Fairy-Tale ‘Carpenter Gothic Victorian’ Hits the Market on Long Island’s Shelter Island

A Victorian home in one of the Northeast's best-preserved historic summer destinations has come on the market in Shelter Island Heights, NY, for $2.99 million.

Built around 1875, the home at 13 Spring Garden Ave. sits within the Shelter Island Heights Historic District, which was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1993. The Heights began in the early 1870s as a planned summer community; today, the district includes more than 140 historic buildings.

"It's a classic Carpenter Gothic Victorian, the style the Heights is known for," says listing agent Douglas Cabral of Century 21 Excelsior Realty. 

The term refers to a style in which 19th-century carpenters sought to re-create the ornate stonework of Gothic architecture using wood. That craftsmanship is most visible on the facade, where a wraparound front porch trimmed with hand-carved arches leads up to a covered second-floor balcony, overlooking Spring Garden Avenue.

Inside the home, about 2,300 square feet of living space has been restored for year-round use. Chapel-style front doors open to a shiplap-clad parlor, which flows into an open living and dining area with beamed ceilings, a white brick fireplace, built-in bookcase, and spacious window seat. 

Another set of chapel-style doors leads to the kitchen, which has a white soapstone-marble center island, floor-to-ceiling custom cabinetry, and Viking appliances. Two dishwashers, a wine cooler, and brass accents round out the space, and a breakfast area sits in a bay window. A brick courtyard off the kitchen connects to an outdoor dining area on the porch. 

Upstairs are all three of the home's bedrooms, including a primary suite with a cathedral ceiling, a walk-in closet, and a private bath. One guest room opens onto the front balcony, and the other has a window seat tucked beneath a turret.

"The bedrooms have a storybook, fairy-tale-like charm," Cabral says.

A third-floor viewing tower looks out over Dering Harbor and the surrounding bays. Central air conditioning has also been added to the 19th-century structure.

"Buyers respond to the combination of period craftsmanship and year-round comfort," Cabral says.

The 0.37-acre lot is oversized for the neighborhood, leaving room for a large private yard that owners have used for croquet, along with a detached garage. Heights residents have access to the association's tennis courts, beach club, and community parks.

Shelter Island sits between the North Fork and South Fork of Long Island and is reachable only by ferry, with service to Greenport, Sag Harbor, and the Hamptons.

"It's rare to find a restored 1870s Carpenter Gothic home, updated for modern living without losing its historic character—especially in a setting with beach, tennis, and a small-town village feel,” says Cabral.