mill that keeps its original framing, plan and remnants of machinery, and the c.1802 Miller's Cottage, a gambrel-roofed house with Federal details and an unusual two-story porch. Uphill sits a farm complex centered on Isaac Blydenburgh's 1821 farmhouse, a Gothic Revival cottage, and several outbuildings including a corn crib, barns and a privy. The Blydenburgh family, early Smithtown settlers, established the settlement around 1800 and ran the mills, including woolen cloth production during the Civil War, until 1924. The surrounding woods and farmland remain undeveloped, and no modern buildings stand inside the boundary. The district was recognized as a rare, intact example of Smithtown's early nineteenth century agricultural and milling life.
Significance in brief: The district is a rare, largely unchanged early nineteenth century Long Island settlement tied to Smithtown's agrarian past and to the locally prominent Blydenburgh family. It holds important examples of early 1800s Long Island architecture, including the c.1800 New Mill, the 1802 Miller's Cottage and the 1821 Isaac Blydenburgh farmhouse. A Gothic Revival cottage, rare in the area, adds to its significance.
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 83001807, listed August 11, 1983. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Blydenburgh County Park, Smithtown |
|---|---|
| County | Suffolk County |
| Listed | August 11, 1983 |
| Reference number | 83001807 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | c.1800-c.1900 |
| Architect / builder | Unknown |
| Architectural style | Federal; Gothic Revival (cottage); early nineteenth century Long Island farmhouse and mill architecture |
| Areas of significance | Exploration/Settlement, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The New Mill is deteriorated with boarded-up windows and no utilities. The county intends to stabilize and repair the historic resources. The form marks the district both occupied and unoccupied. |
| Acreage | 10 |
| Coordinates | 40.84316, -73.22568 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
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 83001807.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4930833
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.