Fine Arts and Flower Building Altamont Fairground
Also known as: Exhibition Hall
Why it's listed
Built in the summer of 1896, the Fine Arts and Flower Building, also called the Exhibition Hall, sits in the northwest corner of the Altamont Fairgrounds near the Grand Street entrance. It is a large one-story cruciform building of light wood frame with novelty and board-and-batten siding, a pyramidal-roofed tower at the crossing, and Palladian windows in each gable. Fair directors hired local builder Hiram Schoonmaker for $2,146 after inspecting the exhibit building at the Cobleskill Fairgrounds, which served as the model. The interior is a single open space with exposed king-post trusses. The only significant change is the replacement of the original slate roof with raised-seam metal. The hall has been used continuously by the fair since it was completed. It was listed as a locally significant, highly intact example of fairground architecture, while the surrounding fairground, with its lost grandstand and altered gatehouses, was judged to have lost too much integrity to be included.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is locally significant as a highly intact example of fairground architecture in Albany County. It was modeled closely on the Domestic Pavilion at the Cobleskill Fairgrounds and has been in continuous use since completion. It is described as the most intact of the dozens of buildings remaining at the fair.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 03001518, listed January 28, 2004. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Altamont Fairgrounds, vic. of Grand St., Village of Altamont |
|---|---|
| County | Albany County |
| Listed | January 28, 2004 |
| Reference number | 03001518 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1896 |
| Architect / builder | Schoonmaker, Hiram; builder |
| Architectural style | OTHER |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Has remained in continuous use at the fairgrounds since its completion in 1896; current function listed as museum. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.69834, -74.02894 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 03001518.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5450055
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.