Gardiners Island Windmill
Why it's listed
Gardiners Island Windmill is an octagonal, three-story smock mill clad in shingles and topped with a boat-shaped cap. Nathaniel Dominy V built it in 1795 as a grist mill, and it sits on a knoll in the old mill lot overlooking Gardiners Bay, occupying less than an acre. A storm damaged it, and it was extensively rebuilt in 1815, when new components such as the great spur wheel and stone nut were installed. Its sail arms were replaced in the 1960s. The mill retains all its machinery, including a pair of French burr millstones, a centrifugal regulator, two bolters and an internal capstan used to turn the cap. It is one of four surviving Long Island windmills made by the Dominy family of East Hampton craftsmen. Because the Gardiner family has owned it continuously and the island is isolated, it remains on its original site, one of few mills that do, and is considered technologically significant. It is currently vacant and in fair condition.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it one of four surviving Long Island windmills built by the Dominy family of East Hampton craftsmen. It keeps all its machinery and has stayed part of the Gardiner estate since the eighteenth century. Continuous family ownership and the island's isolation helped preserve this technologically significant structure, and it is one of few mills still on its original site.
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 78001912, listed December 27, 1978. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | On Gardiners Island, East Hampton |
|---|---|
| County | Suffolk County |
| Listed | December 27, 1978 |
| Reference number | 78001912 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Nathaniel Dominy V |
| Architectural style | Octagonal smock mill with boat-shaped cap |
| Areas of significance | Industry, Engineering, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as vacant, in fair condition, on its original site; no threats known. Extensively rebuilt in 1815 after storm damage, and sail arms replaced in the 1960s. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 41.09138, -72.11069 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
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 78001912.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5522553
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.