Hershkind House
Why it's listed
Built around 1885 at 30 Hooker Avenue in Poughkeepsie, this two-and-a-half story frame house is an unusually elaborate example of Swiss-style design. The lot appeared under the name G. Carson on an 1880 city map, but Carson lived nearby and was probably the developer. The first listed occupant, in 1885, was Max Hershkind, a clerk at a Main Street commercial house. The house has a steeply pitched roof, a three-sided bay with a conical roof cut in V shapes, undulating bargeboards with stylized leaf cut-outs, and wall surfaces that combine clapboard with board and batten. Pierced balcony railings and a stick-style front porch add to the ornament, and the front door carries molding that repeats the bargeboard motifs. It was considered unique in Poughkeepsie and one of only a handful of Swiss-style buildings in the Mid-Hudson Valley. Fine interior woodwork supports its value as a period example. It remains a residence in good condition.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is significant for its elaborate rendition of the Swiss mode of architecture. Its tent roofs, mix of board and batten with clapboards, pierced balcony railings and stick-style porch made it unique in Poughkeepsie and place it among a handful of Swiss-style buildings in the Mid-Hudson Valley. Sophisticated interior woodwork adds to its integrity as a period example.
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 82001144, listed November 26, 1982. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 30 Hooker Ave., Poughkeepsie |
|---|---|
| County | Dutchess County |
| Listed | November 26, 1982 |
| Reference number | 82001144 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Swiss style, with stick-style porch |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Used as a residence, as originally; condition rated good; no major alterations listed. |
| Acreage | 0.1 |
| Coordinates | 41.69753, -73.92353 (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 82001144.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14706356
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.