By-the-Harbor
Also known as: Prescott Hall Butler and Cornelia Smith Butler Estate
Why it's listed
By-the-Harbor is a 27-acre hilltop estate in Nissequogue, on Long Island, built around 1878 for lawyer Prescott Hall Butler and his wife Cornelia Smith Butler. Charles F. McKim, a friend of Butler since college, designed the long, narrow, shingled house, which is dominated by a large asymmetrical front gable and laid out along an east-west axis to take in views of Stony Brook Harbor. The nomination treats it as an early and influential example of the style later called Shingle Style, and as one of McKim's earliest commissions. It was also the first of the harbor country houses, built as the Smith family, heirs to the A.T. Stewart fortune, began transforming the shoreline. The listing includes the original iron entrance gates and a Colonial Revival casino designed by McKim, Mead and White in the 1890s, with a ballroom wing by Stanford White added in 1905. A recent fire caused losses, but the house retains its siting, scale and most of its design.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it was the first of the country houses built on Stony Brook Harbor between 1878 and 1930. It is also an early, precedent-setting example of what became known as the Shingle Style, and one of McKim's earliest projects. It marks the first of several Smith family projects that reshaped the harbor shoreline.
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 93000699, listed August 9, 1993. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Moriches Rd., Nissequogue |
|---|---|
| County | Suffolk County |
| Listed | August 9, 1993 |
| Reference number | 93000699 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | c1872-1905 |
| Architect / builder | Charles F. McKim; Stanford White (McKim, Mead and White) |
| Architectural style | Shingle Style |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Entertainment/Recreation, Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The house is in residential use. It retains relatively high integrity despite a recent fire that damaged some original materials and interior detailing, and the casino has recently been restored. |
| Acreage | 26.9 |
| Coordinates | 40.89186, -73.18063 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
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 93000699.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5003751
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.