Travis House
Also known as: Hammond Security Building
Why it's listed
Built around 1848, this brick house at 131 Cannon Street in Poughkeepsie began as a middle class residence and now serves as an office. The earliest traceable record is a city directory listing from 1848, when the owner was a mason named John R. Travis, who may also have been the builder. The two-and-a-half-story house has a raised basement, three bays, eyebrow windows set in a clapboarded frieze under a molded cornice with returns, six-over-six windows with stone lintels and sills, and a stone water table. The entrance has a transom, sidelights and pilasters, and a porch with paired molded brackets. Inside, a period staircase, marble fireplaces and large sliding double doors survive. Only a rear dormer, added in 1979, is noted as an alteration. The house is one of a handful of pre-1850 and Greek Revival buildings left in the city, and, together with the Barret House on Noxon Street, is considered its most intact brick urban Greek Revival dwelling.
Significance in brief: The form describes it as a relatively unaltered middle class residence in excellent condition, with interesting Greek Revival treatment and details. It is one of a handful of pre-1850 and Greek Revival buildings still standing in Poughkeepsie. With the Barret House at 55 Noxon Street, it is called the most intact, most representative brick, urban detached Greek Revival residence in the city.
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 82001167, listed November 26, 1982. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 131 Cannon St., Poughkeepsie |
|---|---|
| County | Dutchess County |
| Listed | November 26, 1982 |
| Reference number | 82001167 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Builder: probably John R. Travis |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Originally a residence, now used as an office; condition described as good on the form and excellent in the narrative. Only alteration listed is a rear dormer added in 1979. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 41.70085, -73.92191 (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 82001167.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7836275
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.