If checked, this site is within the Fire Place (Brookhaven Hamlet) Historic District

19-Initial Const Date: 1955

19-Architect:

19-Builder: N. Blair Munhofen

Patchogue Advance, 2 Jun 1955, p. 3-3:  Mr. And Mrs. N Blair Munhofen and children Judy and Nickey, moved over Memorial weekend from Carman boulevard to their permanent home on Beaver Dam road. On the site once occupied by the Edgewater Inn which was run by Mrs. Rachel De Arcus for guests such as Ilka Chase and her mother. The foundations were dug by Mr. Munhofen some four years ago. It was first necessary to clear away the bricks left from the original building, which had been destroyed by fire about 30 years ago. Work was interrupted when the sub-flooring was complete by 22 months of return service for Mr. Munhofen in the Army Air Corps. Assisted by Mrs. Munhofen and occasionally by friends, he again took up work on the house two years ago Memorial weekend. Still partially incomplete, it is a piece of excellent workmanship, done by a man who is a perfectionist.

Email: Betsy Baker, 24 November 2015... [Blair] designed and built that house almost single-handedly.  He got the cellar and foundation in before having to go off to war -- it was covered with tar paper for some years. He ordered the lumber and let it lie on the property to cure for at least a year so he wouldn't be building with green lumber that would shrink. He drew up the plans himself -- they were so detailed that the family joked he'd drawn every nail! He had two light switch panels that could turn on and off all the downstairs lights -- one in the hall near the front door and master bedroom an done at the far end of the living room, nearer the back door, so nobody would have to traipse all over the house to turn off the lights before leaving or going to bed. It was a well-thought out, livable house with what were then the latest amenities -- sunken living room, picture window, wall-to-wall carpeting. He worked tirelessly on it, nights and weekends, until it was finished. We were all enormously impressed by his initiative, industry and accomplishment.