East Farm
Also known as: Archibald M. Brown Estate
Why it's listed
East Farm is a 31-acre waterfront estate in Head of the Harbor, overlooking Stony Brook Harbor. Its core is a wood-framed farmhouse dating to about 1710 and associated with the Smith family, early settlers of the area. In 1910 the architect Archibald M. Brown bought the house and enlarged it as his own country residence, finishing the work by 1914. He kept the original five-bay block with its massive center chimney and added smaller wings, a large dining room with harbor views, a kitchen wing and guest rooms. Colonial Revival detailing was chosen to harmonize with the older house. The grounds hold a formal garden, specimen plantings, a tennis court and dock, plus eighteenth-century outbuildings including a barn, a milk house and cottages. The property was listed for its architecture and for the way it layers an authentic Colonial farmstead with early twentieth-century estate design, all on a parcel that remains intact.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the property is architecturally significant as an intact eighteenth-century farm that Brown transformed into a Colonial Revival country estate for himself between 1910 and 1914. It is also tied to the Richard Smith family, early settlers of the Stony Brook Harbor area. The full 31-acre parcel survives as Brown assembled it, and it is one of four of his residential projects on the harbor.
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 93000700, listed August 9, 1993. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Harbor Rd., N side, at Shep Jones Ln., Head of the Harbor |
|---|---|
| County | Suffolk County |
| Listed | August 9, 1993 |
| Reference number | 93000700 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | c1710-c1914 |
| Architect / builder | Archibald M. Brown, architect |
| Architectural style | Colonial; Colonial Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Social History, Entertainment/Recreation, Exploration/Settlement |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still used as a single dwelling; the estate is described as virtually unaltered from its early twentieth-century conversion. |
| Acreage | 31 |
| Coordinates | 40.91326, -73.15435 (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 93000700.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5328337
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.