HomeMy WebLinkAboutOR-35 BUILDfNG-STRUCTURE INVENTORY FORM FOR OFFICE USE ONLY OR 35
r UNIQUE SITE NO. 1031o, X976
DIVISION FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION QUAD
NEW YORK STATE. PARKS AND RECREATION SERIES
ALBANY, NEW YORK (518) 474-0479 NEG. NO.
YOUR NAME,` Dorman LATE: Oct. 14, 198
YOUR ADDRESS: Orient N.Y. 11957 TELEPHONE: (516) 323-3643
ORGANIZATION (if any): Historic Monuments Commission
IDENTIFICATION
I. BUILDING NAMI:(Sy Terry/Mulford House; Heath/Burden House; Peakins' Tavern
2. COUNTY: Suffolk TOWN/CITY: Southold VILLAGE: Orient
3. STREET LOCATION: _ Main Road, Rte. 25
4. OWNERSHIP; a. public ❑ b.. private 111
S. PRESENT OWNER:Ralph and Elinor Williams ADDRESS: Main Rd., Orient _
b. USE: Original: Residence and Tavern Present: Residence
V. ACCESSIBILITY TO PUBLIC: Exterior visible from public road: Yes F0 No ❑
Interior accessible: Explain _ By appointment
DESCRIPTION
H. BUILDIN(; a. clapboard ❑ b. stone Q c. brick ❑ d. board and batten ❑
MATERIAL.: e. cobblestone ❑ f. shingles KI g. stucco ❑ other:Vertical siding under
shingles.
1l. S'T'RUCTURAL a. wood frame with interlocking joints FLI
SYSTEM: b. wood frame with light members ❑
(if known) c. masonry load bearing walls
d. metal (explain)
e. other
10. CONDITION: a. excellent ❑ b. good ❑ c. fair ❑ d. deteriorated ❑x but being Completely
I I. INTf:GRITY: a. original site En b. moved D if so,when? renovated.
c. list major alterations and dates (if known): Original construction 1665. Shed added
at rear c. 1700. Wing added probably early 18001s; this wing altered when third wing was added early
1900's. Front veranda was widened at this time to bring front edge in line with front of the old
house. Electricity, water and steam heat have been added; original saltbox remains without any of
12. PHOTO: 13. MAP: these.,
y: lY� Z�JW.rr• i�
f•
TtieR YlM utIFaR D
_ 12opD
Back of,,�l oto reads: "(marble plaque leaning against
tree x "In memory of Elisha Mulford, who died Aug. 11, 182$ )".
OR-35
14. THREATS TO BUILDING: a.none known ❑ b. zoning❑ c. roads ❑
d. developers ❑ e. deterioration FLI
f. other: QverbgWing tree limbs
15. REL'ATEb OUTBUILDINGS AND PROPERTY:
a. barn❑ b. carriage house ❑ c. garage ❑
T ' d.privy ❑ e. shed'- ❑ f. greenhouse ❑
g. shop ❑ h. gardens ❑
i. landscape features:
j. other: Slate-roofed outbuilding with root cellar and chimney
16. SURROUNDINGS OF THE BUILDING (check more than one if necessary):
a.open land ❑ b. woodland
c. scattered buildings ❑
d.densely built-up ❑ e. commercial ❑
f. indukrial-❑ ',g. residential ❑
h.other: Farm land; contiguous freshwater swamp.
17. INTERRELATIONSHIP OF BUILDING AND SURROUNDINGS:
(indicate if building or structure is in an historic district)
House is located approximately a mile and a half from the historic
village of Orient. The property on which the total structure (original
house and additions) stands consists of almost six acres along the highway.
18_ OTHER NOTABLE FEATURES OF BUILDING AND SITE (including interior features if known):
The original Connecticut saltbox is remarkably unchanged after 300 years. Interior
lathe and plaster are in fair condition. Central chimney has been repaired since 1900 and i of
4 fireplaces has been rebricked. Bake oven with firebox in kitchen still has old iro> thooks.
Parlor fireplace wall is wood paneling, with built-in wooden corner Cupboard. Floors are wide,
random width, tongue in groove boards. Beams and posts are of white oak; a number of gunstock
posts.
SIGNIFICANCE
141. DATE OF INITIAL CONSTRUCTION: _ c 166
ARCHITECT: Unknown
BUILDER: PoAAlbly J. Herbert or Thomas Te Jr or Peakin
20. HISTORICAL AND ARCHITECTURAL IMPORTANCE:
Saltbox is only 1 of original 7 built in Orient. Griffin's Journal reports house
was bought by Thomas Terry Jr. c 1715 and remained in Terry family for several
generations. The douse may have been occupied by the British while the Terrys were
refugees in Connecticut during the Revolution. Elisha Mulford bought the house in 1805;
his grandson, Elisha Hampton Mulford, served in the Civil War. The Terrys and Mulfords
are ancestors of the present owners.
Vertical aiding, apparent over cellar door and in loft over kitchen, is unique
and particularly significant, according to Mrs. Van Liew of SPLIA.
21. SOURCES: Ralph and Elinor Williams
Griffin's Journal
22. "THENIF.: Home of earliest settlers and lineal descendants.
FOR OFFICE USE ONLY
BUILDING-STRUCTURE INVENTORY FORM
UNIQUE SITE NO./0310+ &-*976
DIVISION FOR HISTORIC" PRESERVATION QUAD
NEW YORK STA I C' PARKS AND RECREATION SERIES
ALBANY,NEW YORK (518) 474-0479 NEG. NO.
