Unless indicated below, this is a transcript of the original Society for the Preservation of Long Island Antiquities/Town of Brookhaven survey form. Since most of the surveys were conducted in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s, much of the information reflects that time period.

Corrections to obvious typographical and spelling errors have been made. Corrections to factual errors in the original surveys, and updates or comments on the information are either enclosed in [square brackets], or are clearly indicated as updated material from the context of the comments.

Sites with an Inventory Code suffix of “S” are supplemental sites not included in the original surveys.

BUILDING-STRUCTURE INVENTORY FORM

Theodosia Carman house

 If checked, this is a Supplemental Form, not in the original surveys.

Inventory Code:   SH09 
Prepared Date:   1982-07-15 
Last Modified:   1970-01-01 
Original Submitter
Submitter Name:   Town of Brookhaven/SPLIA
Submitter Address:   Town Hall
205 S. Ocean Ave.
Patchogue, NY 11772  
Organization:   Brookhaven Community Development Agency
Identification
1-Building/Site Name:   Theodosia Carman house 
2a-County:   Suffolk    2b-Town:   Brookhaven    2c-Village:   Hamlet of Southaven
3-Street Location:    
Ownership
 4a-Public    4b-Private
5a-Present Owner:   Carlo Cestra 5b-Address:   2777 Montauk Highway
Use

6a-Original:   residence

6b-Present:   residence

Accessibility
 7a-Visible From Road

 7b-Interior Accessible
7b-Interior Comment:   by appointment
Building Materials
 8a-Clapboard

 8b-Stone

 8c-Brick

 8d-Board & Batten

 8e-Cobblestone

 8f-Shingles

 8g-Stucco
8-Other:   
Structural System
 9a-Wood Frame Interlocking Joints    9b-Wood Frame Light Members:   9c-Masonry:
 9d-Metal
9d-Metal Comment:   
 9e-Other
 9e-Other Comment:   
Condition
   10a-Excellent   10b-Good   10c-Fair    10d-Deteriorated
Integrity
  11a-Original Site  11b-Moved If so, when?
11c-Alterations:    «»
Photo & Map
12-Photo Photos and images
13-Map
View Larger Map
Threats
[Threats were not evaluated in the original South Shore Estuary Survey.  They are an evaluation by J. Deitz]
  14a-None Known:   14b-Zoning   14c-Roads
  14d-Developers   14e-Deterioration
14f-Other:   
14-Comment:   
Related Outbuildings and Property
 15a-Barn  15b-Carriage House  15c-Garage
 15d-Privy  15e-Shed   15f-Greenhouse
 15g-Shop  15h-Gardens   15i-Landscape Features
15i-Landscape Features:   
15j-Other:   
15-Comment:   
Surroundings of the Building
 16a-Open Land  16b-Woodland  16c-Scattered Bldgs.
 16d-Densely Built-up  16e-Commercial  16f-Industrial
 16g-Residential 16h-Other:   
Interrelationship of Building and Surroundings
17-Interrelationships:  This structure is located in Southaven, which was first settled in the eighteenth century.  
Other Notable Features of Building and Site
18-Notable Features:    The property on wehich nthe house sits was gifted to Theodosie (Carman) Smith by her father Samuel Carmen, Sr.. in 1821. The house was said to have been built for her as a wedding present by her father, Samuel Carman, Sr., who owned Carman's Mills. The 1797 Hulse Map of the Town of Brookhaven indicates a dwelling house at a location near that which on later maps is identified as belonging to Theodocia, If this house was a wedding present, it is unlikely the same one shown on the 1797 map. See Richard Thomas' history in Other Documents section.  «»
Significance
19-Initial Const Date:   perhaps before 1797, more likely early 19th century, say 1818-1821  
19-Architect:  
19-Builder: Samuel Carman Sr.  
Historic and Architectural Importance
20-Importance:   2 1/2 story, 3 bay, gable roof, brick, Greek Revival house with 4 bay, 1 1/2 story, brick, gable roof wing on west with 4 small windows under the eaves. Brick pilasters on main house. Wide-frieze cornice with returns. Dentiles under gable eaves, and 4 low-level windows in the frieze.
The "block and wing" style was popular from the late eighteenth century into the middle of the nineteenth.The "block" or "upright" section is called a "two-story, three-bay, half house" and is a common Long Island house type.
It's called a "half-house" because of the asymmetrical arrangement of three bays. Instead of being a five-bay house with a center entrance and hall, the entrance is at one side. (It should really be called a 3/5ths house.) A "half house" has a side hall instead of a central hall. Like a full house, the long axis, rather than a gabled end, of the half house faces the road.
The "two-story, three-bay, half-house" was popular during the late colonial, Georgian, and Federal periods.
Brick houses of this era are unusual on Long Island, being considerably more expensive to build than wood framed structures.
  «»
Sources
21-Sources: "U.S. Coast Survey Map," No. 58, 1836-38. Repository: Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.
"U.S. Census for 1850," p. 202, repository: Library, SUNY at Stony Brook. [See this site for transcript.
1797 Isaac Hulse Map of the Town of Brookhaven
«»
Theme
22-Theme:   residential  
Prepared By: 
  Ellen Williams, research assistant. Revised J. Deitz  
Supplemental Material:
  Photo from Pratt Album. Theodosia Carman house now owned by Cestra family taken from SW, front.