Mumford, Lewis, House
Why it's listed
This farmhouse in the hamlet of Leedsville, in Amenia, Dutchess County, New York, sits on about 14 acres beside Webutuck Creek, less than a mile from the Connecticut line. Its two-story front section has a side-gable roof, twelve-over-twelve windows and a Federal-style entrance porch. A rear wing, a carriage house and a landscape of gardens and woodland paths complete the property. The state office believes the house dates to at least a decade before the 1837 that Lewis Mumford gave. Mumford and his wife, Sophia, bought the house in 1929 as a summer retreat and made it their permanent home in 1936. He lived there until his death in 1990. From a small study on the first floor he wrote over twenty books, including The Culture of Cities and The City in History. The couple added central heating, enlarged the upstairs and developed the grounds. The property is recognized for its link to Mumford's life and career, and the period of significance runs from 1929 to 1990.
Significance in brief: It is significant for its association with Lewis Mumford, the nationally prominent author, social critic and writer on cities and architecture. He and his wife bought it in 1929 and he made it his permanent home from 1936 until his death in 1990. He wrote many of his best-known works in its small study.
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 99001209, listed October 15, 1999. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 187 Leedsville Rd., Amenia |
|---|---|
| County | Dutchess County |
| Listed | October 15, 1999 |
| Reference number | 99001209 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1929-1990 |
| Architectural style | Early Republic/Federal |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Social History, Community Planning and Development, Architecture, Art, Literature |
| Level of significance | National |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Current function listed as vacant/not in use; the house was renovated in 1998-99 and retains high exterior integrity. |
| Acreage | 13.6 |
| Within district | Webutuck Agricultural Valley Historic District |
| Coordinates | 41.85041, -73.51266 (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.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
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 99001209.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6536908
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.