Williams, Elisha, House
Also known as: Hawthorne House
Why it's listed
Built around 1810, this brick house at 7 Aitkin Avenue in Hudson, New York, is a Federal period residence with a five-bay symmetrical facade, a medium-pitched gable roof and a center hall plan. The walls are laid in common bond throughout, which was unusual in Hudson, where fronts were typically laid in Flemish bond. The plain doorway lacks the elliptical fanlight common to local Federal houses. A kitchen wing was raised to two stories about 1870, and the windows were replaced around 1910. The house was likely built for Elisha Williams, a celebrated jury lawyer and Federalist leader who served nine sessions in the New York State Assembly between 1801 and 1828 and took part in the 1821 Constitutional Convention. He also served as president of the Bank of Columbia and as a trustee of the Hudson Academy. Williams sold the house in 1832. Later owners included Richard Atwell and Richard Aitkin, for whom Aitkin Avenue was named. The house remains a single-family dwelling.
Significance in brief: The house is significant as the home of Elisha Williams, a prominent lawyer and Federalist politician who lived there during most of his career. It is also a well-preserved Federal period house that differs from most others in Hudson, notably in its use of common bond brick on all elevations and its plain doorway.
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 99001483, listed December 9, 1999. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 7 Aitkin Ave., Hudson |
|---|---|
| County | Columbia County |
| Listed | December 9, 1999 |
| Reference number | 99001483 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | c. 1810 - c. 1870 |
| Architect / builder | unknown |
| Architectural style | Early Republic: Federal |
| Criteria |
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| Areas of significance | Architecture, Politics/Government |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Current function is listed as a single dwelling; the house retains a high degree of physical integrity despite some exterior and interior alterations. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.24742, -73.77282 (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 99001483.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q1330741
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.