Schoonmaker House
Why it's listed
Set on a four-acre lot along Beaver Dam Road in Selkirk, this brick farmhouse dates from the 1860s and is one of the few survivors of a once-extensive farmstead. The two-story square main block has a two-story east wing, a low hipped roof, a rubble foundation, stone sills and lintels, and six-over-six windows. The focal point is a pair of round-arched Italianate doors with iron grillwork and an etched glass toplight. Inside, molded woodwork, a marble mantelpiece and plaster cornice moldings with a pierced medallion in the parlor remain intact. Its design blends the fading Greek Revival with the Italianate, including the side-hall plan with a side wing. The house was listed for its architecture, as a well-preserved example of a house type built across rural New York in the later nineteenth century. Mature trees and shrubs shield it from the road and preserve a sense of its agricultural past in Bethlehem.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is architecturally significant as a distinguished example of Italianate farmhouse architecture in Bethlehem. It is a transitional interpretation that mixes Greek Revival and Italianate elements, and it retains a high degree of integrity in form, plan, interior finishes and rural setting.
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 01001396, listed December 28, 2001. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 283 Beaver Dam Rd., Selkirk |
|---|---|
| County | Albany County |
| Listed | December 28, 2001 |
| Reference number | 01001396 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | ca. 1860 |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian/Italianate |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still in use as a single-family dwelling; a modern kitchen wing was added at the rear and the original shutters have been replaced. |
| Acreage | 4 |
| Coordinates | 42.54462, -73.79598 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary for a privately owned home: it does not by itself restrict what an owner may do with their own money, and it does not require public access. Restrictions come from local landmark or historic-district ordinances, which are separate (how they differ).
Owner-occupied houses are not eligible for the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit, which applies to income-producing buildings, but many states offer credits for homeowners. Listing also opens the door to preservation easements and to buying a plaque. Start with what listing means for homeowners, renovating a listed house and selling one.
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 01001396.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7432750
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.