Van Rensselaer, Conyn, House
Also known as: Locust Dale Farm; Konyn-Van Rensselaer House
Why it's listed
Locust Dale Farm, on Spook Rock Road southwest of Claverack hamlet, centers on a two-story brick house with a gambrel roof, built about 1766, and a rear stone wing of uncertain date. The farm covers roughly 150 acres of fields and woods and includes a large frame barn dating to about 1860, a silo, a corn crib, a privy, a smokehouse, a former summer kitchen and several 20th century sheds and garages. The brick block combines Dutch and English traditions. Cross-bond brickwork, decorative vlechtingen in the north gable, exposed ceiling beams, a jambless fireplace and a Dutch-style gambrel frame sit alongside a symmetrical five-bay facade, a center hall plan and load-bearing brick walls. A recent restoration removed later Italianate elements, replicated lost finishes and added a timber-frame wing at the rear. The property is valued for its architecture and for the way its buildings and landscape show how local farming changed from the 1700s into the 1900s.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is an important example of 18th century vernacular architecture in the Hudson Valley, blending New World Dutch and English building practices. The farm's outbuildings and landscape also document changing agricultural activity from the 18th to the 20th century.
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 09000861, listed October 20, 2009. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 644 Spook Rock Rd., Claverack |
|---|---|
| County | Columbia County |
| Listed | October 20, 2009 |
| Reference number | 09000861 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | c. 1766-c. 1940 |
| Architectural style | Colonial: Georgian/Dutch Colonial; Early Republic: Federal |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Exploration/Settlement, Agriculture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Used as a single dwelling; the house was recently restored from a dilapidated condition to an early 19th century appearance and a timber-frame addition was built at the rear. |
| Acreage | 154 |
| Coordinates | 42.19975, -73.74936 (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 09000861.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5166786
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.