Cauldwell, William, House
Why it's listed
Built in 1892 on the shore of Hog Neck Bay in Noyac, this eleven-room wood-frame cottage was the summer retreat of William Cauldwell, a New York State senator and newspaper editor. It is a three-story Queen Anne house with a steep side-gabled roof, a wraparound bayside porch, copper-hooded dormers, a third-floor sleeping porch and bands of saw-tooth clapboarding. A porte cochère on the street side shelters a circular drive. Inside, the original floor plan, varnished wood surfaces, doors, colored-glass windows and some of Cauldwell's furnishings remain, and the walls are cross-braced. Cauldwell joined the Noyac Cottage Association, a short-lived seasonal community formed in 1888, and later became one of its last surviving house examples. He represented Morrisania in the State Senate from 1868 to 1879 and pushed for its 1874 annexation to New York City. The cottage is the last known surviving property tied to him, and it was listed for both its architecture and his legacy.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues significance under Criterion C as an intact late-nineteenth century seasonal residence with its original floorplan, windows and finishes. It is also significant under Criterion B for its link to Cauldwell (1824-1907), a New York City politician and newspaper editor, and is the last known surviving property tied to his life and career. It is also one of the last intact summer homes from the Noyac Cottage Association era.
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 09000305, listed May 4, 2009. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 51 Peconic Ave., Noyac |
|---|---|
| County | Suffolk County |
| Listed | May 4, 2009 |
| Reference number | 09000305 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1892-1907 |
| Architect / builder | unknown |
| Architectural style | Queen Anne |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Literature, Politics/Government |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Retains its original interior and exterior with little alteration; not winterized, so it is boarded up each fall and not suitable for year-round use. Listed as a private residence. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 40.99198, -72.37244 (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 09000305.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q8006635
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.