Suffolk County Almshouse Barn
Approximate location: the National Park Service places this pin arbitrarily within the property, not at a surveyed point (stated accuracy ±12 m).
Why it's listed
Set within a working county farm on the outskirts of Yaphank, this large wood-shingled barn was built in 1871 for the Suffolk County Almshouse. The county had bought a 170-acre farm in 1870 and hired Riverhead builder Charles Hallett to construct the almshouse, a children's home and the barn. Only the barn survives. It combines a rectangular timber frame, shingle walls and massive sliding doors, typical of Long Island farm building, with twin steep gables, two louvered cupolas, broad overhanging eaves and paneled doors drawn from Victorian picturesque taste. Its design echoed the vanished almshouse. Farming at such institutions helped pay for the care of residents and gave them work. Today the barn is used for hay storage and still has animal stalls, and its sawn timber frame remains largely intact. It is valued as a local landmark, as the last reminder of the almshouse, and as evidence of large-scale late nineteenth century agriculture on eastern Long Island.
Significance in brief: The barn is the only surviving building from the county's nineteenth-century almshouse, an important local social and service institution. It combines Long Island's traditional farm building practices with mid-Victorian picturesque details such as steep gables, cupolas and paneled doors. It also retains a high level of integrity and illustrates large-scale late nineteenth century agriculture on eastern Long Island.
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 86002512, listed September 11, 1986. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Yaphank Ave., Yaphank |
|---|---|
| County | Suffolk County |
| Listed | September 11, 1986 |
| Reference number | 86002512 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 (specific date 1871) |
| Architect / builder | Charles Hallett (builder) |
| Architectural style | Long Island vernacular farm building with mid-Victorian picturesque detailing |
| Areas of significance | Agriculture, Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied and in good condition; used for hay storage with animal stalls on part of the first floor, within a modern county cooperative extension farm. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 40.82818, -72.92127 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
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 86002512.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7634546
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.