Category Archives: Buildings (Residential) Galleries

Gothic Revival House at 3700 Albany Post Road, Hyde Park, NY

This beautiful gothic-style house is located on the east side of Route 9 at 3700 Albany Post Road in Hyde Park, NY (parcel #133200-6063-04-986483-0000).  The address was formerly known as 422 US Route 9.  When I photographed it in May 2018, the roof and house was mostly split in half.  Clearly the house had been unoccupied for some time.  The back lawn was littered with household debris, and the detached garage still contained many household items.  A wide and deep brick-lined hole in the ground was possibly an old water well. A previous owner must have had a green thumb, though, because some beautiful flowers, shrubs, and trees were located on the front and north sides of the house.

As far as the history of the house is concerned, the online property card claims the house was built in 1930 but, as described later, it was more likely built in the 1840s.  According to the paper copy of the property card, Howard & Alice Traver purchased the house in 1950 (deed book 745 page 393) from Ellen C. Roosevelt.  The deed indicates the property was a “portion of the premises of which John A. Roosevelt died seized [sic] on March 10, 1909, and which by the terms of his will he devisted [sic] to Grace W. R. Clark and Ellen C. Roosevelt”.  Gerald A. Traver purchased the house around April 29, 1997 (deed 1993-248).  The house was then owned by Dutchess County, when it was then sold to Munther Nishiewat (aka Munther Nesheiwat) around December 1, 2016 (deed 22016-08392).  On March 11, 2017, the property was sold to Four Seasons Deli & Groceries, Inc. as one of several disparate parcels in the sale.

In November 1986, the house was photographed and recorded as part of a Cultural Resource Survey Report of Route 9 prepared by SUNY at Albany, commissioned by NYSDOT in preparation of widening the road.  The house was in good condition at that time.  The house was determined to initially be constructed in the 1840s and show up on a map of Dutchess County from 1850.  It was described as “a largely unaltered gothic revival type residence, as evidenced by such elements as finials and pendants on the gables and dormers, and by the pointed hoods on the second floor windows.”  The area was described as “an area of open woodland except for a Hess gas station immediately to the south.”  Also, it was “one of a small handful of 19th century farm homesteads that typify the farming economy of this area during that period.”

When I passed the house in September 2018, I saw that the house had been demolished.  I guess I photographed it just in time.  The detached garage was still present.  I do not know the future of the property.

Location:  Google Maps (41.741946, -73.930529)

House at 141 North Water Street, Poughkeepsie, NY

This house is located on a bluff overlooking the Hudson River.  I reviewed various historic maps and deeds, which are described below and included in the slideshow.  The online property card for the property claims the house was built in 1850, but these dates are often guesses/approximate.

1867 (Beer’s map)- The house (if it is the same building) is present at the intersection of Hoffman Street and North Hudson Street (a street that no longer exists).

1874 (bird’s eye drawing)- The house looks as it does presently with a 1.5-story main section and a 1-story addition on the south side. A 2.5-story building is located just to the east (and north). Hoffman Street is located north of the house. And west of the house is a large L-shaped factory building at least 3 stories tall.

1876 (map)- The house (if it is the same building) is on a property identified as being owned by the Fallkill Iron Company. East of the property is a vacant property owned by C. Murphy, south are houses/buildings owned by several people, north is Hoffman Street, and west is Hudson Street with a property on the other side of the street labled as “F&N National Bank” and “Wooden Ware Manufactory”.

1887 (Sanborn)- The house is surrounded on the east by a 3-story tenement building, south by another house, north by Hoffman Street at the base of a steep bank, and west by an industrial complex of the Poughkeepsie Glass Works.

1895 (Sanborn)- The house is surrounded on the east by a 3.5-story storage building (the same building as earlier), south by another house, north by Hoffman Street, and west by an industrial complex of the Poughkeepsie Glass Works.

1/9/1911: Liber 368 Page 535 – Parcel transferred from Edward S. Atwater to James and Edward Kelly. Edward S. Atwater was the Received of the Poughkeepsie Iron Company, formerly called the Fallkill Iron Company, which dissolved in August 1908 so Mr. Atwater was selling the parcel.  James and Edward Kelly both died and the parcel was passed to their heirs (and their heirs).

