Lebanon Springs Union Free School
Why it's listed
Built in 1913 on Route 22 in the Lebanon Springs hamlet of New Lebanon, this two-story brick school, finished in stucco under a slate hipped roof, was created for the newly merged New Lebanon and Lebanon Springs school districts. The Albany firm of Fuller and Robinson designed it, and a local builder named Mattoon completed it for $10,000. Its foundation is faced with finely tooled stone from the Mount Lebanon Shakers. Four large classrooms, pressed-metal ceilings, slate blackboards and an octagonal belfry survive, and the plain Arts and Crafts styling remains largely intact. The building marks the shift from sixteen one-room schoolhouses to a central graded school. Concrete buttresses of a 1922 railroad trestle on the property recall the Rutland Railroad, which carried pupils to the school from 1913 until 1953. The school has been unused since 1970 and its interior has deteriorated somewhat, though the original floor plan remains.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the school is a highly intact example of early twentieth-century public school architecture in the Arts and Crafts style, designed by the Albany firm of Fuller and Robinson. It reflects school district consolidation and the move from one-room schools to graded central schools. The trestle recalls the rail transport that made centralization possible.
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 91001727, listed November 21, 1991. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | NY 22 E of jct. with Cemetery Rd., New Lebanon |
|---|---|
| County | Columbia County |
| Listed | November 21, 1991 |
| Reference number | 91001727 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1913-1922 |
| Architect / builder | Fuller and Robinson |
| Architectural style | Late 19th and Early 20th Century American Movements: Arts and Crafts |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Education, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Vacant and not in use; the school has not been used since 1970 and its interior shows modest dilapidation. |
| Acreage | 7.6 |
| Coordinates | 42.47400, -73.38235 (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.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
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 91001727.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6511126
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.