Hallock, Joseph Nelson, House
Also known as: Ann Currie-Bell House
Why it's listed
Standing at the corner of Main Road and Maple Avenue in Southold, this two-story Shingle Style house was built between 1898 and 1900 for Joseph Nelson Hallock, a newspaper editor, civic figure and member of the New York State Assembly. John R. Higgins of Higgins and Tuthill designed it, with a gambrel roof, cedar shingles, a Palladian window and paired columns on the porch. Inside, David Cunningham Lithgow of Albany created ceiling murals in two parlors along with plaster swag and floral decoration. Hallock's daughter, Ann Currie-Bell, offered the house to the newly formed Southold Historical Society in 1960, and it now serves as part of the Society's museum complex. The Society converted some rooms to galleries and added a modern kitchen and bathroom around 1965, yet much of the original plasterwork, floors and trim survive. The town designated it a local landmark in 1996.
Significance in brief: It is significant under Criterion B for its link to Joseph Nelson Hallock, a Southold newspaper editor and member of the New York State Assembly. Under Criterion C it is an example of Shingle Style architecture on eastern Long Island, designed by John R. Higgins and decorated with ceiling murals and plaster work by David Cunningham Lithgow.
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 05000330, listed April 22, 2005. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Main Rd. and Maple Ave., Southold |
|---|---|
| County | Suffolk County |
| Listed | April 22, 2005 |
| Reference number | 05000330 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1898-1954 |
| Architect / builder | John R. Higgins |
| Architectural style | Shingle Style |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Used as a museum and gallery space by the Southold Historical Society; it retains historic integrity despite changes made for museum use. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 41.06548, -72.42351 (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 05000330.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6285780
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.