1913 (Sanborn)- The house is surrounded on the east by a “vacant dilapidated” 3.5-story building, south by another house, north by Hoffman Street at the base of a retaining wall, and west by an industrial complex of the Poughkeepsie Glass Works at the base of a slope.

1950 (Sanborn)- The house is surrounded on the east by A.C. Dutton Lumber Company property, south by another house, north by Hoffman Street at the base of a retaining wall, and west by various A.C. Dutton buildings (lumber warehouse #1, shop, garage) at the base of a slope.

6/24/1954: Liber 865 Page 14 – Parcel transferred from John A. Kelly, Katherine M. Edegeld, Elizabeth M. Truntner, Frank J. Kelly, Ella Kelly, Arthur E. Kelly, and John J. Kelly to William E. and Mary E. Nicalek. The parcel is described as being adjacent to Poughkeepsie Glass Works and a remaining portion of the Poughkeepsie Iron Company.

1/13/1981: Liber 1550 Page 663 – Parcel transferred from Mae E. Nicalek (of 378 Mainson St) to Donald J. and Anna M. Morrison (of 1 Hoffman St). The parcel is described as being adjacent to Poughkeepsie Glass Works and a remaining portion of the Poughkeepsie Iron Company.

5/15/2014: Parcel transferred from Anna Morrison to Water Street Development Co., LLC.

If you know anything else about the property, please let me know!

Location: Google Maps 41.712355, -73.938380

Abandoned House and Garage, Ossining, NY

This abandoned house and garage are located on either side of Croton Dam Road in Ossining, NY next to the Millwood Fire Department.  I was unable to find any history on either building.  I am presuming that the two buildings are related, but I could be incorrect.

Location:
House- Google Maps (41.201488, -73.822371)
Garage- Google Maps (41.201835, -73.823637)

Wyndclyffe Mansion, Rhinebeck, NY

According to the Hudson Valley Ruins website, this former mansion in Rhinebeck, NY, the mansion was “built in 1853 for Elizabeth Schermerhorn Jones, a relative by marriage to the wealthy Astor Family… A later owner was Andrew Finck, New York City beer baron and a cooper by trade, and associate of brewer Jacob Rupert, of nearby Linwood. Wyndclyffe, then known as Linden Hall or Finck Castle, supposedly had an underground tap line from the mansion to the tennis courts.  The house was a private residence until 1936, and was finally abandoned for good sometime after 1950. Wyndclyffe remained remarkably [sic] intact through the 1980s, but decay worsened as abandonment neared the end of a half-century.”

These photographs are from 2015.

More Information:  Hudson Valley Ruins (including photos over time from 1999 to 2010)

Location: Google Maps (41.8869454, -73.9360088)

Strawberry Hill, Rhinebeck, NY

Strawbery Hill is located on Ackert Hook Road in Rhinebeck, NY.  It is also known as the Henry Beekman house.  The house is on the National Register of Historic Places as site #90NR00355.  Based on information in a building inventory form found on the Cultural Resource Inventory System, the site is a farmstead consisting of an 18th century German stone farmhouse, a large Dutch-type barn complex, a well/wellhouse, privy, and two sheds.  Local tradition states the property was developed by Henry Beekman in 1762, but he may not have ever lived in the house.

More information:  Nomination form

Location:  Bing Maps (41.882778, -73.883889)

Kimlin House, 141 Cedar Avenue, Poughkeepsie, NY

The Kimlin House is located across from the Kimlin Cider Mill on Cedar Avenue in Poughkeepsie.  The house was for sale in 2012 as a tear-down, so I contacted the realtor and photographed it.  Luckily, the house was purchased by someone who is restoring it, so I went back after the restoration had began and snapped some more photos.  The owner has a lot of work ahead!

Cornelius Carman House, Wappinger, NY

The Cornelius Carman house, 340 River Road South, was inventoried as part of a historic structure inventory in 1984.  The house was initially constructed in 1826.  In 1984 the house was being restored; currently the house appears to be in disrepair.  I only photographed the house from the road because it was unclear if it is currently occupied.  The inventory sheet indicates an orchard is located behind the house.

Location:  Bing Maps Bird’s Eye View