Mallows, The
Also known as: Alida Chanler Emmet and Christopher Temple Emmet Estate
Why it's listed
Built in 1906 at Head of the Harbor on Long Island, The Mallows is a stucco Colonial Revival country house designed by Charles A. Platt for Christopher Temple Emmet and Alida Chanler Emmet. It is a two-story, seven-bay rectangular block with a gabled roof, pedimented dormers, large chimneys and Doric wooden detailing. A monumental two-story porch on the west end looks out toward Stony Brook Harbor. Inside, a curving staircase, a dining room frieze by muralist Robert Chanler and twenty-eight rooms reflect its role as a large entertaining estate. The property was once over 150 acres, but now only 4.1 acres remain, with lawns, tennis courts and old plantings such as English holly and smoketree. It was listed for its architecture as a fine example of Platt's Colonial Revival work, and for its links to the Smith and Emmet families who built summer estates around the harbor around the turn of the twentieth century.
Significance in brief: The house is presented as an intact representative example of the Stony Brook Harbor estate type and as a fine work of architect Charles A. Platt in the Colonial Revival style. It is also tied to the extended Smith and Emmet families, who shaped country house development around the harbor in the early twentieth century. It retains its harbor setting and some original specimen plantings despite the loss of most of its acreage.
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 93000703, listed August 9, 1993. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Emmet Way, Head of the Harbor |
|---|---|
| County | Suffolk County |
| Listed | August 9, 1993 |
| Reference number | 93000703 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1906 |
| Architect / builder | Charles A. Platt |
| Architectural style | Colonial Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Entertainment/Recreation, Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still used as a single dwelling; the estate has been reduced from over 150 acres to 4.1 acres, and the outbuildings and tennis pavilion are excluded. |
| Acreage | 4.1 |
| Coordinates | 40.91660, -73.15148 (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.
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 93000703.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7749802
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.