Carman, Cornelius, House
The pin is a point inside the NPS boundary polygon, not a surveyed location.
Why it's listed
Built around 1835 on River Road South in the hamlet of Chelsea, this one-and-one-half story clapboard house sits on a raised stone basement and has a five-bay west facade with a central entrance, sidelights and transom, and a Doric portico. Pairs of brick chimneys and tripartite windows flanked by quarter-round lights mark the gable ends, and the roofline mixes a Federal cornice with a Greek Revival frieze. A shed-roofed rear extension, borrowed from New England practice, and a center-passage plan set it apart from similar local houses. Later wings were added on the sides and rear. The house was built for Cornelius Carman, a Hudson River boat builder who operated a shipyard in Chelsea. He built sloops, barges and steamers, including the river's first steam ferry in 1828, and is credited with introducing the movable centerboard on Hudson sloops. The house is valued as a late example of a regional Dutch-influenced farmhouse type and as a reminder of Carman's maritime career.
Significance in brief: The house is presented as an outstanding, late example of a vernacular farmhouse type that developed in western Dutchess County in the Federal period, blending Dutch and English tastes and showing the shift from Federal to Greek Revival style. It is also significant for its link to Cornelius Carman, a Hudson River boat builder who built the river's first steam ferry in 1828 and is credited with introducing the movable centerboard on Hudson sloops.
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 87001372, listed December 30, 1987. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | River Rd. S., Chelsea |
|---|---|
| County | Dutchess County |
| Listed | December 30, 1987 |
| Reference number | 87001372 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Vernacular Federal to Greek Revival transitional |
| Areas of significance | Transportation, Architecture, Maritime History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Used as a residence, in good condition; original site, with side wings added c1870, a rear addition c1900 and window heads altered c1980. |
| Acreage | 10 |
| Coordinates | 41.54997, -73.97022 (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 87001372.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5171320
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.