{"nrhp_refnum":"82001898","name":"Sage, Philemon, House","other_names":[],"category":"building","location":{"address":"MA 183","address_restricted":false,"city":"Sandisfield","county":"Berkshire County","state":"MA","lat":42.055362787000064,"lon":-73.15075555385206,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"1982-08-31","is_nhl":false,"nhl_designated_date":null,"areas_of_significance":["Industry","Commerce","Architecture","Agriculture"],"significance_levels":["local"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"A farmhouse on a forty-acre triangular plot at the southwest corner of Sandisfield, Berkshire County, Massachusetts, near the Connecticut border. It has a 1799 rear ell built by Philemon Sage and a 2 1/2 story Federal front section built about 1827.","why_significant":"The nomination argues the house is a well preserved example of vernacular early 19th century domestic architecture, with integrity of location, design, setting, materials, workmanship and association. Its growth reflects the success of the Sage family's dairy, cheese and tannery businesses, with goods traded along the Sandy Brook Turnpike. Remains of barns and a tannery site also suggest archaeological potential.","narrative":"Set in a narrow valley near the Connecticut line in Sandisfield, this farmhouse grew in two stages. Philemon Sage built the 1 1/2 story rear ell in 1799 on part of his father's land, with three rooms around a central chimney. About 1827 he added a 2 1/2 story Federal front section with a center entry, sidelights, a restrained cornice and original 12/12 windows containing crown glass. Inside, original doors, hardware, wainscoting and some mantels survive. Sage ran a successful dairy business producing cheese and operated a small tannery on Sandy Brook. The Sandy Brook Turnpike, built in 1803, put the house on a major trade and stage route between Hartford and Albany. Sage also served briefly as the first postmaster of South Sandisfield, with the post office run from the house in 1844 and 1845. The Sage family owned the property for over 97 years. Foundations of barns and the tannery site remain, suggesting archaeological potential. The property was listed for its architecture and its link to local agriculture and industry.","period_of_significance":"1799-1827","architect_builder":"Philemon Sage","architectural_style":"Federal (vernacular)","criteria":["A","C"],"status_note":"Occupied, private residence; condition rated excellent/good and described as preserved by its owners since 1952.","vacant_flag":false,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.0-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 02:11:56.532729-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/opastorage/live/30/7941/63794130/content/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_MA/82001898.pdf"},"photo":{"url_800":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/82001898/770a47eb5e-800.webp","url_1600":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/82001898/770a47eb5e-1600.webp","licence":"CC BY-SA 3.0","author":"Crepoudutnysusa","credit_html":"<a href=\"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Philemon_Sage_House.JPG\" rel=\"noopener\">Crepoudutnysusa</a>, <a href=\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0\" rel=\"license noopener\">CC BY-SA 3.0</a>, via Wikimedia Commons","source_page":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Philemon_Sage_House.JPG"},"district":null,"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/63794130","wikipedia":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philemon_Sage_House","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q14715814"},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/massachusetts/berkshire-county/sage-philemon-house-82001898/"}