Jordan, Dr. Abram, House
Also known as: Wedding Present House
Why it's listed
Built in 1822 on the north side of Route 23 in the hamlet of Claverack, this brick house was a wedding present from farmer and entrepreneur Peter Mesick to his daughter Catherine and her husband, Dr. Abram Jordan, a physician who joined the Columbia County Medical Society in 1810. The two-story, five-bay dwelling has a center-hall plan, a stone foundation and a standing seam metal roof. Its south facade centers on a doorway with sidelights and a fanlight, topped by an elaborate tripartite window. Greek Revival renovations added pedimented gables with low parapets on the side elevations. Inside, the carved staircase, curly maple balustrade, mantels, moldings, ornamental plaster ceilings and original plank flooring survive. A rear service wing includes an early cooking fireplace and baking oven, and the lot also holds a brick smokehouse from about 1822 and two mid-nineteenth century barns. The property is valued as an outstanding regional example of Federal architecture that reflects the prosperity of early Claverack.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is an outstanding regional example of Federal style residential architecture in the Hudson River Valley. Its symmetrical five-bay facade, fanlit doorway and tripartite window are notable, as are its Greek Revival era alterations and finely crafted interior details. It also retains a high degree of integrity and recalls the early history of Claverack.
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 99001135, listed September 9, 1999. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 137 NY 23, Claverack |
|---|---|
| County | Columbia County |
| Listed | September 9, 1999 |
| Reference number | 99001135 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | ca.1822-ca.1845 |
| Architect / builder | Peter Mesick (built the house in 1822) |
| Architectural style | Early Republic/Federal; Mid-19th Century/Greek Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still used as a single dwelling; the form describes it as retaining an outstanding degree of architectural integrity. |
| Acreage | 1.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.22488, -73.72360 (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 99001135.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5303949
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.