Burr, Carll S., Mansion
Why it's listed
Set on a three-acre lot along Burr Road in Commack, this two and one-half story, seven-bay shingled house began around 1830 as a typical three-bay, side-entrance farmhouse built for Smith Burr, a third-generation member of the Burr family in the area. His son Carll, who continued the family practice of raising and training trotters, remodelled it between 1881 and 1885 in a local version of the Second Empire style. The roofline carries a mansard roof with bracketed eaves and a denticulated cornice, plus a flat-roofed belvedere. Windows have heavily molded surrounds, and a front porch rests on square columns. Behind the house stand a c. 1890 five-bay barn and a c. 1920 cottage, both of which preserve the estate-like agricultural setting. The property was listed for its architectural quality, its high degree of integrity, and its link to a locally prominent horse-breeding family.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the mansion is one of the largest and most distinguished examples of Second Empire architecture in the town of Huntington. It also reflects the mid-nineteenth-century remodelling of earlier houses and is tied to the Burr family, early Commack settlers who became successful horse breeders and trainers.
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 85002502, listed September 26, 1985. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 304 Burr Rd., Commack |
|---|---|
| County | Suffolk County |
| Listed | September 26, 1985 |
| Reference number | 85002502 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Second Empire |
| Areas of significance | Agriculture, Exploration/Settlement, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as in good condition and still used as a residence. The form notes no known threats, a c. 1950 addition of asbestos shingles, and a barn and cottage that still contribute to the property. |
| Acreage | 3 |
| Coordinates | 40.85126, -73.29589 (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 85002502.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5041433
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.