Smith, Frank W., House
Why it's listed
Built around 1901 on Barberry Court in Amityville, this two-and-one-half-story Queen Anne style house was constructed for Frank W. Smith, a dry goods merchant who had opened his store on Broadway in 1894 and helped sign the village's incorporation papers. His father-in-law, builder Stephen Haff, built it, probably from catalogue or newspaper plans. The Smiths were the first to build on the new street, which was part of the growth of northern Amityville after the railroad and Broadway commercial district drew merchants to the area. The house has a three-bay front, a wrap-around porch, decorative yellow and green shingles in the gables, and original colored-pane windows, including an art-glass stair window with a hunting horn. Inside, it keeps pocket doors, period mantels, original wood floors and radiators. A contemporary carriage house stands behind. The Smiths sold in 1908, and the property kept its integrity through later owners.
Significance in brief: The house is significant under Criterion A for community development, as an example of the residential growth in northern Amityville spurred by the new Broadway commercial corridor. It is significant under Criterion C as an intact vernacular Queen Anne house built by Smith's father-in-law. It retains original features such as colored-pane windows and parlor pocket doors stamped by a local mill.
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 10000797, listed September 24, 2010. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 43 Barberry Ct, Amityville |
|---|---|
| County | Suffolk County |
| Listed | September 24, 2010 |
| Reference number | 10000797 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1900-1908 |
| Architect / builder | Stephen Haff (builder) |
| Architectural style | Queen Anne |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Community Planning and Development, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still used as a residence; partly clad in vinyl siding over the original wood, with the owner intending to restore the original exterior. The carriage house is used for storage. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 40.67633, -73.41126 (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 10000797.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q137301786
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.