Barrett House
Why it's listed
Barrett House is a brick townhouse at 55 Noxon Street in Poughkeepsie, built around 1835 in the Greek Revival style. It has three stories over a raised basement and a three-bay facade facing Noxon Street. Details include linked chimneys, brownstone steps, lintels and sills, and a projecting cornice with three eyebrow windows framed by molded laurel wreaths. The original house was small, and a second house of matching quality was added at the back soon afterward. The east side has two porches, one Greek Revival and one Eastlake. Inside, black marble fireplaces and woodwork carved with acanthus leaves survive intact. An 1834 map shows the block divided into building lots from the Noxon estate. Attorney Virgil D. Bonesteel is the first known resident, listed at the address from 1843 to 1850. In the first half of the 20th century the house belonged to Thomas Barrett, a local artist who founded the Dutchess County Art Association, which now uses it as a gallery and classrooms.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it the most elaborate, formal and intact of the Greek Revival buildings in the City of Poughkeepsie. It keeps distinctive period details inside and out, including black marble fireplaces and carved woodwork. It is also tied to Thomas Barrett, a local artist who founded the Dutchess County Art Association and envisioned the house's present use.
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 82001122, listed November 26, 1982. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 55 Noxon St., Poughkeepsie |
|---|---|
| County | Dutchess County |
| Listed | November 26, 1982 |
| Reference number | 82001122 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed in excellent condition; in use as an art gallery and classrooms. A small wooden storage shed was attached to the rear in 1977. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 41.70063, -73.92756 (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 82001122.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14706169
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.