Poughkeepsie Almshouse and City Infirmary
Also known as: Poughkeepsie City Home
Why it's listed
On almost seven acres at 20 Maple Street in Poughkeepsie stand two institutional buildings that served the city's poor and sick for about a century. The almshouse, opened in 1869 after an earlier poorhouse burned in 1868, is a brick Italianate building with a three-story central block and two-story wings. It was designed by J.A. Wood, an architect active in the Hudson Valley and later in the South. Its interior is plain, with pressed sheet iron ceilings and many original doors. The City Infirmary, built in 1907 as a gift from local benefactor William W. Smith, was designed by Percival Lloyd in the Colonial Revival style and features a two-story semicircular portico. A rear addition followed in 1936 as a WPA project. Both buildings were used for their original purposes until 1972, later housed offices, and were vacated by 1977. Five outbuildings, including a carriage house, laundry and barn, remain on the site.
Significance in brief: The almshouse is described as an outstanding example of nineteenth-century institutional architecture, designed by J.A. Wood, and it reflects the city's growing concern for social ills. The infirmary, donated by William W. Smith and designed by Percival Lloyd, is one of Poughkeepsie's scarce examples of Colonial Revival civic architecture. Together they document the history of poor relief in the city from 1821 to 1972.
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 78001849, listed December 4, 1978. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 20 Maple St., Poughkeepsie |
|---|---|
| County | Dutchess County |
| Listed | December 4, 1978 |
| Reference number | 78001849 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1900- (specific date 1868) |
| Architect / builder | J.A. Wood (almshouse); Percival Lloyd (1907 infirmary); John P. Draney, architect, and L.H. Swenson Co. Ltd., general contractors (1936 addition) |
| Architectural style | Italianate (almshouse); Colonial Revival (infirmary) |
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The almshouse was vacated in 1972 and its first and second floors were adapted for offices in 1969. The infirmary closed in 1972, was refurbished for offices, and Social Services vacated it in October 1977. Condition is marked fair/deteriorated and the property is marked unoccupied. |
| Acreage | 7 |
| Coordinates | 41.70075, -73.91206 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
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 78001849.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14707202
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.