Whitney Mansion
Why it's listed
Set far back from Loudon Road on about 3.5 acres of lawns and plantings, this brick mansion in Loudonville, Town of Colonie, was built around 1840 and later remodeled into a Georgian Revival country house. Van Rensselaer sold the property to Almond Birch in 1840. Christian Weeber, a wealthy German in Albany's butchering trade, bought it in 1879, and by 1897 it was called "the handsome place at Loudonville." One of Weeber's sons built an automobile in 1898 and patented many inventions. In 1906 Charles Whitney of W.M. Whitney and Company, a large Albany department store, purchased the property. Early in the twentieth century two large wings and other features were added, reflecting the period's taste for Colonial buildings and giving the house the look of a noteworthy Georgian Revival mansion. The house has load-bearing masonry walls, remains a residence, and is in excellent condition. Its architect and builder are unknown.
Significance in brief: It is an example of early twentieth century interest in Colonial buildings, with two large wings and other features added to give the appearance of a Georgian Revival mansion. It is also tied to a succession of prominent owners, including a wealthy Albany butcher and a department store proprietor.
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 79003242, listed October 4, 1979. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 489 Loudon Rd., Loudonville |
|---|---|
| County | Albany County |
| Listed | October 4, 1979 |
| Reference number | 79003242 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Georgian Revival (Colonial Revival-style remodeling of an earlier house) |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed in excellent condition and still used as a residence; no threats to the building are known. |
| Acreage | 3.5 |
| Coordinates | 42.71413, -73.75323 (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 79003242.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7996719
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.