Skidmore House

Written By Dino DiPietro

🏠Here’s a comprehensive overview of the Skidmore House in Northport, NY 🏡

🏠 Origins & Construction

  • The Skidmore House, located at 529 Main Street, is the oldest surviving house in Northport, originally built in 1761 by Bryant Skidmore, situated near Great Harbor and Red Hook. [hmdb.org], [reference.org]

  • An important historical marker, installed by the Huntington Bicentennial Commission in 1977, commemorates its status as the village’s oldest home. [hmdb.org]

🛠️ Architectural Evolution

  • The earliest portion (the rubble wall basement foundation) dates to 1761.

  • The western section was appended around 1815. [patch.com]

  • In the 1920s, dormers were added to both the front and rear, along with a kitchen, utility space, and additional rooms. [patch.com]

🏛️ Role in Village History

  • Constructed during the Great Cow Harbour era, before the village was renamed Northport in 1837, the house witnessed the early colonial settlement, with just 31 families residing here post-Revolution. [en.wikipedia.org], [Northport...Northport]

  • The Skidmore House persisted while Northport transitioned from agriculture to a thriving shipbuilding community in the 1800s. [en.wikipedia.org], [Northport...Northport]

🏛️ Landmark Status & Preservation

  • Listed on the National Register of Historic Places and granted local historic designation in 2009–2010, motivating a preservation law to protect it from demolition. [reference.org], [en.wikipedia.org]

  • In July 2011, Henry Tobin (then deputy mayor and trustee of the Historical Society) and Ted Kaplan acquired the property and successfully petitioned the Architectural Historic Review Board for historic status. [patch.com], [Skidmore House]

    • The Board noted the house was structurally sound but required roofing, window, and insect damage repair. [patch.com], [patch.com]

🛠️ Restoration Efforts

  • Upon purchase in 2011, Tobin & Kaplan—helped by Village Trustee Lois O’Hara—began stabilizing original features like pegged windows, wide-plank floors, fireplaces, and beehive ovens, opting to use historically accurate materials such as locust shingles. [patch.com], [patch.com]

  • By 2013, the fully renovated Skidmore House featured in the Northport Historical Society’s holiday house tours—now about 250 years old. [patch.com], [patch.com]

🏡 Community & Cultural Significance

  • It’s a beloved local landmark: youngsters have expressed admiration, and it has inspired heritage contests. [patch.com]

  • The Northport Historical Society has recognized the house through tours and events, highlighting its enduring historic value. [patch.com], [northporth...orical.org]

📍 Location & Context

  • Situated at 529 Main Street, the house stands at the corner of Main & Cherry Streets, close to the historic heart of Northport. [hmdb.org], [Skidmore House]

  • Coordinates: 40°54.04′ N, 73°20.092′ W — within the historic downtown district. [hmdb.org], [Skidmore House]

🧭 Summary of Key Milestones

1761 Original house constructed by Bryant Skidmore

c.1815 Western section added

1920s Dormers & rear additions completed

1977 Historical marker erected

2009–2010 Preservation law enacted; house listed for sale

July 2011 Purchased by Tobin & Kaplan; designated historic

2013 Fully restored and featured in holiday tours

The Skidmore House stands as a well-preserved testament to Northport’s colonial past, architectural development, and the power of community-driven historic preservation.

Dino DiPietro