YOUR NAME:RaIA 0. rind Elinor Williams _ DATE: July 25, 1979
YOUR ADDRESS: 371 Rina of Prussia Rd. TELEPHONE: (215) 687.3592
vayue, PA 19087
ORGANIZATION (if any):
IDENTIFICATION
I. BUILDING NAMEJS): The Old House formerly Terry/Mulford House, Heath/Burden House, and
2. COUNTY: SuffolkTOWN/CITY: Southold VILLAGE: Orient Pleakines Tavern
3. STREET LOCATION: Main- Road, Rte. 25 Telephone: (516) 323-3646
4. OWNERSHIP: a. public ❑ h private Z
5. PRESENT OWNER Pulps 6 Elinor Williams ADDRESS: 371 King of Russia Rd., Bayne, PA
6. USI;: Original: ftivate Home b 'Tavern Present: Private Hame SSB ATTACHED SUPPL.
7. ACCESSIBILITY TO PUBLIC: Exterior visible from public road: Yes ® No ❑
Interior accessible: Explain SEB ATTACHED SUPPLEMENT
DESCRIPTION
S. BUILDING a. clapboard ❑ b. stone ❑ c. brick ❑ d. board and batten
MATERIAL: e. cobblestone Elf. shingles ® g. stucco ❑ other: vertfCal siding under
sbiagles
9- STRUCTURAL a. wood frame with interlocking joints KI
SYSTEM: b. wood frame with light members ❑
(if known) c. masonry load bearing walls❑
d. metal (explain)
e, other
10. CONDITION: ;I, excellent ❑ b. good ❑ c. fair ❑ d. deteriorated N
I l_ INTF(;RITY: a. original site b, moved ❑ if so,when?
c. list major alterations and dates (if known):
SEE j!_••s naw n arOOf wva'�'
Mulford Pt
12_ PHOTO:
O Q `_ y!,✓fes 4 15
\x317
6h t
�� ,.� `�� 'CD�...- :fib * 13 � -'e4'• �• .
Eagle
Pt E
Izo
HPI A
J O.'Y G BEA CH
& > �•`0 .
n'.
1
t
1 4. TIIREATS TO BUILDING: a. none known ❑ b. zoning ❑ c. roads ❑
d. developers ❑ e. deterioration 12
f. othertree limbs overhanging roof of oldest section and
15. RL•LATE:D OUTBUILDINGS AND PROPERTY: racoons inside walls of other sections
a. barn❑ . b. carriage house ❑ c. garage
d. privy ❑ e. shed ❑ f. greephouse ❑
g. shop ❑ h. gardens ❑
i. landscape features:
j. other: late-roofed outbuilding for shop includes root
16. SURROUNDINGS OF THE BUILDING (check more than one if necessary): cellar 6r chimney
a.open land ❑ b. woodland fl
c. scattered buildings ❑
d.densely built-up ❑ e. commercial ❑
f. industrial ❑ g. residential ❑
la.other:farm land. Also freshwater tiwamp directly in back of
and contiguous with house property.
17. INTERRELATIONSHIP OF BUILDING AND SURROUNDINGS:
(Indicate if building or structure is in an historic district)
SEE ATTACHED SUPPLEMENT
18. OTHER NOTABLE FEATURES OF BUILDING AND SITE (including interior features if known):
S86 ATTACHED SUPPLEMENT
SIGNIFICANCE
11}. DATE OF INITIAL CONSTRUCTION: c 1665
ARCHITECT: unknown
BUILDER:_ Possibly J. Herbert or 'Phomas Terry, Jr., or Peakin
0. IIISTORICAL AND ARCHITECTURAL IMPORTANCE:
SES ATTACHED SUPPLEMENT, page 2
_'I. SOURCES: Interview June 1979 with Mrs. Barbara Van Liew, Director,
Society for Preservation of Long Island Antiquities
Griffin, A. Griffin's Journal. Printed C.A. Alvord, N.Y. 1857
Mather, Frederick. Refugees of 1776 from L.I. to Conn., picture p 593
22. fHiee'of earliest settlers and lineal descendants.
i
-ti
BUILDING-STRUCTURE INVENTORY FORM - SUPPLEMENT
Ralph 0. & Elinor L. Williams
371 King of Prussia Rd.
Wayne, PA 19087
(215) 687-3592
IDENTIFICATION
6. USE: Original: Private home and tavern
Present: Private home and private museum. Since 1950's this house has
been essentially unoccupied except for rare week-end visits
by owner. Furnishings sold at auction fall 1978. Empty to
summer 1979 . Present owner rehabilitating newer parts for
occupancy; currently "camping" in the house. After renovation
will house antique radio museum in newest section; oldest part
will retain flavor of colonial times, will be used as residence
as weather permits .
7 . ACCESSIBILITY TO PUBLIC: Exterior visible from public road. YES .
Interior accessible: Explain: The Old House (salt-
box) and the radio museum, Voice of the Twenties, will be
accessible by appointment and in cooperation with historical
society.
DESCRIPTION
11 . c . list major alterations and dates (if known) : Original house, a Connecticut
saltbox, built c 1665, with shed addition at rear c 1700 . Wing
added probably early 1800'x; this wing was altered when a third
wing was added early 1900'x . The front veranda was widened at
this time to bring the front edge in line with the front of the
Old House. Additions have electricity, water, steam heat;
original saltbox remains without any of these.
17. INTERRELATIONSHIP OF BUILDING AND SURROUNDINGS.
The house is located approximately miles from the historic
village of Orient. The total structure (original house and
additions) is well suited to its location with woods and old
trees surrounding it. The property consists of almost six
acres along the highway, with a privet hedge extending per-
haps 500 feet across the front and down the eastern side of
the lawn. Disuse has allowed cedars to spring up and grow
into branches of other trees; horse chestnuts have overgrown
the house, menacing the roof of the oldest part. Much tree
work will be required. Plantings of shrubbery near the house
will improve the landscape.
18. OTHER NOTABLE FEATURES OF BUILDING AND SITE
The original saltbox is remarkably unchanged after 300 years .
