Ritchie, Z., House
Why it's listed
Standing at 26 South Catherine Street in Plattsburgh, this residence is a Gothic Revival house built between 1856 and 1869. The only record of its early ownership is the 1869 Beers map, which shows a Z. Ritchie as owner. A local owner believed construction around 1860 was likely, since the land had been purchased by then and the Civil War would probably have prevented later building. The house has a cross gable facing the street with a finial and decorative bargeboards, a projecting one-story bay with an ornate balustrade, brackets and a Gothic-motif frieze, and dormers with peaked double windows. Most windows and doors have label moldings, and the porch has bracketed cornices and peaked arches between square and chamfered columns. The form ranks it as the best Gothic Revival residence in the city, noting its individual plan, intact appearance, excellent condition and the rarity of the style locally. It remains a private residence.
Significance in brief: The inventory form calls it the best Gothic Revival residence in Plattsburgh, combining fine period details with an individual plan. It gains further significance from its intact appearance and excellent condition. It is also considered one of the most important buildings in the city, partly because the style is rare in the area.
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 82001111, listed November 12, 1982. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 26 S. Catherine St., Plattsburgh |
|---|---|
| County | Clinton County |
| Listed | November 12, 1982 |
| Reference number | 82001111 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition is listed as excellent; use is residential, the same as the original use. A recently built Gothic Revival garage is a non-contributing outbuilding. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 44.70071, -73.45705 (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 82001111.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q8062871
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.