Baldwin, Daniel and Clarissa, House
Why it's listed
Built around 1807 for Daniel and Clarissa Baldwin, this two-story farmhouse sits on Dugway Road south of Spencertown, in Columbia County, New York. Daniel Baldwin came from Connecticut, as did many of the area's settlers, and the house reflects that New England heritage. Its plan has two front rooms on either side of a center passage and a kitchen ell at the rear. This reworks the older center-chimney house, with the chimney split into separate stacks. The front facade is symmetrical, with paneled corner pilasters, a marble water table and a frieze of carved sunbursts. The frame combines traditional mortise-and-tenon joinery with lighter timbers, and the interior keeps its fireplaces, wood mantels, pine floors and cherry stair railing. Later changes include a Colonial Revival piazza added around 1880, a c. 1950 kitchen and a porch built in 2000. The farm stopped operating about 1930, so the house is valued mainly for its architecture. It remains a private home with a c. 1840 barn.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is significant for its architecture rather than as a working farm. Its three-room plan with a center passage updates the traditional New England center-chimney house for the Federal period, reflecting Spencertown's cultural ties to New England rather than to the Dutch-influenced Hudson Valley. Its lighter frame, restrained sunburst frieze and well-preserved interior illustrate that transition.
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 12000366, listed June 27, 2012. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 1018 Dugway Rd., Spencertown |
|---|---|
| County | Columbia County |
| Listed | June 27, 2012 |
| Reference number | 12000366 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Early Republic, Federal |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still used as a single dwelling. The farm ceased operating around 1930 and the land was subdivided in 1991. The house has additions from the 20th century, including a c. 1950 kitchen and a 2000 porch. |
| Acreage | 19.3 |
| Coordinates | 42.31803, -73.53847 (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 12000366.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q23091397
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.