National Biscuit Company Carton Making and Printing Plant
Also known as: Nabisco Carton Making and Printing Plant; The "Biscuit"; Dia Center for the Arts
Why it's listed
Built in 1929 beside the Hudson River in Beacon, this sprawling brick, steel and concrete building was designed to make and print cardboard cartons for the National Biscuit Company. It has three one-story sections with brick fire walls, a small two-story office block, and a railroad shed on the west side. Monumental steel windows line the east and west walls, and more than sixty sawtooth skylight monitors on the roof bring in even northern light. Below, over 270 concrete mushroom columns help absorb the vibration of heavy printing machinery. The building was listed for its role in industry and for its architecture. Reinforced concrete columns removed the need for interior bearing walls, allowing vast open work rooms. Planned additions were never built, so the north and south walls remain unfinished. In the 1930s the plant employed about 190 people, nearly 8 percent of Beacon's workforce, at a time when sales rose during the Depression.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the plant is significant under Criterion A for industry and Criterion C for architecture. Its reinforced concrete and steel construction allowed wide open work floors, steel windows and rooftop monitors that flooded the floors with natural light, and reduced vibration from heavy presses. It also employed a large share of Beacon's workforce during the Depression.
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 03000253, listed April 18, 2003. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 3 Beekman St., Beacon |
|---|---|
| County | Dutchess County |
| Listed | April 18, 2003 |
| Reference number | 03000253 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1929-1953 |
| Architectural style | No style |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Industry |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as in an excellent state of preservation, retaining nearly all original character apart from removal of heavy machinery and a 1950s loading dock; current function is museum. |
| Acreage | 26.6 |
| Coordinates | 41.49989, -73.98222 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
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 03000253.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q110894839
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.