Mulhern House
Why it's listed
Built around 1815 at 14-16 Market Street in Wappingers Falls, this two-story frame double house stands near the creek gorge where early mills operated. Its gabled, rectangular form has two three-bay units with offset entrances, a central chimney and original clapboard siding. The northern unit keeps its twelve-over-eight sash, while the southern unit has replacement windows, and the rear wing of the northern unit was raised to two stories. A nineteenth-century shed behind the house also contributes. The house is considered significant as the only workers' residence to survive intact from the first phase of industrial growth in the village, when grist mills in the gorge were being converted to printed cotton textile production. Its tall, plain form and prominent central chimney reflect a New England design taste of the period. It is named for John Mulhern, the earliest documented owner, who ran a tavern. The Dutchess Company later acquired the property and held it into the twentieth century.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is the only workers' residence surviving intact from the initial period of industrial development in Wappingers Falls. It shows Federal period characteristics in its form and details and differs from the later nineteenth-century double houses in the area. With the early mill buildings gone, it is a rare surviving artifact of the village's history.
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 84002376, listed September 29, 1984. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 14-16 Market St., Wappingers Falls |
|---|---|
| County | Dutchess County |
| Listed | September 29, 1984 |
| Reference number | 84002376 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| Areas of significance | Industry, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Used as a residence, as it was originally; condition listed as fair, with no known threats. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Wappingers Falls Historic District |
| Coordinates | 41.59913, -73.92073 (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 84002376.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6933992
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.