The interior is lath and plaster in fair condition. The cen-
tral chimney has been repaired since 1900 and one of the four
fireplaces has been rebricked. There is a bake oven, with
separate firebox, in the kitchen. The old iron hooks remain
in this fireplace and in one other. The parlor fireplace wall
is wood paneling and there is a corner cupboard built into the
front East corner of this room. At some time most of the beams
were boxed. The floors are wide, random width, tongue and
BUILDING-STRUCTURE INVENTORY FORM - SUPPLEMENT, page 2
Ralph 0. & Elinor L. Williams
371 King of Prussia Rd.
Wayne, PA 19087
(215) 687-3592
18. continued. . . . .
groove boards in fairly good condition. The flooring in
one room has been replaced. Although the furnishing of the
previous owner were sold it auction, there remain, in the
attic and loft area, items of apparent antiquity.
20. HISTORICAL AND ARCHITECTURAL IMPORTANCE:
The saltbox is the only remaining one of the original seven
built in Orient. (Ref. : historical marker in front of house.)
Augustus Griffin, in his Journal, asserted that the house was
bought by Thomas Terry, Jr., c 1715. It was owned by several
generations of Terrys, including Col . Thomas Terry who served
in the Indian Wars as well as in the Revolution. He died in
Saybrook 1776 . His family were refugees to Connecticut during
this period and the house may have been occupied by the British.
In 1805, the house was purchased by Elisha Mulford. His grand-
son, Elisha Hampton Mulford, served in the Civil War. The
Terrys and Mulfords are ancestors of the current owner.
The saltbox is of barn construction. Mrs. Van Liew of SPLIA
states that the vertical siding on this house is very signifi-
cant . She knows of no other with this characteristic still in
existence on Long Island. This siding is apparent over the
cellar door and in the loft over the kitchen. The house was
shingled over this siding, probably at a very early time.
The first addition was completely restyled when Dr. Henry
Heath added the rear 3-story structure. These two have massive
walnut-stained staircases and woodwork, plus indirect lighting
and white pine floors. The rear structure is notable for its
huge (39'x23P xl2!') ballroom. The present owners plan to
make use of this room for their collection of antique radios.
00097
NEW YORK STATE HISTORIC TRUST
STATEWIDE SURVEY OF HISTORIC SITES AND BUILDINGS
1. Name (Common and Historic) Peakens Tavern -Te rr-y_ r zf„I fo,-C4 4c s
Location 2. Suffolk 3, Southold 4.
County Town Village or City
r
5. Address or Location Maio 12d; 0OVi-1i Si& ; 4)6�t of N({C&U) 21yw a�,
Commercial
6. Type Colonial 7. Subject or Theme Transportation
Xrotttectural
8. Date of Construction 1656 9 . Architect (If Known)
10. Builder (If known)
11. Original Owner John Peaken
12. Original Use 'Tavern and/or Residence
13. Present Owner Heath Burden
Name
Orient Point, L. I .
Address
14. Present Use Residence
15. Physical Condition Excellent
16. Surveys L. I . Survey, (Office of Planning Coordination)
17. Future Action H. A. B. S. Federal Register. If it were to become
public property, it should become a National. Landmark on the 'basis
of its early use as a tavern and its excellent early architecture.
18 . Surveyed by R. Wiggins, Cuddebackville, N. Y. , March 68.
Date Surveyed
DSP-23
4
History and Significance:
See attached slide of Oyster Ponds hist. Soc. Marker.
Sources of Information: L. I . Survey, Office of Planning_ Coordination)
Oyster Ponds Hist. Soc. Ma)prer.
Photograph: Date Direction of View
Feb. 68. N. W. Map Location:
GS Coordinates
A
+ F
%
/� i�'r! !Ir a •
1 ! t
� o -
N
T
`idlian3i PaliC s "VILE For NPS use only
Natiomil tiegi:ster col: Wistarie Places received
Inventairy---' omiriation (Form date entered
:iee iistruct ons in How to Complete Nat oral Regcsf.ar °orms
"ype all ?ntries--co r,pLtE appiicatle se(; ion-
1 .
historic 'lei ii-Mulf.)rc f --u!;e
i nd or common
;Z. Location ---�--
street & number New York S =ate ROut�a 25 not for publication
city. town Orient vicinity of
----
state New York ---- code
code 036 county- ----- -------- Suffolk --- 103--
:3. Classification
Category Ownership Status Present Use
district public _X occupied _ agriculture -__ museum
¢� buildmg(! private __— unoccupied _ commercial _— park
_— s:ruc:ure — both _— wore in progress — educational private residence
__- ste Public Acquisition Accessible _—_ entertainment — religious
_— ooject _ in process _X_ yes: restricted _ government __ scientific
being considered ___ yes: unrestricted _ industrial — transportation
NA no _ military other:
4. Owner of Property
name Ralph & Elinor Williams
street & number New York State Route 25
city, town Orient vicinity of state New York
5. Locaition of Legal Description
courthouse, registry of deeds, etc. Suffolk County Clerk
street .S number County Center
city, town Riverhead state New York
6. Representation in Existing Surveys
New Yor'c Statewide Inventory
title of HiStDric. ResGllTCeS has this property been determined eligible? yes g no
date Summer 1.979 — federal _y_ state __ county local
depository for survey records Division for Historic Preservation
city,to Nn Albanv state New York
OR-35
7. Description
Condition Check one Check one
excellent _ deteriorated unaltered R original site
_ good _ ruins X altered __ moved date
X fair unexposed
Describe the present and original (if known) physical appearance
The Terry-Mulford House• is situated on a six-acre wooded plot in Orient ,
an unincorporated hamlet within the town of Southhold, Suffolk County.
