Crow Hill
Also known as: Charles Whiting Residence
Why it's listed
Crow Hill is a Greek Revival house on a small hill at the northwest corner of NY 9H and County Route 21, near Kinderhook village. Charles Whiting, a local merchant who manufactured stoves and tinware, built it in 1839. The wood-frame house is nearly square and symmetrical, with a portico centered on each of its four sides, fluted columns, wide corner pilasters, pedimented lintels and a cupola over the central hall. Nearly all living space is on one floor, arranged around a large central room, and the stairway to the servants' attic rooms is tucked off the kitchen. The form suggests Whiting's trade influenced the design, including its standing-seam metal roof and heating arrangement. No architect is known. The property was judged significant for architecture because the house is an intact and unusually inventive example of Greek Revival design in Columbia County, built to be seen from every direction on a prominent site along the old Post Road.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is a distinguished, intact example of a Neoclassically inspired residence in Columbia County. Its nearly square, symmetrical plan has a large central hall, all principal rooms on one floor, and four finished facades each with a portico. The Palladian-influenced layout and the missing grand staircase were unusual for the Hudson Valley in 1839.
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 97000412, listed May 9, 1997. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Jct. of NY 9H and Co. Rt. 21, NW corner, Kinderhook |
|---|---|
| County | Columbia County |
| Listed | May 9, 1997 |
| Reference number | 97000412 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1839 |
| Architect / builder | unknown |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still used as a single dwelling; the roof, sills, joists and corner posts were undergoing repairs at the time of the form. |
| Acreage | 7 |
| Within district | Kinderhook Village District |
| Coordinates | 42.38944, -73.68946 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
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 97000412.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5189085
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.