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 which have a suffix of “S” are supplemental sites not included in the original surveys.
Building-Structure Inventory Form
Post Chauffeur's Cottage - Anderson/Kerins House
If checked, this is a Supplemental Form, not in the original surveys.
Br09B.2-S
09-17-2007
01-01-1970
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Submitter
Submitter Name:
John Deitz
Submitter Address:
7 Locust Rd.
Brookhaven, NY 11719 631-286-3178
Identification
Post Chauffeur's Cottage - Anderson/Kerins House
Suffolk
Brookhaven
Hamlet of Brookhaven
If checked, this site is within the Fire Place (Brookhaven Hamlet) Historic District
Ownership
4a-Public Site
4b-Private Site
Kerins family (2009)
186 Beaver Dam Road.
Use
Residence
Residence
Accessibility
7a-Visible From Road
7b-Interior Accessible
Building Materials
8a-Clapboard
8b-Stone
8c-Brick
8d-Board & Batten
8e-Cobblestone
8f-Shingles
8g-Stucco
Structural System
9a-Wood Frame Interlocking Joints
9b-Wood Frame Light Members
9c-Masonry
9d-Metal
9e-Other
Condition
10a-Excellent
10b-Good
10c-Fair
10d-Deteriorated
Integrity
11a-Original Site
11b-Moved
About 1958
Extensive after 2007. See item 20
Photo & Map
Threats
14a-None Known
14b-Zoning
14c-Roads
14d-Developers
14e-Deterioration
Related Outbuildings and Property
15a-Barn
15b-Carriage House
15c-Garage
15d-Privy
15e-Shed
15f-Greenhouse
15g-Shop
15h-Gardens
15i-Landscape Features
Garage is attached to house.
Surroundings of the Building
16a-Open Land
16b-Woodland
16c-Scattered Bldgs
16d-Densely Built-up
16e-Commercial
16f-Industrial
16g-Residential
During the Anderson tenancy, much of the surronding lands returned to woodland. The Kerins have cleared much of the site, returning it to its early 20th century fields. The site is now being used for horse training rinks.
Interrelationship of Building and Surroundings
Other Notable Features of Building and Site
Series of peaked gables, duplicating the simple architectural style of the original chauffeur's cottage.
Significance
Likely around 1900-1915.
[A suggest has been made that it may have been moved before that from a site near the intersection of Beaver Dam and South Country Rds., at a time when James H. Post was expanding the old Caleb Post family homestead (Br09B and Br09B.1-S). A house at this location is shown on old maps. However, now that images of the chauffeur's cottage at its original location have been found, including the incorporation of garage areas into the structure, this scenario seems less likely. It appears to have been built specifically as a chauffeur's cottage. ]
Jason Ormond, Westhampton Beach, NY was the architect for the Kerins' remodeling
Historic and Architectural Importance
This house was originally a residence provided by James H. Post to the family chauffeur, John Larsen, while the family was living in Brookhaven. It was situated on Beaver Dam Rd. at the northwest end of the Post property, near to the Hubert estate property line.
The Post chauffeur,John Larsen, was well liked by the family, serving as their chauffeur in Brooklyn as well as Brookhaven. In addition to managing the Post's motor vehicles and carriages, he also managed the Post's boats, horses, and other aspects of the Brookhaven property. --Dorothy Hubert Jones (Granddaughter of James H. Post).
In 1958-1959, Dr. R. C. Anderson, a scientist at the Brookhaven National Laboratory, purchased the house from Elisabeth Post Morrow, and moved it essentially one lot further west off the Post property to a lot that was originally a part of the Hubert estate [this needs to be confirmed. The Anderson lot may have been part of the Post estate.]. Dr. Anderson did some remodeling during his residency. The garage addition that had been added to the original cottage was separated from it and became a semi-attached library
In 2006, the property was sold to Carole and Matthew Kerins. Starting in 2007, the house was extensively remodeled by the Kerins – the original cottage was incorporated into a much larger structure, and is now at the west end,. However, the siting of the Anderson home and library structures remained the same. The remainder of the property was developed as a horse farm and a barn erected southwest of the house.
Sources
2007 interview with Dorothy Hubert Jones (granddaughter to James H. Post).
February 2009 interviews with Carole and Matthew Kerins.
Photographs and notations by Dr. R. C. Anderson and provided to the Kerins family.
4a-Public Site