Located at the eastern extremity of Long Island' s north fork , Orient is on
the southwestern side in an area extending from Truman' s Beach to Orient
Point. Built sometime late in the seventeenth century, the Terry-Mulford
House is situated in a sparsely populated area surrounded by potato fields
and woodlands extending from Long Island Sound to the north and Long Beach
Bay (Gardiner' s Bay) to the south. The property faces south toward NYS Route
25 , formerly King' s Highway, established in 1661 and still the major thorough-
fare in the hamlet of Orient . The nominated property is bounded on the front
(south) and the east by a privet hedge, on the west by farmland and to the
rear (north) by a freshwater swamp.
The principal structure on the property is a late 17th century "saltbox"
with a circa 1700 rear lean-to. A side wing to the west was added in the
early 1800s and altered when a third wing , to the rear, was added in the
early 1900s . The only other structures on the property are a pyramidal-
roofed canopy over the well and a small shed at the rear of the: nominated
property, both of which contribute to the property' s historic significance .
The Terry-Mulford House is a two and one-half story, central chimney,
shingled New England saltbox with sloping gable roof and lean-to . The facade
of the structure is distinguished by a gable-roofed entrance vestibule with
a multi-light transom and double wooden doors which retain the original
Norfolk latch. A bulkhead exists to the west of the vestibule . The facade
and east elevation have six-over-six double-hung sash windows and there is
a four-over-four window in the gable end. The rear(north) elevation or
lean-to is distinguished by a sloping shingled gable roof and a. wooden vertica
plank door. Rear fenestration is irregular and includes windows with four-
over-four, six-over-six, and ten-over-ten configurations.
The one and one-half story, three-bay wing , circa 1800 , features gable
dormers with eight-over- eight double-hung sash windows on the facade and
multi-pane attic story windows on the rear. This wing was extensively
altered in the early 1900s when the third addition was added to its rear.
At that time , the windows were elongated and replaced with diamond-pane
lights . The windows and door surrounds were altered and an encircling hip -
roofed porch with Doric columns was added. i
In the early 1900s , a two and one-half story shingled wing; was added to
the rear of the circa 1800 addition. The two are connected by a one-story,
flat roof wing with diamond-pane double-hung sash windo s , The rear addition
has paired six-over-one double-hung sash windows on the east and west cross-
gables . Six-over-one double-hung sash windows and a diamond-pane triple
window(on the north side) punctuate all elevations .
The interior of the saltbox has undergone many alterations since its
construction. The projecting entry, stairway and chimney stack. date from
approximately 1800 . The entry contains the stairwell and flanking, entrances
to each of the parlors . The east parlor features an exposed and chamfered
frame with the summer beam and' girts having quarter-round chamfers . The
west wall is distineuished by a firenlace . A mid-eiehteenth century corner
,PS F.'M 10 900.8
a821
United States Department of the Interior OR-35
National Park Service For NPS uasontp
National Register of Historic Places
Inventory--Nomination Form date entered
Terry-Mulford House , Orient , Suffolk County , NY
Continuation sheet Item number 7 pa��
cupboard with fluted pilasters occupiesthe southeast corner of thc- . c: n. The
west parlor has walnut-grained, cased framing dating from the tr.'_ t e . �t.teenth
century. A plain mantel decorates the east wall . The original . : a_ : all
of the room was removed when the lean-to was added. The east wa - she
rear portion of the room has a mid-nineteenth century mantel . Th1, _an-to
accommodates a kitchen with a cooking fireplace and oven which %:,ere =wilt
as part of the chimney, c . 1800 . The frame in the kitchen is uncltamFered.
The rear , northeastern corner of the house and lean-to were part _iiouec at
an unknown date to form small storage rooms . The front stairway leads to
a narrow second floor hall with entrances to the east and west bedrooms ,
The exposed braces throughout the second floor reveal the vertical r+lank
framing, of the house . The parlor chamber(east bedroom) features a Fireplace
on the west wall . The rear hall retains its original exposed ceilirig and
doors .
The saltbox roof has been reframed although pairs of the oria,_nal
principal rafters survive at each gable end . The house exhibits -unusual
vertical plank frame construction and was originally shingled in a vertical
file pattern instead of the normal staggered effect . As was common with
early shingled houses , its exterior sheathing was replaced periodically
throughout its long history and the present pattern in not original . Uhen
the rear wing was added about 1900 , the interior of the 1800s west wing was
completely altered. The interior consists of a large room with exposed ,
walnut-stained beams , plate rail , diamond-pane windows and white pine floors .
The summer beam is supported at either end by Doric columns on paneled
bases . A winding staircase with a paneled base and a newel with gas fixture
leads to a single , second floor attic room.
Constructed circa 1900 , the rear two-story gable wing has a ballroom
on the first floor distinguished by a staircase with a massive newel which
retains its original gas fixture . The kitchen behind the ballroom features
vertical board sheathing on the walls and ceiling . The second floor has
cornerblocked door and window surrounds , built-in cabinets , hardwood floors
and original light fixtures . Both the west and rear wing retain their
c . 1900 hardware.
The earliest portion of the house is currently being stabilized and
repaired by the present owners . The rear wing will be used in the future
as an antique radio museum. The rest of the Terry-Mulford House will be
used as a private residence.
