Tousey, Benjamin C., House
Also known as: The Willows
Why it's listed
The Willows is a two-story house built in 1914-1915 for Benjamin C. Tousey, a Clinton Corners native who had made money in the Florida railroad business. It sits on a 13-acre parcel in the hamlet of Clinton Corners, Dutchess County. The architect is unknown. The house has a low-pitched roof with deep bracketed eaves, shingled ground-floor walls, and stucco and half-timbered upper floors. Stone piers carry an entrance pergola that doubles as a porte-cochere, and concrete terraces are scored to resemble tile. Inside, an open plan, oak woodwork, a large stone fireplace with a built-in bench, and sleeping porches reflect Arts and Crafts ideas promoted by Gustav Stickley. Six contributing buildings and a gazebo remain, including a stone garage, a carriage house converted to a residence in the 1940s, and a game lodge from about 1935. The property was recognized for its architecture and its high degree of preserved integrity.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house embodies the distinctive characteristics of Arts and Crafts residential architecture as popularized by Gustav Stickley. Its siting, open plan, natural materials, fireplace, porches and sleeping porches reflect progressive Arts and Crafts ideals. It retains a very high degree of integrity, and its outbuildings contribute to the residential character.
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 94001002, listed August 19, 1994. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Jct. of Salt Point Tpk. and Schultzville Rd., Clinton |
|---|---|
| County | Dutchess County |
| Listed | August 19, 1994 |
| Reference number | 94001002 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1914-ca.1935 |
| Architectural style | Late 19th and Early 20th Century American Movements: Craftsman (Arts and Crafts) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Used as a single dwelling with secondary structures; a modern swimming pool and a 1970s pond are noncontributing. |
| Acreage | 13 |
| Coordinates | 41.83410, -73.76593 (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 94001002.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4888371
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.