Wells, Joshua, House
Also known as: Wells-Fleet-Goldsmith-Kendrick House; 1680 House
Why it's listed
This one-and-one-half-story, gambrel-roofed house at 525 New Suffolk Road in Cutchogue was built around 1680 by Joshua Wells, son of William Wells, one of the original settlers of Southold. Its timber frame is concealed but reputed to survive from that date. A thorough remodeling in 1815 gave it its present Federal character, including a five-bay façade, a tripartite entry with sidelights, three classically detailed dormers, paired chimneys, and richly carved fireplace surrounds in the parlors. The house was moved early in the nineteenth century and again in 1857, when Orrin Goldsmith had it hauled to its current site on a new brick foundation. It remains a single-family home, with a 1930s garage on the lot. The house was recorded by the Historic American Buildings Survey in 1937. Its importance rests on its link to Cutchogue's settlement, its surviving settlement-period construction, and its intact Federal-period woodwork.
Significance in brief: It is argued to represent late 17th-century settlement-period construction on Long Island's North Fork and to be a highly intact example of Federal-style remodeling from 1815. It is also tied to Cutchogue's settlement through its builder, Joshua Wells, son of an original Southold settler. It was moved twice, the second time in 1857, to its present site.
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 02000139, listed March 6, 2002. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 525 N. Suffolk Rd., Cutchogue |
|---|---|
| County | Suffolk County |
| Listed | March 6, 2002 |
| Reference number | 02000139 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | ca. 1680 - 1857 |
| Architect / builder | unknown |
| Architectural style | Early Republic: Federal |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Exploration/Settlement |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still used as a single-family dwelling; the form notes a high degree of integrity of interior and exterior finishes from the 1815 alteration. |
| Acreage | 1.6 |
| Coordinates | 41.00974, -72.48422 (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 02000139.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6290312
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.