Prime-Octagon House
Why it's listed
Built around 1859 at 41 Prime Avenue in Huntington, this two-story octagonal house has stucco walls, a nearly flat hipped roof, a bracketed and denticulated cornice, and a square cupola with ventilator panels. Paired six-over-six windows have heavily molded surrounds and bracket-supported sills. The first floor was built of Rosendale cement and gravel dug from the cellar, the second floor is stuccoed brick, and the walls are 18 inches thick. It loosely follows a design shown in Orson S. Fowler's book on octagon houses, which promoted the shape as economical and functional. It is the only octagon house in the town of Huntington and one of two known in Suffolk County. Ezra C. Prime, a thimble manufacturer, had it built; his factory once stood where Heckscher Park is now. The original porch was replaced and a garage was attached in the 1950s, but the interior keeps its finishes, trim, flooring and plan.
Significance in brief: It is Huntington's only example of the mid-nineteenth century octagon style promoted by Orson S. Fowler, and one of two known in Suffolk County. It is also tied to Ezra C. Prime, a prosperous thimble manufacturer from a locally prominent family. It remains largely unaltered and is one of two surviving structures linked to the town's nineteenth-century industrial development.
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 85002569, listed September 26, 1985. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 41 Prime Ave., Huntington |
|---|---|
| County | Suffolk County |
| Listed | September 26, 1985 |
| Reference number | 85002569 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Octagon style |
| Areas of significance | Industry, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition listed as excellent; still used as a residence, with the original porch removed and a modern garage wing added in the 1950s. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 40.87468, -73.42251 (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 85002569.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14707212
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.