Old House, The
Why it's listed
Built by John Budd in 1649 at Southold, this two-story frame house was given to his daughter Anna as a wedding present in 1659 and moved about ten miles to its present site in Cutchogue for twenty pounds. It has a shingled gable roof and a large central brick chimney with a pilastered top. Each of its two main rooms has a fireplace nearly nine and a half feet wide. Fine construction details point to a master builder, and the three-part casement window frames on the north wall of the second floor are considered the finest of their type found in the country. The frames now installed are exact copies, with an original displayed inside. Later owners included the Wickham, Landon and Case families, and the house was confiscated in 1784 from the loyalist Parker Wickham. It was restored in 1940 and is now a house museum furnished with 17th and 18th century pieces.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it one of the most distinguished, if little known, surviving examples of English domestic architecture in America. Its construction details reflect the work of a master builder. Its three-part casement window frames on the north wall of the second floor are described as the finest of their type found in the country.
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 66000573, listed October 15, 1966. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | NY 25, Cutchogue |
|---|---|
| County | Suffolk County |
| Listed | October 15, 1966 |
| Reference number | 66000573 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1600-1699 |
| Architect / builder | John Budd |
| Architectural style | English domestic architecture (Colonial) |
| Areas of significance | Exploration/Settlement, Architecture |
| Level of significance | National |
| National Historic Landmark | Yes, designated November 5, 1961 |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as in very good condition and well maintained; it operates as a house museum open to visitors on weekends and daily in July and August. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 41.00835, -72.48576 (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 66000573.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7084246
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.