{"nrhp_refnum":"11000452","name":"Best, Abraham, House","other_names":[],"category":"building","location":{"address":"113 Vischer Ferry Rd.","address_restricted":false,"city":"Vischer Ferry","county":"Saratoga County","state":"NY","lat":42.81416521800003,"lon":-73.82517476899994,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"2011-07-14","is_nhl":false,"nhl_designated_date":null,"areas_of_significance":["Architecture"],"significance_levels":["local"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"A two-story brick Federal-style farmhouse with a rear frame kitchen ell and a circa 1900 barn, at 113 Vischer Ferry Road in Vischer Ferry, Town of Clifton Park, Saratoga County, New York. It was built around 1815-1816 for Abraham Best.","why_significant":"The nomination argues the house is a locally outstanding example of early nineteenth century Federal architecture, with distinctive door and Palladian window detailing and very high integrity. It is also a rare surviving remnant of Clifton Park's agricultural past. The period of significance runs through a 1940s restoration, the last major change to the house.","narrative":"Built around 1815-1816 for Abraham Best, a newcomer from Claverack, this two-story brick house on Vischer Ferry Road in Clifton Park is a well-preserved example of Federal architecture. The five-bay main block has a side-facing gable roof, gable-end chimneys, Flemish bond brickwork on the front and a one-and-a-half-story frame kitchen ell behind. The entrance has sidelights, pilasters and garlanded frieze panels, and a three-part Palladian window sits above it. Inside, the original plan, wide plank floors, plaster walls and four carved mantels survive. The builder is attributed to John Harder, a joiner whose work appears in a similar nearby house. Best expanded his farm to more than 200 acres as the Erie and Champlain Canals arrived. Changes include a 1940s restoration that returned the original front door, added plumbing and heat, and opened two windows. Today the house and a circa 1900 barn are rare survivors of the township's farming past.","period_of_significance":"1816-1945","architect_builder":"John Harder (attributed)","architectural_style":"Early Republic: Federal","criteria":["C"],"status_note":"Listed as a single dwelling, with the same historic and current use. The house retains a rural setting and very high integrity.","vacant_flag":false,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.0-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 02:50:47.810818-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_NY/11000452.pdf"},"photo":{"url_800":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/11000452/78cf411217-800.webp","url_1600":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/11000452/78cf411217-1600.webp","licence":"CC BY 3.0","author":"Peter Flass","credit_html":"<a href=\"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Abram_Best_House,_Vischer_Ferry_NY.jpg\" rel=\"noopener\">Peter Flass</a>, <a href=\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0\" rel=\"license noopener\">CC BY 3.0</a>, via Wikimedia Commons","source_page":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Abram_Best_House,_Vischer_Ferry_NY.jpg"},"district":null,"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/75321540","wikipedia":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abraham_Best_House","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q23091414"},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/new-york/saratoga-county/best-abraham-house-11000452/"}