Address and Exact Location
The Amityville house is located at 112 Ocean Avenue, Amityville, New York 11708, United States. It is a single-family, wood-frame home one block from Great South Bay in the Village of Amityville, a small residential community on Long Island. The structure sits on a standard residential lot at the corner of Ocean Avenue and a side street, close to local businesses, places of worship, and public services that serve the year-round population of the village.
Neighborhood and Town Context
Amityville is a village in Suffolk County, on Long Island’s South Shore, with a mix of housing types and a moderate population density. The area around 112 Ocean Avenue is primarily residential, with nearby amenities including a post office, a Roman Catholic church, schools, and small retail along Main Street and Broadway. The local fire department and police precinct respond to the area, and the house is subject to the same zoning, tax assessment, and municipal regulations as other properties in the village. The shoreline proximity means the neighborhood can experience coastal flooding during major storms, a factor in property maintenance and insurance for the address.
Property Characteristics and Physical Setting
The lot is less than 0.25 acres on a corner site, with frontage on Ocean Avenue providing direct access to the street and curbside parking where permitted. The house is near grade, with a modest setback from the road compared with larger modern builds, and shares common boundaries with neighboring residential lots. Exterior walls are wood clapboard with asphalt shingles; windows are primarily double-hung with some replacement units. The driveway provides limited off-street parking, and the yard is fenced at the side and rear, consistent with many properties in the area. No notable topographic features distinguish the site beyond normal residential grading for Long Island coastal towns.
Why the Location Draws Attention
Public interest in the property is driven by the Amityville haunting narrative that emerged in the mid-1970s and was popularized by books and films. The claimed events at 112 Ocean Avenue include reports of unusual sounds, apparitions, and sensations of dread experienced by residents after a 1974 tragedy involving the Lutz family. These stories intersect with the real address, producing enduring curiosity from visitors, researchers, and media. While skeptics and investigators have questioned elements of the account, the location itself remains a fixed, verifiable point on the map that anchors both historic records and contemporary legend.
Verified Property and Incident Facts
| Attribute | Verified Detail | Source Type |
|---|---|---|
| Street Address | 112 Ocean Avenue, Amityville, NY 11708 | Municipal records, tax assessment |
| Property Type | Single-family wood-frame house | Building department, tax plat |
| Lot Size | Less than 0.25 acres (approx. 0.10–0.18 acre) | Assessor parcel data |
| Geography | One block from Great South Bay, near the village center | Sanborn maps, local surveys |
| Original Construction Era | Early 20th century (est. 1920s) | Historic building surveys |
| Notable Event Date | November 13, 1974: Ronald DeFeo Jr. shot six family members at 112 Ocean Avenue | Suffolk County Court records |
| Subsequent Residence | George and Kathleen Lutz occupied the home beginning December 1975 | Notarized affidavits, news reports at the time |
| Present Use | Private residence | Current tax records, recent sale transfers |
Visitor Notes and Practical Considerations
The house remains a private residence, and the owners generally do not permit public entry or organized tours. Local ordinances limit sidewalk gatherings and photography that interferes with residents’ privacy, so curious visitors are asked to remain on public sidewalks and respect the property and neighborhood. Nearby points of interest in Amityville include community beaches, small parks, and local businesses along Main Street. For those interested in the history, public records of the 1974 incident and subsequent court documents provide factual context separate from the paranormal claims that later emerged.
Common Misconceptions and Clarifications
- The house is not in a remote or forested area; it is in a dense, residential neighborhood with neighboring houses on multiple sides.
- No verified supernatural evidence has been accepted in a court of law; the property is notable primarily for its recorded history and its use in popular storytelling.
- Not all reported phenomena are universally agreed upon even among those involved; accounts have changed over time, but the core location has not.
- The address does not place the property in any other town or municipality; it is legally and geographically within the Village of Amityville.
- The current structure at 112 Ocean Avenue is the same building occupied by the family in 1974, subject to routine home maintenance and updates.
Context and Long-Term Significance
From an urban-planning perspective, the Amityville house is an ordinary residential lot subject to coastal regulations common on Long Island. From a historical standpoint, it is tied to a well-documented crime in 1974 that predates the supernatural narrative. From a cultural standpoint, the property has become a touchstone for discussions about belief, media influence, and the interplay between true crime and folklore. While the legend continues to attract attention, the factual baseline remains the physical location at 112 Ocean Avenue and the recorded events associated with that site.