Shelter Island Country Club
Why it's listed
Shelter Island Country Club is a nine-hole golf course and clubhouse on 42.2 acres in the northwest part of Shelter Island, New York. Members of the Shelter Island Heights Association, a summer resort community that began as a Methodist camp, formed the club in 1901 for their own recreation. Surveyor C. H. Bateman plotted the course using the sloping, wooded terrain, and superintendent Wesley Smith finished it by hand. The design drew inspiration from St. Andrews in Scotland and has changed little since. Carpenter Charles H. Corwin built the two-story Colonial Revival clubhouse, with a gambrel roof, wood shingles, Palladian windows and a wide veranda facing the course and Dering Harbor. The kitchen wing was expanded around 1942, and the building was reshingled in kind in 1989. The course is recognized as the oldest on the island and one of the oldest on eastern Long Island, and for its landscape design and intact clubhouse. A later driving range and maintenance building do not contribute to its historic character.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is the oldest golf course on Shelter Island and one of the oldest on eastern Long Island, created for members of the Shelter Island Heights Association (Criterion A). The course, inspired by St. Andrews, uses the natural hilly terrain and is largely unchanged since 1901 (Criterion C, landscape architecture). The clubhouse retains much of its original fabric and design (Criterion C, architecture).
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 09000058, listed February 25, 2009. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 26 Sunnyside Ave., Shelter Island |
|---|---|
| County | Suffolk County |
| Listed | February 25, 2009 |
| Reference number | 09000058 |
| Resource type | Site |
| Period of significance | 1901-1958 |
| Architect / builder | clubhouse: Charles H. Corwin; golf course: C. H. Bateman/ Wesley Smith |
| Architectural style | Colonial Revival (clubhouse) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Entertainment/Recreation, Landscape Architecture, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as in constant use since 1901 as a golf course and clubhouse; a modern driving range and maintenance building are non-contributing. |
| Acreage | 42.2 |
| Coordinates | 41.07873, -72.35654 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
Sites (archaeological sites, battlefields, landscapes) are often listed with a restricted address to protect them from looting or disturbance. Listing is honorary for private owners; federal undertakings on or near the site go through Section 106 review, and state laws may protect burials and artefacts regardless of listing.
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 09000058.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7493966
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.