8. Significance OR-35
Period Areas of Significance—Check and justify below
prehistoric archeology-prehistoric _ community planning . . landscape architecture ___ religion
1400-1499 _ _ archeology-historic - _ conservation .___ law science
1500-1599 __ _ agriculture _ ._ economics __ literature _ _ sculpture
_x 1600-1699 X architecture __ education - __ military _ social,
_ _x 1700-1799 _ _art _ engineering ___ music humanitarian
__x 1600-1899 — commerce x - -ex ploration settlement —_ philosophy __ theater
__x 1900- _._. communications industry —_ politics governmend — transportation
invention __ other (specify)
Specific datesLate_ 1600' s _. - _ _ __euilder Architect unknown.__
Statement of Significance (in one paragraph)
The Terry-Mulford House is architecturally significant an one of the few
surviving examples of an early settlement period house on Long Island. Built
sometime during the last half of the 17th centurvthis New England style 'saltbo)e
is believed to be the only remaining house of- the original seven built in
the hamlet of Orient and the oldest house in _orient : outside of the nearb:
Orient Historic District (listed on NR, May, 1976) . The structure exhibits
several characteristic features of first period construction on Long Island
including exposed and chamfered framing, central chimney plan , and the
addition of a rear lean-to . With its various additions dating from c. 1700
to c . 1900 , the Terry-Mulford House reflects the traditional colonial vernacu
practice of adding wings to the original residence as the family prospered
and grew. The west and rear wings, which contain relatively intact c . 1900
interiors , enhance the architectural significance of the structure and
illustrate the long continuum of the property' s history.
The area occupied by the present community of Orient was originally
inhabited by the Algonquin Indian tribes of eastern Long Island, who named
the area "Poquatuck . " The English who settled Southold in 1640 knew the
area as Oysterponds and purchased it from the Indians . The year 1661 is
generally accepted as the date when Oysterponds was permanently settled by
the Europeans . Shortly thereafter the King ' s Highway (NYS Route 25) was
established through Oysterponds . By 1717 , there were 24 families living
within the area, many of whom owned commercial vessels and made use of
the excellent sheltered harbor of Orient . In 1740 , a commercial wharf and
warehouse were built . The area ' s growth and development was greatly affected
by the political upheavals of the time . During the Revolutionary War , the
north fork of Long Island was used as a staging area for Loyalist raids on
Connecticut towns across the Long Island Sound, and during the War of 1812 ,
the area was blockaded by the British. During the first half of the nine-
teenth century, the community experienced a period of eoonomic growth during
which agriculture, fishing and maritime commerce became profitable ventures .
With the coming of rail and motor transportation to eastern Long Island in
the late nineteenth century, the importance of shipping and fishing declined.
The Terry-Mulford House is closely linked to the earliest settlement of
the hamlet of Orient , although its exact history has yet to be determined.
Local legends and narratives assert that the structure was originally built
as a tavern by John Peakin in 1666 . 1 A historical marker in the front of
the house claims that it is the only surviving structure of the original
seven built in Orient . In his journal, Augustus Griffin states that the
house was bought by Thomas Terry around 1715 . 2- The home was eventually
owned by several generations of the Terrys until 1805 when it was purchased
by Elisha Mulford, who was most likely responsible '-for the addition of the
west wing . Little is known regarding the occupants of the house from 1805
until 1900 , when Dr . Henry Heath bought the property and added the rear two
-I . Griffin, Griffin's Journal (New York: C.A. Alvord, 1857) .
21bid.
Nps Form 10 900-4 V M8 _4 W18
(3.82) Eap. •n.31-Y
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service For.NPS us*only
National Register of Historic Places
Inventory-Nomination Form date entered
Terry-Mulford House , Orient , Suffolk County , NY
Continuation sheet Item number g Page
and one-half story wing . Heath ' s relatives owned the property un-- ii the
mid-1970s , although it remained essentially unoccupied except for weekend
visits . Since 1979 , the house has been owned by Ralph and Elinor "Jilliams ,
who are descendants of the Terrys and Mulfords . Although local history
specifies a mid-seventeenth century date for the Terry-Mulford House ,
architectural evidence suggests a date late in the last quarter of the
seventeenth century or circa 1700 . 3 The first period construction date
is indicated by the use of exposed and chamfered framing , clay plaster
finish with lime skin, and the central chimney arrangement . Among the
distinctive features of the saltbox portion of the house is its unusual
original plan. Unlike the conventional two-room central chimney arrange-
ment popular in the colonies at the time) the architectural evidence suggests
that the Terry-Mulford House orginally had a hall or kitchen which extended
from the front to the rear and included a heavy-duty fireplace . The
eastern half of the house may have been divided into as many as three rooms ,
with a front parlor and a rear service area . Unusual structural characteris
tics include the placement of a rabbet on the original sill to receive
floor boards , the replacement of the traditional dovetail with an inclined
projection and corresponding matrix, and the vertical planking of the frame .
Other architecturally significant features include the seventeenth cencury
and early eighteenth century hardware , doors , and plaster finishes . The
west and rear wings contain relatively unaltered examples of circa 1900
interiors complete with woodwork and original fixtures .
The Terry-Mulford House is architecturally significant as one of the fe
surviving examples of a late seventeenth century early settlement house on
Long Island and historically significant for its long and continuing
association with the history and development of Orient .
3A. Griffin, Griffin's Journal (New York: C.A. Alvord, 11357) .
N
F7NJllliTlated Boundary
1900 for National Register.
my
Shed
� 325 '
a-well
Cover
1800 original
Wing House
300 '
1 L
Ci New York State Route 27
Terry-Mulford House
orient, Suffolk County, New York
General Plot Plan
0
z
w
I
I
/03
r
I
9)
loo
00
,08 350 000
ea
i /Ol
4
Terry-Mulford Hous--, ,
Suffolk Co. , NY
,u i /// B• UTM References.
,73 93 All Zone 18
Easting Nor t1,4rl,j
/// „6 10, 728470 4559990
6• ll/
97 /a BB 63
�/• � 69 89
n
66 76 16 78 65 •,
y 156()000m.N.
79 75 J7 39
J3 13 53 +ao •i �.
H p L •l
63 Mulford Pt 77 70 • .>in`,"d ' v+••
36 39 P1 S •� 1 • Qy. .
