Felix, N. J., House
Why it's listed
Built around 1900 on a three and one-half acre lot facing Northport Harbor, this house at 235 Asharoken Avenue is a two and one-half story residence with shingle and clapboard sheathing and a steeply pitched hipped roof. Two tall decorative brick chimneys, gable dormers with semicircular cut-outs, diamond-paned oriel windows, an octagonal turret and a columned porch give it an eclectic mix of Colonial Revival and Queen Anne details. N.J. Felix, who made his fortune inventing the stemwinder for wrist watches, had it built. The property also keeps its original vertical-board privy, while a modern four-car garage does not contribute to its historic character. The house matters as a well-preserved example of the large homes put up along Huntington's north shore between 1880 and 1920, when wealthy buyers were drawn to Asharoken's views and undeveloped shoreline. Most other houses from that era in the village have been heavily altered or surrounded by modern construction, which makes this one of few surviving intact examples.
Significance in brief: The house is argued to be a representative example of the large, upper-income single-family homes built along Huntington's north shore during its turn-of-the-century development. It is one of the few intact early twentieth-century dwellings surviving in Asharoken, where most houses of the period have lost integrity. It combines Colonial Revival and Queen Anne details and retains its original privy.
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 85002523, listed September 26, 1985. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 235 Asharoken Ave., Asharoken |
|---|---|
| County | Suffolk County |
| Listed | September 26, 1985 |
| Reference number | 85002523 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Architect unknown; builder unknown, built for N.J. Felix |
| Architectural style | Eclectic combination of Colonial Revival and Queen Anne |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition is listed as excellent, original site, no known threats; use remains a residence. |
| Acreage | 3.5 |
| Coordinates | 40.92826, -73.36130 (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 85002523.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6951661
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.