Thompson House
Why it's listed
This saltbox house on North Country Road in Setauket dates to about 1709 and is one of the oldest dwellings in the village. It is a timber-frame building with post-and-beam construction, beaded clapboard and wood shingle siding, a steep asymmetrical gable roof, and a central brick chimney. A one-story wing, probably as old as the main house, was moved and attached later. Samuel Thompson, a farmer and town trustee, likely built it at the time of his marriage, though a prior owner may have erected it earlier. The Thompson family held the farm for more than 150 years, until 1887. Between 1946 and 1950 Ward Melville and Daniel Perry restored the house to its circa 1725 appearance, removing a summer kitchen and a front entrance addition while keeping much original fabric. The lot also contains a family cemetery with eleven graves dating from 1786 to 1865. Today it operates as a house museum.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is a distinguished, largely intact example of eighteenth-century Long Island domestic architecture that recalls Setauket's early agrarian settlement. It was restored to its circa 1725 appearance between 1946 and 1950. It remained with the Thompson family, prominent settlers and farmers, for over 150 years.
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 87002283, listed January 7, 1988. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | N. Country Rd., Setauket |
|---|---|
| County | Suffolk County |
| Listed | January 7, 1988 |
| Reference number | 87002283 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | circa 1709 |
| Architect / builder | Samuel Thompson |
| Architectural style | Long Island vernacular saltbox, influenced by New England Cape Cod and saltbox forms |
| Areas of significance | Agriculture, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Operated as a historic house museum by the Society for the Preservation of Long Island Antiquities; condition listed as excellent. |
| Acreage | 1.1 |
| Coordinates | 40.93335, -73.11776 (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 87002283.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7795742
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.