Dunk, Alfred, House
Also known as: Brinker House
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Why it's listed
Built around 1853-1854 at 4 Pine Street in downtown Binghamton, this two-story wood frame house on a stone basement is an urban version of the Gothic cottage popularized by Alexander Jackson Davis and Andrew Jackson Downing. Its steeply pitched, slate-covered gable carries scroll-sawn bargeboards, a finial and pendant, and the front porch retains its carved wooden detail and an ogival arch. Windows have label moldings, and an original wrought-iron fence runs along the sidewalk. Composition shingles added about 1940 cover the original vertical plank siding, which remains underneath. Inside, the house keeps its layout, four-panel doors, a cherry-railed staircase, nineteenth-century bathroom fittings and a painted slate mantelpiece of about 1875. Russel Taylor appears to have built the house; Alfred Dunk, an iron works partner, city assessor and developer of the Dunk building, bought it in 1855. The house is valued as a rare, well-preserved example of Carpenter Gothic design fitted to a narrow city lot.
Significance in brief: It is presented as one of the finest examples of Carpenter Gothic architecture in the greater Binghamton area and a rare urban adaptation of the picturesque Gothic cottage. It keeps nearly all its original exterior and interior features, including the steep slate gable, scroll-sawn bargeboards and an original wrought-iron fence. It also has ties to Alfred Dunk, a prominent Binghamton businessman.
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 85000593, listed March 21, 1985. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 4 Pine St., Binghamton |
|---|---|
| County | Broome County |
| Listed | March 21, 1985 |
| Reference number | 85000593 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architect / builder | unknown |
| Architectural style | Carpenter Gothic / Gothic Revival cottage |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied private residence in good condition; exterior sheathed in composition shingles c. 1940 over original vertical plank siding. |
| Acreage | 1.6 |
| Coordinates | 42.10049, -75.89552 (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 85000593.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4722567
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.