Wiswall, Oliver, House
Why it's listed
Built around 1836 on Mt. Merino south of Hudson, this brick house was the residence of Oliver Wiswall, a merchant, bank director, railroad and insurance board member, Hudson mayor and state assemblyman. He is also credited with naming the town of Greenport. The house is two and a half stories, L-shaped, with a low hipped roof, a five-bay facade, eyebrow windows in the frieze and a north porch with four Doric columns. Inside, a central hall runs through all three floors, and the first floor has black marble and wooden Greek Revival mantels and detailed door and window surrounds. Around 1950 the west portico was replaced and a two-story rear section was removed, but the early nineteenth-century character remains. The nomination ranks it among the best Greek Revival houses in the Hudson area, comparable to the Cyrus Curtis house in Hudson. Its elevated site keeps wide views of the Hudson River and Catskills, part of a landscape often painted in the 1800s.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is an outstanding example of Greek Revival residential design, one of the best in the Hudson area. It is also tied to Oliver Wiswall, a leading business and civic figure in Hudson. Its hilltop site with river and Catskill views is part of a Hudson Valley landscape depicted in nineteenth-century paintings and prints.
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 80002599, listed September 4, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | W of Hudson, Hudson |
|---|---|
| County | Columbia County |
| Listed | September 4, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80002599 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as occupied and in good condition, used as a private residence; altered after 1948 with a replaced west portico and removed rear section. |
| Acreage | 29.8 |
| Coordinates | 42.24645, -73.80848 (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 80002599.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7087943
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.