Smith, Jacob, House
Why it's listed
Set within a 105-acre county park in the West Hills area of Huntington, this farmhouse combines two building campaigns. The east wing is a three-bay, one-and-one-half-story saltbox built around 1740, with shingle sheathing, a side-entrance plan and six-over-six and nine-over-six windows. Around 1830 Jacob Smith added a five-bay main house and a two-bay shed-roof west wing. The main block has a steep gable roof, large interior end chimneys, a heavily molded entablature with frieze windows, slender corner pilasters, triangular lintels and a molded door surround with sidelights. These details give a local Greek Revival character to an otherwise typical center-entrance plan. The house is significant as an example of settlement period architecture and as one of several eighteenth-century dwellings in Huntington enlarged in the early nineteenth century. Only about two acres around the house are included, while the surrounding parkland preserves its rural setting. The main alterations were early twentieth century chimney changes and the conversion of the lean-to into a porch.
Significance in brief: The house is argued to be a distinctive example of settlement period architecture in Huntington. It belongs to a small group of eighteenth-century dwellings enlarged in the early nineteenth century with local-tradition houses carrying modified Greek Revival details. The circa 1740 saltbox is an intact, representative example of eighteenth-century building.
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 85002540, listed September 26, 1985. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | High Hold Dr., West Hills |
|---|---|
| County | Suffolk County |
| Listed | September 26, 1985 |
| Reference number | 85002540 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Architect unknown; west wing and main structure built by Jacob Smith |
| Architectural style | Settlement period dwelling with locally interpreted Greek Revival details |
| Areas of significance | Agriculture, Exploration/Settlement, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition listed as good; use remains a residence; interior accessible by appointment only; no threats known. |
| Acreage | 2 |
| Coordinates | 40.81282, -73.43725 (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 85002540.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6119286
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.