Village of Branch Historic District
Also known as: See Also:Halliock Inn; First Presbyterian Church
Why it's listed
Along a nearly straight mile of Middle Country Road in Smithtown, Long Island, this group of buildings preserves the core of the village known as the Branch. It includes fifteen houses, a Presbyterian church and a library dating from about 1700 to 1965. Most houses are two stories with gable roofs parallel to the road, shingle or clapboard siding, and white paint with dark shutters. Four small farmworkers' cottages stand on Judge's Lane. Settlement began around 1700 with Joseph Blydenburgh and his wife Deborah Smith. Epenetus Smith's tavern became a Brooklyn to Sag Harbor stagecoach stop in 1772, and a turnpike company formed in 1817 spurred expansion. Later porches and Colonial Revival details reflect the community's change from farming and travel to a suburban home for New York City commuters. Shipmast locust trees, milestones, hitching posts and fences add to the setting, which contrasts with surrounding modern development.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the district is a rare, largely intact Long Island village that shows the building traditions and linear settlement pattern from about 1700 to 1935. Its alterations record the shift from a farming and transportation center to a suburban residential community. It is also tied to the Smith and Blydenburgh families, early settlers of Smithtown.
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 86002514, listed September 11, 1986. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Along N side of Middle Country Rd., Branch |
|---|---|
| County | Suffolk County |
| Listed | September 11, 1986 |
| Reference number | 86002514 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | ca. 1700-1935 |
| Architectural style | Federal, Colonial Revival, Italianate and Neoclassical details; Long Island vernacular saltbox and half-house forms |
| Areas of significance | Community Planning and Development, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition marked excellent; district retains its historic appearance despite some home offices, with a mix of public and private ownership and occupied buildings. |
| Acreage | 20 |
| Coordinates | 40.86600, -73.18307 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
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 86002514.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7930740
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.