37 Ri
21
/.' 6 �• Pr V l'�. '• �1..
la 34
21
�r .OKQ A4 y Lendin6. a;�,w\, Nllin�9/�;( i
1
/
A.Ip
)` ,a U 2- � y` c - o�Pu aJ�\4••g n. a0 9M' s_,
��ke ♦ �aTF^ � � �o i',T/. i ' Terry �
F /, v"�\ n �'dr;4 of .\� •�:� ^' c d� 4 � � 340000 �
„/L/Iwr\ ;i' �� ? a o ^ I 9: U ���✓1✓✓����J�_i
-4_ OR 35
Archival evaluation of the Orient Point Subdivision,
rient 'Point, qouthold .
The Peters Neck Site is located on the Peters Neck.
Pt . peninsula which forms a channel between Orient
Harbor and Long Beach Bay.
The Orient Flaking Station or HaLLock Site faces
the mouth of Narrow River which flows into Hal-
locks Bay. It was excavated by Roy Latham who
interpreted the site as a small workshop near a
village site. More than 3 . 000 scrapers were re-
trieved from the surface of a field that had been
cultivated since the 17th century . Latham in-
dicated the site had been heavily surface collected
since the 1880s .
The Orient I and II Sites are located on the pen-
insula known as Mulford Pt .
The Sound Beach Site is located on what was known
as the Heath Farm within a deep hollow of a farm ,�-----
pasture . it was surface-coLlected by Roy Latham
in 1943 . Many quartz rejects , chipped blanks ,
flakes and pebbles were recovered . The site area
extended from the farm pasture over a Low bluff to
the beach of Petty ' s Bight . A fresh water pond
existed in the area .
In conclusion . the subdivision lies east of an area that
was intensely inhabited due to the availability of fresh water .
sustenance resources and regulating climatic conditions .
Although the easterly extremity of the Orient Pt . peninsula
was probably not similarly exploited (due to an apparent Lack
of these factors) , its use as a hunting and gathering resource
is highly probable. A walk-over survey and subsurface testing
of the parcel would suffice to determine the extent of this
exploitation .
Historic Site Potential
Five nineteenth century maps and three early twentieth
century maps were consulted. The southwesterly portion of
the subdivision contained numerous structures of the nine-
teenth and early twentieth centuries according to our map
sources . The following chart summarizes the data :
Date Reference Structures) Comments
1909 Atlas of Suffolk " Elias Latham Est . " 2 structures
Co . , LI . NY . appear to tic
Sound Shore. within the sub-
division; 1
appears to Lie
outside it .
by Billadello and Johanneman
yo.7
OR- 15
4
i
• � l
a=i Unearthing...
- ° Continued from page 2
ous artdacu were brought into the
_ houaeholdsoccupymg the house.
�.
4 The archeologists would also like
t ` J W locate what arrounta to the mother
lode of artifacts -- the midden heap
for trash pile)— which has not been
Psoaby A4v,ivA1e located.Another good source ofmate-
SHOW AND TELL—Surrounded by archeology students from SUNY-Stony Brook, Ralph Williams(center) trial is a place that Mr. Tureen was
and his wife Eleanor(on left,holding box)unpack artifacts found on the grounds of their 350-year-old house reluctant to mention at first. "It's a
inOient_ Su 1/�, �f Cs f �♦ �� cloaking
Joke that archeologists go
77f/ I broking for old privies,"he said."But
Is ileo back in those days,everything went
Unearthing Orient's His
into it, including household trash
When it filled up,they'd dig another
i tom +d i tartover"gain."Using an
By JABET OARRELL and Mrs. %,Burrs during the time could carry them out to the trash pile electronic sensing device designed by
several yearn ago when the oldest in the spring." Mr. Turano and built by Mr. Will ORIENT—In archeology, one can. part of their house was raised to per- The location of various typee of lams,an electrical engineer, the or
turyb trash is another century's mit exteoaive repair work on iia trash has been helpful in determin- theologist, think they have a gaud
treasure. foundation and i ills. "While it was ing the usage of part,of the house. idea where the privy used to be and
For Ralph and Eleanor William,of up,we screened all the earth under- Mrs. Williams originally designated hope to start a major excavation next
Orient, the owners of the hiemne neath to a depth of one foot," Mr. one room on the west side of the old- Bummer.
Terry-Mulford House, scraps and Williams said. "It was a job, but it est portion of the house as a garden
shards found under and around the was very important to do it. When room because of the amount of sun- A Domestic Dialogue
house are providing one more means we bought the house, we inherited light which came through it, win- For Mr. and Mrs. Williams, the
of piecing together details of its the obligation ofmving what was un- dows. Then, during the time the work on their house has evolved from
roughly 350-year history. For ar- derneath. Once the house was back house was raised, several thimbles a process they describe as"letting it
theologist Frank Turano of the State on its foundation and the Boor re- and a quantity of buttons were found talk to us." They purchased it in
University a ons rook,the find. placed.there would be no way of get- underneath, and Mr.and Mrs. Will- 1979, although Mrs. Williams's con.
Ings are a rich source of study mate- ting to what was under it." iams realized the area had been used ii nectiun with the house goes back un
rial for his students,as well as a pas- No one likes to accuse some of for sewing. the 19th century.One ofher paternal
sible topic for his own doctoral thesis. Orient's most venerable first families grandmothers was a Mulford.
