Potter-Williams House
Why it's listed
Built in 1827 by Nathaniel Potter, this one-and-one-half story clapboard house at 165 Wall Street in Huntington sits against a steep wooded embankment on a raised stone foundation. It has a gabled roof, four bays, a massive central chimney, three-pane frieze windows and mostly six-over-six double-hung windows. A shed-roofed rear addition and a decorative front porch with turned posts, lattice base and balustrade were added in the mid-nineteenth century. A gable-roofed springhouse with a brick-lined well on the two-acre lot reflects the property's agricultural use. Potter was a silversmith, later a county judge and state assemblyman, who lived here until his death in 1841. The house then passed to the Williams family, his mother's relatives, who kept it into the early twentieth century. It was listed as a representative example of Huntington's settlement-period architecture, one of two nominated houses in the village with an unusual four-bay plan, and for its record of the town's early development.
Significance in brief: The house is presented as a representative example of early nineteenth century settlement-period architecture in Huntington, with an unusual four-bay plan. It also shows the kind of nineteenth century remodelling, such as the c.1870 decorative porch, that altered many older homes in the town. It is linked to Nathaniel Potter, a silversmith, county judge and state assemblyman, and to the Williams family who held it into the early twentieth 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 85002579, listed September 26, 1985. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 165 Wall St., Huntington |
|---|---|
| County | Suffolk County |
| Listed | September 26, 1985 |
| Reference number | 85002579 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Nathaniel Potter (builder) |
| Architectural style | Settlement period (early nineteenth century) vernacular |
| Areas of significance | Exploration/Settlement, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition listed as fair; the form notes threats from zoning and deterioration. The house is still used as a residence. |
| Acreage | 2 |
| Coordinates | 40.87705, -73.43776 (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 85002579.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7235249
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.