Brett, Madam Catharyna, Homestead
Why it's listed
Built around 1715 on part of the Rombout Patent, this frame farmhouse in Beacon, New York, is probably the earliest frame residence in Dutchess County. It has a five-bay main block with a lower kitchen wing, Dutch doors, sloping dormers and unusual scalloped cedar shingles dating from the eighteenth century. Inside, most of the woodwork reflects Federal period updating, and the old kitchen keeps its walk-in hearth and beehive oven. The house was home to Catharyna Brett, who became known as Madam Brett after being widowed and who ran a mill and sold farms outright to settlers. Those sales helped villages such as Fishkill Landing and Matteawan grow, and later mills along Fishkill Creek followed. Later residents included Henry Schenck, a Revolutionary War officer and legislator, and Isaac Teller, a congressman. An Episcopal Sunday School begun here led to St. Luke's Church. Seven generations of one family lived here, and the house now operates as a museum.
Significance in brief: It is probably the earliest frame residence in Dutchess County and the earliest surviving house near where Fishkill Creek meets the Hudson. It was the home of Catharyna "Madam" Brett, whose land sales and mills shaped the growth of the surrounding villages. It later housed a Revolutionary War officer and legislator and a member of Congress, and it stayed in one family for seven generations.
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 76001212, listed December 12, 1976. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 50 Van Nydeck Ave., Beacon |
|---|---|
| County | Dutchess County |
| Listed | December 12, 1976 |
| Reference number | 76001212 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1700-1799 |
| Architect / builder | probably Robert Dengee |
| Architectural style | Early Dutch Hudson Valley farmhouse with Federal period interior detailing |
| Areas of significance | Exploration/Settlement, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Open as a historic house museum on a regular basis and used as a repository for local records, artifacts and family heirlooms; described as well preserved. |
| Acreage | 4.7 |
| Coordinates | 41.50256, -73.96726 (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 76001212.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6726230
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.