Neher-Elseffer House
Why it's listed
Set beside Old Post Road north of Rhinebeck village, this modest frame house began around 1746 as a small, square, one-and-one-half story dwelling on land leased from the Beekman and Livingston family estate. Its first known lessee was Frans Neher, of Palatine German ancestry. Around 1800 the Elseffer family rebuilt it, keeping the original stone foundation and many frame members, and produced the present five-bay form with a saltbox profile and 12-over-12 windows. The interior was remodeled around 1830 and a small wing was added about 1872. Beside the house stands the surviving center bay of a Dutch barn, marked with the date 1770. The cellar still holds evidence of the earliest house, including a fireplace corbel and reused beams. A fire in 2000 and later neglect have left the property deteriorated. It was listed for its architecture, as an important record of how Hudson Valley houses changed from the 18th to the 19th century.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is a rare surviving example of pre-Revolutionary frame architecture in Dutchess County. Its c. 1746 foundation, c. 1800 rebuilding, c. 1830 interior remodeling and c. 1872 addition make it a useful study of how local houses changed over time. The 1770 barn and the house are among the few remaining buildings from the earliest settlement of the Rhinebeck area.
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 03000246, listed April 18, 2003. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 6196 US 9, Rhinebeck |
|---|---|
| County | Dutchess County |
| Listed | April 18, 2003 |
| Reference number | 03000246 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | c. 1746 - c. 1872 |
| Architect / builder | unknown |
| Architectural style | Colonial; Early Republic: Federal |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as vacant. A fire in winter 2000 damaged the north end and second floor, and the house has no plumbing or working heating. The south addition is deteriorated. |
| Acreage | 2.5 |
| Coordinates | 41.95906, -73.89175 (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 03000246.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q1974528
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.