Dove, Arthur-Torr, Helen, Cottage
Also known as: Benham House
Why it's listed
Beside a tidal mill pond on Centershore Road in Centerport, Long Island, this small one-story wood cottage was built around 1880. It first served the community as the Benham general store and, for part of the 1880s and 1890s, as the village post office, with William Benham serving as postmaster at times. In 1938 the painter Arthur Dove and his wife, the artist Helen Torr, bought it from Captain John Benham. Dove, a pioneer of American abstraction, lived there until his death in 1946. Poor health limited his travel, and he drew inspiration from the cottage, its willows, the pond, the nearby inn, roads and weather, producing a productive late phase of work. After a hurricane flooded the cottage in 1938, the couple raised the floor a foot and enclosed the east porch. Later changes include removal of cement-asbestos siding and alterations around 1994. The property is recognized for its commercial history and its close link to Dove's art.
Significance in brief: It is significant as the home of pioneer American abstract painter Arthur G. Dove from 1938 until his death in 1946, a period when his surroundings inspired much of his late work. It is also significant as an example of late 19th-century commercial life in sparsely settled Centerport, where it served as the Benham general store and post office.
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 99001682, listed January 28, 2000. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 30 Centershore Rd., Centerport |
|---|---|
| County | Suffolk County |
| Listed | January 28, 2000 |
| Reference number | 99001682 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | c1880-1946 |
| Architect / builder | Built by local resident William Benham (per the form; construction date and original owner not yet confirmed) |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Art, Commerce, Politics/Government |
| Level of significance | National |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Survives relatively intact from the Dove/Torr period; currently used as a single dwelling, with interior alterations from about 1994. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 40.88794, -73.37210 (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 99001682.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q137302103
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.