Claverack Free Library
Why it's listed
Claverack Free Library is a one-story Colonial Revival building at the center of Claverack hamlet, at Routes 9H and 23B. Completed in 1932, it has a wood frame, a concrete foundation, a steep wood-shingled gable roof and a central entrance with Ionic columns and a pediment. A matching wing by the same architect, Lucius Moore of Hudson, was added in 1950. The library had begun in local parlors and later a remodelled store, but the widening of Route 9H in the early 1930s required the old building to be sold. The library board followed a model plan from the State Education Department and commissioned Moore to adapt it. His details echo local eighteenth and early nineteenth century houses, including beaded wide-board siding, a minimal gable overhang, a Palladian window and a panelled fireplace wall inside. The building is valued as an intact example of Colonial Revival civic design and as a local landmark that has served the community since November 1932.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the library is a highly intact example of Colonial Revival municipal architecture in Claverack. Its design drew on local early Hudson Valley details and followed a model plan from the New York State Education Department. It also reflects the community's educational aims and the 1930s highway work that forced the library to move.
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 97001624, listed January 7, 1998. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 629 NY 23B, Claverack |
|---|---|
| County | Columbia County |
| Listed | January 7, 1998 |
| Reference number | 97001624 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1932 |
| Architect / builder | Moore, Lucius, Architect |
| Architectural style | Late 19th and Early 20th Century Revivals / Colonial Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still in use as a library; the form says the community's goals for the library remain intact today. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.22285, -73.73546 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For a publicly owned building or structure, listing mainly matters when federal funds, permits or licences are involved: projects then go through Section 106 review so effects on the property are considered. Listing also strengthens applications for preservation grants and, for leased income-producing uses, can enable the federal rehabilitation tax credit.
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 97001624.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5129605
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.