Saint James District
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The pin is a point inside the NPS boundary polygon, not a surveyed location.
Why it's listed
Along a winding, tree-lined stretch of North Country Road (N.Y. Route 25A) in St. James, a district of about 90 acres preserves the look of a 19th-century Long Island farming community. Roughly 27 structures lie within it, most of them frame buildings. Three anchor the district: the Timothy Smith House, built about 1800 and later moved back and enlarged by Lawrence S. Butler; "Deepwells," a Greek Revival house built in 1845-1847 by George Curtis for Joel L. G. Smith; and the board-and-batten St. James Episcopal Church of 1853, with Tiffany stained glass. Other buildings include the 1873 railroad station, a general store now used as a museum, and a remodeled mid-19th-century hotel. The district was listed because it shows how a farming settlement gave way to an area of estates in the late 19th century, while keeping its rural character through local interest and zoning.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the district is a microcosm of the social and economic transitions typical of Long Island communities, from farming settlement to estate neighborhood. It illustrates a range of architectural styles popular in rural Long Island through the 19th century. The scenic, tree-lined road and agricultural setting have been preserved through community interest and zoning.
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 73001275, listed July 20, 1973. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | On NY 25A, Saint James |
|---|---|
| County | Suffolk County |
| Listed | July 20, 1973 |
| Reference number | 73001275 |
| Resource type | District |
| Architect / builder | George Curtis (builder of "Deepwells"); Lawrence S. Butler (enlarged Timothy Smith House); Calvin L'Hommedieu (built St. James Railroad Station, 1873) |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival ("Deepwells"); board-and-batten Gothic-influenced church; varied 19th-century rural Long Island styles |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as occupied, in good condition and largely unaltered; mixed private residential and commercial use. The railroad station was recently restored and the General Store operates as a museum. |
| Acreage | 90 |
| Coordinates | 40.88444, -73.16258 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
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 73001275.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7401403
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.