Watervliet Shaker Historic District
Also known as: See Also:Watervliet Shaker Historic District (Boundary Incre
Why it's listed
Seven miles northwest of Albany, in Colonie, this district preserves three clusters of buildings from the first Shaker settlement in the United States: the Church, South and West Families. Mother Ann Lee and seven followers reached New York in 1774 and settled on swampy land that the community gradually drained, creating the Mill Pond. Her burial place is in the district's cemetery. The Shakers here built a prosperous economy on garden seeds and corn brooms, and a large broom shop at the West Family reflects that production. By the mid-1800s they owned 3,000 acres and about 150 buildings. The surviving brick and frame structures, dating from roughly 1820 to 1920, still show the family layout, with buildings grouped at right angles like a college quadrangle. The West Family buildings remain the most architecturally pure, while the Church Family buildings were altered after the State bought them in 1926. Archeological sites of vanished mills and shops also lie within the boundaries.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it the site of the first Shaker settlement in the United States, from which Shaker influence spread to other regions. Mother Ann Lee is buried in its cemetery. It is also noted for its Shaker architecture, its seed and broom industries, inventions and surviving family layouts. The district is considered a cultural resource of national significance.
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 73001160, listed February 20, 1973. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Watervliet Shaker Rd., Colonie |
|---|---|
| County | Albany County |
| Listed | February 20, 1973 |
| Reference number | 73001160 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1775-1938 |
| Architect / builder | Bruster and Allen, master masons (Brethren's Shop, 1822) |
| Architectural style | Shaker architecture |
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Architecture, Religion, Social History, Invention |
| Level of significance | National |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Mixed condition and use: the Church Family buildings are occupied by the Ann Lee Home, a county home for the aged, and the West and South Family buildings are privately owned. Many Church Family buildings have been demolished or refaced, and some structures have been altered. |
| Acreage | 470 |
| Within district | Watervliet Shaker Historic District (Boundary Increase) |
| Coordinates | 42.73993, -73.81777 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
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 73001160.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7974558
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.