The Amityville house at 112 Ocean Avenue in Amityville, New York, is a two-story, wood-frame detached home built in 1927. It was constructed as a modest single-family residence during a period of suburban growth on Long Island following World War I. The property’s notoriety emerged much later, shaped by media coverage beginning in 1977. The following sections provide a verified timeline, architectural context, and sources to clarify when and how the house was built and how public perception evolved.
Key Property Facts at a Glance
The table below summarizes verified details most relevant to understanding the house’s origin and status.
| Attribute | Verified Detail | Source Type |
|---|---|---|
| Year Built | 1927 | Municipal/building records, historical permits |
| Architectural Style | Colonial Revival, wood-frame | Property assessments, photos |
| Original Use | Single-family residential | Tax records, occupancy histories |
| Original Purchase Price (1927) | Not widely published; estimated within early comparable sales | Reconstructed from period records where possible |
| Notable Sale in 1975 | George and Kathleen Lutz purchased the home | Deed records, news reports |
Historical Property Timeline
Understanding the house requires distinguishing between its physical construction and the events that later drew public attention. Below is a concise chronological overview of verified milestones.
- 1927: Home constructed as a standard suburban residence on Ocean Avenue.
- 1940s–1960s: Ordinary residential use; family occupants recorded in census and directory sources.
- 1974: Ronald DeFeo Jr. murders six members of his family at 112 Ocean Avenue.
- 1975: George and Kathleen Lutz acquire the property.
- 1977: The Amityville Horror book published, popularizing the house’s story.
- 1979–1980s: Media proliferation and first film adaptation amplify public interest.
- 2000s–present: Cyclical media revisits the property; municipal records remain accessible for verification.
Architecture and Neighborhood Context
Built in the late 1920s, the home reflects common residential design choices of its time on Long Island. Its Colonial Revival features—symmetrical facades, front-gable roof, and modest wood detailing—were typical of middle-class developments in this era. The neighborhood, largely post-WWI suburban expansion, included similar floor plans and scale.
Common Architectural Features
Houses like this one typically included:
- Wood frame construction with clapboard or shingle siding.
- Double-hung windows and central entry with sidelights.
- Two stories with four main rooms downstairs and bedrooms upstairs.
- Detached placement on modest lots, aligning with postwar zoning and development patterns.
Separating Construction Facts from Later Narratives
The house’s 1927 build date is documented through municipal permit logs and period directories. What varies widely are accounts of events after purchase by the Lutz family, which are subject to interpretation, reporting differences, and legal disputes. As a result, the building timeline remains stable and objective, while anecdotal elements tied to alleged phenomena are neither empirically confirmed nor necessary to answer when the home was constructed.
Reliable Source Guidance
For continued verification, consult primary and reputable secondary sources:
- Suffolk County deed records for 112 Ocean Avenue transfer history.
- Amityville Town Building Department permits archive (when accessible).
- U.S. Census records for the neighborhood and occupants across decades.
- Newspaper archives via established databases for contemporaneous reporting.
- Academic works on suburban Long Island development in the 1920s.
Common Questions and Status Clarifications
Because public interest often conflates the house’s origins with later stories, it is useful to distinguish settled facts from contested claims.
Is the house structurally original? Yes, the core structure and footprint remain consistent with the 1927 period, though typical renovations over time have occurred.
Has the address changed? No, 112 Ocean Avenue has remained the official address since construction.
Does a verified architectural plan survive? Original blueprints are not widely published, but period-typical plans and municipal sketches support the documented construction date.
Are ownership details after 1927 well documented? Key transfers—most notably the 1975 sale—are recorded in deed indexes and corroborated by multiple news and legal sources.
Conclusion
The Amityville house was built in 1927 as an ordinary suburban home. Its construction date is supported by municipal records and historical context, while later narratives reflect cultural and media influences. Focusing on verifiable data ensures clarity about when the house was built without conflating that timeline with disputed later events.