Van Wyck-Wharton House
Why it's listed
Just south of the Route 9 and Interstate 84 intersection in Fishkill, this one-and-a-half-story frame farmhouse grew in two stages. Cornelius Van Wyck bought the farm in 1733 and built the east block, then added a taller west block about 1756. Both sections have brick-filled walls covered with clapboards and cedar-shingled gable roofs. The older wing keeps much of its Dutch character, including a Dutch door with iron strap hinges, wooden wainscoting in the kitchen, and a Dutch oven protruding from an exposed stone fireplace back. The west block has a central hall plan and a meeting room with an Adam-style mantelpiece attributed to Isaac Van Wyck. During the Revolutionary War the property lay within the Fishkill Supply Depot and Encampment, a principal storehouse for the Continental Army in the north. The house served as a store, a clothing distribution point, a site for courts-martial and officers' quarters, and it later served as a printing office, post office and stagecoach lodging.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is significant both architecturally and historically. It is an example of the rural Dutch frame dwelling of the Hudson Valley, with brick-filled walls, a Dutch door and a protruding Dutch oven. It is also the only documented surviving building of the Fishkill Supply Depot and Encampment, a major Revolutionary War Quartermaster-Commissary facility in the north.
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 72000828, listed April 13, 1972. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | S of Fishkill on U.S. 9, Fishkill |
|---|---|
| County | Dutchess County |
| Listed | April 13, 1972 |
| Reference number | 72000828 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 18th Century (specific dates ca. 1733; ca. 1756) |
| Architect / builder | Cornelius Van Wyck (built the original dwelling and the west block) |
| Architectural style | Dutch frame farmhouse of the Hudson Valley |
| Areas of significance | Military, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as in good condition, owned by a historical society and used as a museum; preservation work in progress is also marked. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 41.52309, -73.88903 (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 72000828.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7913784
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.