On Sunday, Mr. Turano brought of sloppy housekeeping, but all evi- Missing Evidence "If we'd done all the things we'd
10 student, from hu archeological dence points to the fact that three What hasn't been found is almost wanted toorigmally,we'd have made
laboratory methods course to Orient generetiom of Thomas Terrys in the as interesting m what has been some terrible mistakes," Mrs. Will.
ao they could see their source of the 18th century and three generations found. A historic marker, on Main iams said "But we took Our ume and
material and return some of it to Me of Elisha Mulfords in the 19th cen- Road in front of the house,proclaims got to know it well before we did any
and Mre. Wilharm. The quantity of tury swept a lot of their trash under it to have been Peaken's Tavern, mayor things."
material gathered just from under- the ring, or in this ease, under the built in 1656. But, according to Mr. 'Letting the house talk" has in
neath the house as suaggenng— be- house. All the different pieces are Williams• a review of the artifacts volved learning the significance of
tween 13,000 and 15,000 pieces, ser signifimatlY incomplete," Mr. Will- does not lend support ea the house's minor evidence that indicates major
sending W Mr.Turano'seehmate. iams said. "I think they were use m a tavern. "We haven't found feature, - a cutout in a beam that
The nature of the material is also nmmhed,and some of them dropped any corroborating evidence of tavern Indicates an early doorway,a gap in
staggering."I'd seen some of it prey- Through hole.in the Boors" use,"he said."No Un cups,no swim. the junior where the original stairs
only in its unwsabed state," Mr. "In the places where we found a lot The liquor bottles appear w data existed,or the large stones that chow
Turano said, "and I never dreamed of things, it turned out that was from the 19th century. There's no the dimensions of the nriginat con.
that it would have the variety itdoes. where the Boor was worn and there evidence of a tavern,and all kinds of trial tirepluce.
There's material from virtually all were hales," Mrs. Williams added. evidence of family use." '"This house i5 a story of tannic,'
over the world."He described it as"a 'prank's theory is that perhaps in The sort of research Mr. and Mra, Mr. Williams said."Whet we du has
mix of things" covering four can- the wintertime, they shoved thing, Willis as and Mr. Turano are doing'- w pretty much reflect what rill of
tunes, including a jaw harp, gun under loose Boor boards until they with the Terry-Mulford house is akin them did."Mrs.Williams added,"It's
flinta, enamel bones. some"very in. to detective work--piecing together been wonderful to figure out what
i wresting" Fragments of early glass, the whole awry from Into and pieces. the house tells us--- what this mark
mecca of alcoholic beverage bottles, For Mr.Turano,who is working with means,what that notch,^dicatea"
Oriental porcelain, German stores- It's like doing another doctoral student, Some The work is making waves ,n the
ware, scrape of dishes from Spain. Grzybowski, the next task is as. archeological community.Last week.
and a wide variety of English stone- aigs`aw Turf- sembling all the fragments into spe- it was a visit by Me Turano's Stony
were and earthenware, all ranging J o Y cific objects--a task akin to compleb Brook class.This week,on Friday,it
m sive from smaller than a fingernail zle without a ing ajtgmw puzzle without a picture will be a pilgrimage by the Yale Um
to about n Inge as the palm of a on the box.Then they have to delve vera tv class taught by architecural
hand.
picture
historical documents to try to de- historian.Abbott Luwell Cummings
term ne by whom and how the van
The(]timate Housecleating ,
The anterial was gathered by Mr. See Unearthing,page 16
OR-35
LONG ISLAND TRAVELER-WATCHMAN
e
0.U:r•
1 ;
'1.".. e� a 4 —'.7 •,fir/(�
1 � f•fl *}��7'/MN f�101\{II'�pe 'r ,I/!'AlG
SOy f3QYA. r
Terry-Mulford House, Orient
Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Williams, captain in the Preach and Indian and farm from%yiiliam and Sarah
Owners War,and as a Colonel of the Third Helms.The Helms were tax coliec-
Regiment in the Revolutionary tors, so the house may have been
The United States Constitution War. He lost his life in battle at sold to pay taxes.
was signed in September, 1787.The Saybrook,Connecticut,December In the recent rptoration Ralph
house sketched here stood in 7, 1776. Williams discov' ed that Elisha
eastern Oysterponds,as Orient was Mather, in "Refugees To Con- Mulford had convetely rebuilt the
known at that time,as it stands to- necticut"shows that while Thomas chimney when hemoved in. It had
day. The history of the house Terry V fought, his wife and son been damaged by water. Mr.
before 1776 has been researched fled to Connecticut.'Here is where Williams was 414 to date the
and documented,as has its history the genealogical sequence becomes chimney's reconstruction because
from 1805 to the present day.What blurred.We can only guess what a an 1807 coin wafound under the
we do not know is what happened shambles Mrs. Terry and her son bricks.
to-and in-this house during and found the homestead and farm in Today Ed L tham, a direct
immediately after the Revolu- upon their return in 1781.Records descendant of th Terrys,farms the
tionary War—but it is irresistible to clearly show that during the fertile lands aro d this carefully
guess. Revolution a British camp was sta- restored home, w listed on the
The earliest records of the house tioned in Oysterponds. Records National Regis er of Historic
date to 1656,but internal evidence also show that homes were gutted, Places.Ed Lath*'s sister,Elinor
when the building was painstaking- windows smashed and fields burn- Williams,and hek husband Ralph,
ly restored dates it possibly back to ed. Returning natives had suffered are co-owners of the house. Thus
the founding days of Southold greatly in Connecticut,with little to the heritage corrupts,which began
Town, 1640. eat and no way of earning a living. with Thomas TerII and was con-
As early as 1670 Thomas Terry Upon her return, Mrs.Terry alone tinued by Elish 'Mulford. The
If settled on this farm. His father, could not have made her farm pro- earth generously ves back beets,
t Thomas 1, had come to Southold ductive,and her son was,perhaps cauliflower, bians, cabbage,
before 1660.The next generation of too young,or otherwise incapable squash, pcas�.through the
Terrys died young, and left few of the great effort needed to bring Lathams to all o us, as it did 300
records, but before the Revolu- the land back into production.We years ago on the same land to
tionary War Thomas Terry V was can only surmise the anguish of Thomas Terry and later to Elisha
owner of this home and its exten- these years. Mulford.
