Old Parsonage
Why it's listed
Built around 1867 on Buckwheat Bridge Road in Clermont, this two-story, three-bay frame house was originally a parsonage and is now a residence. It has a jerkin-head metal roof with sawn bargeboard, clapboard on the first story, and board and batten on the second, whose pointed ends overhang the clapboard. A hipped-roof porch with elaborate sawn ornamentation marks the central entrance. A clapboard garage and a small well house on the roughly one-acre original parcel also contribute. The house is regarded as a distinctive example of picturesque cottage architecture, with an informal plan, small scale and inventive use of materials. Its Swiss-influenced styling and porch, which combines structural and Gothic motifs, create a novel pattern. It is also tied to nearby St. Luke's Church, designed by Richard M. Upjohn in 1857. Upjohn is not linked directly to the parsonage, but its style reflects both the church and the ecclesiastical dependencies shown in his 1852 Rural Architecture. The unaltered house retains its original design, materials and setting.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it a distinctive example of picturesque cottage architecture reflecting the values of mid-nineteenth-century 'rural' architects. It is also significant locally for its association with St. Luke's Church, designed by Richard M. Upjohn in 1857. Its style echoes the church and the ecclesiastical dependencies shown in Upjohn's Rural Architecture (1852).
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 83003935, listed October 7, 1983. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Buckwheat Bridge Rd., Clermont |
|---|---|
| County | Columbia County |
| Listed | October 7, 1983 |
| Reference number | 83003935 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Picturesque cottage, with Swiss styling and Gothic motifs |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Used as a residence, originally a parsonage; condition described as good, unaltered, and retaining integrity of design, materials and setting. |
| Acreage | 1 |
| Coordinates | 42.09225, -73.81821 (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 83003935.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7084703
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.