Heermance House and Law Office
Why it's listed
Standing at the corner of Rhinecliff Road and Long Dock Road, north of the hamlet of Rhinecliff, this property combines a mid-nineteenth century house, a small law office and a garage on 1.3 acres. The main house, built about 1858, is a two-story, three-bay, side-hall dwelling whose form recalls Federal and Greek Revival buildings. Its bracketed eaves, pierced woodwork, arcaded porch frieze and cross-gabled side pavilion give it the look of an Italian Villa. A clapboard law office with pierced bargeboards and a cross-gable roof sits several hundred feet to the south, and a plain frame garage from about 1900 stands behind the house. The property takes its name from Andrew J. and Martin Heermance, the latter a lawyer who occupied the house in 1886. The Heermances descended from one of Rhinebeck's earliest families. The house and office were listed as notable examples of mid- to late nineteenth century Picturesque architecture in the town. The interior has been subdivided into apartments, though some parlor woodwork survives.
Significance in brief: The nomination presents the property as a distinctive example of Picturesque, eclectic architecture in Rhinebeck. The house gives a conventional side-hall form an Italian Villa quality through bracketed eaves, scroll-sawn ornament and a full-width porch. The intact law office and the garage complement it. The property is also tied to the Heermance family, early Rhinebeck settlers.
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 87001091, listed July 9, 1987. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Jct. of Rhinecliff and Long Dock Rds., Rhinecliff |
|---|---|
| County | Dutchess County |
| Listed | July 9, 1987 |
| Reference number | 87001091 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Italianate (main house); Picturesque, Gothic-inspired law office |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The house has been divided into several apartments and is in good condition. The law office is described as vacant and slightly deteriorated. |
| Acreage | 1.3 |
| Within district | Hudson River Heritage Historic District |
| Coordinates | 41.92838, -73.94366 (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 87001091.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5698131
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.