Oakley, John, House
Why it's listed
Set on an eighteen-acre plot along Sweet Hollow Road in the wooded West Hills area of Huntington, this farmhouse was assembled from two separate eighteenth-century buildings. The western three bays were built on the site around 1720. The eastern three-bay section dates to about 1780 and was moved to the property from the surrounding area around 1850. Members of the Oakley family built both parts. The six-bay house has one and one-half stories, a gable roof, wood shingle sheathing, interior end chimneys, and nine-over-six double-hung windows. A one-bay west wing was added in the early twentieth century. Each half shows the plain, three-bay, side hall plan typical of early settlement architecture in Huntington. Joining existing buildings was a common practice as families grew and prospered, and this house is a clear example. A mid-twentieth-century barn and garage stand to the east but are considered non-contributing. The surrounding area has changed little since the early nineteenth century, so the house remains a visual reminder of Huntington's early settlement.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls the house a representative example of settlement-period architecture in Huntington. It is also an example of the common eighteenth- and nineteenth-century practice of joining existing buildings. Both sections were built by the locally prominent Oakley family and show early features such as a three-bay, side hall plan and an austere, unembellished design. It also stands in an area that has changed little since the early nineteenth century.
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 85003501, listed November 6, 1985. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Sweet Hollow Rd., West Hills |
|---|---|
| County | Suffolk County |
| Listed | November 6, 1985 |
| Reference number | 85003501 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Architect unknown; builder: Oakley family |
| Architectural style | Settlement period architecture (three-bay, side hall plan, unembellished design) |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition is given as good; the house is still used as a residence, and the property has a non-contributing mid-twentieth-century barn and garage. |
| Acreage | 18 |
| Coordinates | 40.82061, -73.42431 (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 85003501.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14706676
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.