sive farmlands. Thomas V was a In 1805 Elisha Mulford, from —Southold Town laadmark
patriotic citizen. He served as a East Hampton, bought the home Preservation Commission
C
S M M E t R ;: P I L `, IE t` A S ` ' U R E
control of the kcal erg,, ronmcnt. "Ev- ` ! \ acre 1, .reels. A ".gave Robins Island
eryonc signed." Lyon recalls. 'There committee proposed that the county buy
was a I;ugc fat-0--and �hc trai!c r park _ the island and turn it into a wildlife
never -,)t built.' sanctu.iry. But in 1982, .vhen this group
A fey years ao..). Lyon moved i,�the tine North ;:ork vil Ige m�t with 0 legiskcors, F.s,c:ks was also there:—to announce
of Nev. Suffolk In th, 1730x. New �;I:ffolk'•, waterf- nt that Robin: Island %vas beir�-, sold to a European corporation
boasted thirteen scallop houses that pa,,ed the harvest of for 56 milli tn. The legislator were intimidated by that price.
Peconir Bav's sh-'elfish b--ds for sl:ipment to Bost,.n and ',,-w an l the sat ctuary idea stallA. Though no new development
York. I i the 184t,s, when New S,Iffolk flm.rished as a rer. Irt, pl,ns for R ,bins Isiand ha% been presented, the bad feeling
four packet slooas a da-, docked there. \t the turn of rate pe:sists.
centum, the loca'shipyard was u,cd to te,, the country's t -st s:enniff, n contrast,couldn't have been more environmen-
submarine. But .ifter the U.S.S. Flollami vas lac.nched, ;,ie tal y aware "A boatyard i,, one of the most harmful busi-
outside world forgot about the town. ne .ses Cher, is,"he explain. "It throws off fiberglass and oil.
Ei&y years of almost comp! to indi f.rencc from vl�a- NI--,t objec-ions to propos_�d zoning changes come when a
tioners etas mad_• New Suffolk a happy anomaly: a displae .d lar downer .vants to go from residential to commercial. I was
New Fngland fishing village loO mile- from Manhatt.n. going the e ther way—and I had a plan I thought was very
Althoii an oc.•asional Mercedes can I e found beside• a ni,,c."
saltbox cottage aid the state superintend-nt of hanks is i,iid His neig ibors didn't agr:e. A hastily called meeting drew
to have paid *a62�i,000 for a house on the hay, the post otlice the largest -rowd in the town's history. And Danny Lyon was
— - -- — - ---r— ---- ; the first to speak.
- Lyon peered down at the archi-
_ i { tectural model that Kenniff had
brought. `It looks, he said, "like
• `� f they're going to bring a couple of
�`�'�'• square blocks of Houston up
here.,,
t `' - •� �._ The tone of the evening was
established:When the ballots were
` counted, the vote was 168 to 10—
' not just against KennifT's condos,
�� �',• but against any future condomin-
ium developments in New Suffolk.
•'..^./7 is t-e!i/ -
f��.�,.l:'�� The
Restorers
wry. ` •c, HEN THE WHITCOM IN-
vestment Company
bought the old
Terry-Mulford house
! ; and 46 acres of land in
IV1979,the building—the
Ralph Williams's collection of antique radios is a feature of Orient s oldest i:ouse. oldest surviving structure in Ori-
ent—was no prize. That didn't
still closes for an hour at noon and the school district has only sto:) White )m from devising; the most ecologically sound
seventeen students. Progress? To the locals, it's having only de.elopmert plan on this end of the island: After four sev-
one outhouse left in the village. en acre pa cels were carved out for development, thirteen
Last year, Art Kenniff decided that the shipyard he owned act-s of mt.rshland were given to the Nature Conservancy,
in New Suffolk was too small for the boats he was selling, lea ring the Terry-Nlulford house with a more manageable
some of which went for $900,000. There was no room .o five acres. 3ut who would live there?
expand, so he hired an architect and announced his plart o Once Ra ph and Eleanor Williams indicated their interest,
build a 65-unit condominium on the site. He did not expert the-e wasn': much doubt they'd get it. The house had first
much of a fight. bel)nged t,) Eleanor Williams's family when her seventh
For one thing,he was hardly anybody's idea of a develop r. gre at-grand ather had bought it around 1700. Two hundred 1
A retired navy man,Commander Kenniff lives in Southold n sev.,nty-nin., years later, the Williamses took occupancy
a house built by John Youngs Jr.,son of the minister v.+o in :he center section, closing off most of the 23 rooms and
s founded the town Th 1640.Tris-wife is-a direct descendant of usi:ig wood stoves to heat the rest.
i a member of Pastor Youngs's church; Kenniff has owned the The Will amses spend most of their days restoring, but
t North Fork Shipyard for 22 years. Ralph Willi ams sneaks off as often as he can to his green
For another, most of the local anti-development attenti.:n dra ving room. known in Orient as the Ballroom. Here.
was focused on a project on Robins Island, which lies just stacked higl on row after row of shelving, is one of the largest
beyond Cutchoguc I[arbor.The last unoccupied island of its col ections of anticlue radios in America. "Three-dialers,
size in all of New fork. this 435-acre jewel had traditional v Atwater Ke its,and Crosleys--238 radios in all—seem almost
been used by its owners for hunting in the fall. But in 19J, cor temporary in this space, which will, along with the Terry-
the Southold 0eveloprnent Company—backed by West G(-r- Mulford house, evenl-ually be opened to the public as a
1 mans and represented by Williarn Esseks, of Riverhead, tl a mu ieurn. It a town with two churches, a store. and a post
lawyer most feared by local environmentalists—bought Rob- otli.:e, that will bring; to eight the number of buildings dedi-
ins Island and announced plans to build 28 homes on seven- cat.-d to pr(servation.
40 NEW Y0RK!IUI_)' 2—a. 1104