Relocated Houses

Written By Dino DiPietro

Here’s a detailed history of significant house relocations in Huntington, NY:

🏠 1. John Connell & Moses White Houses (circa 1860–1880)

  • Background: Huntington Hospital purchased two 19th-century homes—a circa 1880 house once owned by John Connell (whose son founded a funeral home) at 44 Maple Hill Road, and the c. 1860 Moses White House at 238 Park Avenue—for parking expansion. [huntington...istory.com]

  • Preservation Effort: Town Historian Rufus Langhans persuaded the hospital in 1979 to delay demolition. He secured a third-acre lot on Park Avenue, estimated costs, and leveraged a 1976 state act allowing historic building transfers. [huntington...istory.com]

  • First Move (March 1980): Both houses were moved 1½ miles up Park Avenue, leveraging economies of scale. The Connell House was sold and renovated successfully; the Moses White House initially remained vacant before being auctioned. [huntington...istory.com]

  • Outcome:

    • Connell House: Bought by a couple in late 1982 for $50,000 and reconditioned over several years. [huntington...istory.com]

    • White House: Auctioned in early 1981; after a period of vacancy, it was sold in late 1982 to the Sovieros and subsequently rehabbed. [huntington...istory.com]

2. Adams House (c. 1830 saltbox)

  • Background: Built in the 1830s and associated with the Adams family, this four-bay farmhouse stood at Park Avenue & Maple Hill Road. Huntington Hospital acquired it in 1988 during another parking expansion. [huntington...ociety.org], [huntington...istory.com]

  • Preservation Debate: The local Historic Preservation Commission, neighbors, and preservation groups opposed demolition. A compromise proposal to relocate it gained traction. [huntington...istory.com], [huntington...ociety.org]

  • Relocation (1994): After legal reviews (including National Park Service guidelines), the house was moved on June 9, 1994, to the Kissam House site across Park Avenue. The hospital funded the move, renovation, and maintenance. [huntington...ociety.org], [huntington...istory.com]

  • Current Status: The Adams House is now part of the Huntington Historical Society’s campus near the Kissam House, fully restored. [huntington...ociety.org]

3. Peter Crippen House (originally Grist Mill, c. 1657)

  • Origins & First Move: Built as Huntington’s original grist mill circa 1657 on Mill Lane, it was moved around 1672—roughly 525 yards—to a residential location where Peter Crippen, a free Black landowner, later lived. [grokipedia.com], [preservenys.org]

  • Historic Significance: One of Long Island’s oldest Dutch-framed industrial buildings and part of early African American heritage; Peter Crippen purchased it in 1864. [grokipedia.com], [preservenys.org]

  • Preservation Efforts: In 2019, the Town acquired the house to prevent demolition for sewer-plant parking. Rather than destroy it, they applied for grants in 2020 to study relocation feasibility. [grokipedia.com], [preservenys.org]

  • Current Status: Plans to carefully dismantle and preserve structural elements began in late 2025, with plans to rebuild it as part of an African American museum. [grokipedia.com], [preservenys.org]

🔍 Factors & Patterns

Summary Table

John Connell Housec. 1880 March 1980, Park Ave (~1½ miles north)Renovated and privately owned; part of Old Huntington Green Historic District

Moses White Housec. 1860 March 1980, Park Ave Auctioned, sold to Sovieros in 1982 and rehabilitated

Adams House (Job Adams)c. 1830June 1994, to Kissam site Now part of the Huntington Historical Society campus; used as caretaker’s cottage

Peter Crippen House (mill turned residence)1657 / c. 1672 movec. 1672, ~525 yd north; later deconstruction from 2025 Plans for reconstruction at African American museum site

These relocations reflect a community-driven balance between development and the preservation of Huntington’s historic fabric—keeping these structures alive while adapting to modern needs.

Dino DiPietro