Van Valkenburgh-Isbister Farm
Why it's listed
Straddling County Route 22 in the Town of Ghent, this farm complex combines two associated parcels of about 22 acres in a rolling, still-rural Hudson Valley landscape. The main dwelling is an L-shaped frame house with a one-and-a-half-story rear block from about 1790 and a Greek Revival front section from about 1845. Across the road stands a frame upright-and-ell house built around 1840. Around them are roughly fifteen outbuildings, including a large barn whose core is a four-bay Dutch barn, a stone smokehouse, wagon sheds, carriage barns, a 1930s gas pump and a concrete block tractor barn. Together they trace the change from horse-drawn to gas-powered farming. Both parcels were held by one ownership from 1832 to 1965. George Isbister, who acquired the farm in 1865, built most of the barns after the Civil War, and by 1875 the farm was among the most highly valued in Ghent, with unusually diverse crops and livestock. The farm was listed for its architecture and its agricultural history.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues that the farm offers a broad essay on vernacular domestic and agricultural architecture in the Town of Ghent. Its buildings include a Dutch-framed barn and outbuildings showing the shift from horse power to mechanized farming. Both parcels were under single ownership from 1832 to 1965, and under George Isbister the farm became one of the most highly valued in Ghent by 1875.
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 06000268, listed April 12, 2006. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 1129-1142 Columbia County Rte 22, Ghent |
|---|---|
| County | Columbia County |
| Listed | April 12, 2006 |
| Reference number | 06000268 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | c. 1790 - c. 1940 |
| Architectural style | Mid-19th Century: Greek Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Agriculture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Both dwellings remain in domestic use; the Sherman parcel outbuildings are described as in outstanding condition, and one old shed on the other parcel is used as a studio. |
| Acreage | 22 |
| Coordinates | 42.32096, -73.69084 (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 06000268.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7913715
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.