MacDonald Farm
Why it's listed
On several hundred acres in a narrow valley in Delaware County, New York, the MacDonald Farm is a complex of houses and farm buildings along Elk Creek Road. James MacDonald built the main house in 1851. His son John Thomas MacDonald later enlarged it, adding an ell and a dining room using material from an 1861 Methodist church he bought at auction. John Thomas developed the farm into a progressive enterprise. It is reputed to have been the first hydro-electrically powered farm in New York State, with electricity used for butter-making, milling, sawing, hay lifting and milking. Between 1890 and 1900 he designed a reinforced concrete creamery and cow barn. The complex also includes a hops barn, mill building, straw barn and housing for married hired hands. His daughters continued the farm into the 1950s, and a garden designed by Catherine MacDonald Odell lies south of the house.
Significance in brief: The complex reflects the inventiveness of John Thomas MacDonald, who developed it. It is reputed to be the first hydro-electrically powered farm in New York State, and its creamery and cow barn show his experiments with reinforced concrete. The farm also shows progressive dairying, marketing and cooperative practices.
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 73001179, listed April 3, 1973. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Elk Creek and Monroe Rds., Meredith |
|---|---|
| County | Delaware County |
| Listed | April 3, 1973 |
| Reference number | 73001179 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 19th Century |
| Architect / builder | James MacDonald (house, 1851); John Thomas MacDonald (creamery and cow barn, own design) |
| Areas of significance | Engineering, Agriculture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as in good condition and altered; the fields are still managed and the houses are occupied. Several early structures, including a carriage barn and icehouses, no longer stand. |
| Acreage | 200 |
| Coordinates | 42.35407, -74.86196 (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 73001179.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6721815
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.