Gamecock Cottage
Why it's listed
Gamecock Cottage is a small wooden beach building on Shipman's Point, the southern tip of West Meadow Beach in Stony Brook. Built in 1876 for William Shipman, a Brooklyn transplant who belonged to the Atlantic Yacht Club and the Brooklyn Gun Club, it most likely served as a clubhouse and meeting place. The Gothic Revival structure has board and batten siding, decorative vergeboard, a four-sided cupola and a small balcony. It was one of four Shipman buildings on the point and is the only one left. After the family sold it in 1942, Ward Melville bought it, and the Town of Brookhaven acquired it in 1944 and leased it as a summer cottage until 1985. A historic structures report in 1988 guided restoration around 1990, including a new wood roof, repaired siding and rebuilt doors and fretwork. The building is significant for its role in the area's recreation history and as an intact seaside example of its style.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is significant under Criterion A for its link to recreation in the Stony Brook area from the late nineteenth century through the first half of the twentieth. It is also significant under Criterion C as an intact example of a Gothic Revival seaside structure retaining Victorian design and decoration. It is the last survivor of four Shipman buildings on the point and of the older beach buildings at West Meadow Beach.
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 07000886, listed August 30, 2007. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Shipman's Point/S end of W. Meadow Beach, Stony Brook |
|---|---|
| County | Suffolk County |
| Listed | August 30, 2007 |
| Reference number | 07000886 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1876-1957 |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Entertainment/Recreation, Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Currently listed as vacant. The Town of Brookhaven restored it around 1990 and plans to use it for history exhibits, security and programming. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 40.92800, -73.14684 (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.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
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 07000886.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5519986
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.