Harbor House
Also known as: George C. Case Estate
Why it's listed
Harbor House is a roughly 22-acre estate on the lower west shore of Stony Brook Harbor in Nissequogue, built around 1910 for George C. Case. The large shingled house has a massive gambrel roof and was designed by the firm Ford, Butler and Oliver. Its design mixes Dutch Colonial Revival features with touches of the Queen Anne, Shingle and Bungalow styles, and it follows the country house pattern with wide porches, a service wing, and rooms arranged to face the water. A carriage barn, a well house, a formal garden and wooded grounds complete the property, which keeps its original boundary and much of its early landscape. The estate matters as an example of the harbor's turn-of-the-century estate life and as an early work of the architects. Lawrence Smith Butler, a principal in the firm, came from the family that developed the neighboring estate in 1878, from which this parcel was divided.
Significance in brief: The estate is presented as a distinguished, representative example of the turn-of-the-century Stony Brook Harbor estate type. It is tied to the Smith family social circle and was carved from an earlier estate parcel. The house is a large, well-detailed country house combining Dutch Colonial Revival, Queen Anne, Shingle and Bungalow elements, and it keeps its naturalistic waterfront setting.
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 93000701, listed August 9, 1993. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Spring Hollow Rd., Nissequogue |
|---|---|
| County | Suffolk County |
| Listed | August 9, 1993 |
| Reference number | 93000701 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | c1910 |
| Architect / builder | Ford, Butler and Oliver |
| Architectural style | Late Nineteenth and Early Twentieth Century Revivals |
| Areas of significance | Entertainment/Recreation, Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as retaining a high degree of exterior and interior integrity; still used as a single dwelling. |
| Acreage | 21.9 |
| Coordinates | 40.89784, -73.17737 (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 93000701.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5654618
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.