Van Denbergh-Simmons House
Also known as: Component No. 26
Why it's listed
Set on a small knoll above Cohoes and the Hudson River Valley, this farmhouse at 537 Boght Road in Colonie grew in three stages. The oldest part, a one-and-one-half-story Dutch section built between about 1720 and 1760, keeps exposed beams with knee braces, mud-brick nogging and evidence of a jambless fireplace. A northwest wing from about 1790 added a large kitchen fireplace with a bee-hive oven and kiln-fired brick nogging. In 1847 Daniel Simmons, owner of an axe and edge tool company in Cohoes, added a two-story Italian Villa front with a square tower, paired windows and scroll-sawn brackets. The house is valued as the only known surviving eighteenth-century frame Dutch farmhouse in Colonie and as an example of how such homes changed with their owners' tastes and prosperity. About two acres remain, including the stone foundation of a barn.
Significance in brief: It is described as a unique surviving example of an eighteenth-century frame Dutch farmhouse in Colonie, retaining exposed beams with knee braces, mud-brick nogging and a jambless fireplace. Its Federal wing and mid-nineteenth-century Italianate addition also show how a house was expanded over more than a century of occupation. The addition reflects Colonie's growth as a suburb for Albany-area businessmen such as Daniel Simmons.
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 85002751, listed October 3, 1985. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 537 Boght Rd., Colonie |
|---|---|
| County | Albany County |
| Listed | October 3, 1985 |
| Reference number | 85002751 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Dutch Colonial (northeast section), Federal (northwest wing), Italianate Villa (south addition) |
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Used as a residence (originally a farmhouse); condition rated good; the tower was lowered ca. 1975; no threats known. |
| Acreage | 2 |
| Coordinates | 42.78543, -73.73432 (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 85002751.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7913275
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.