Williams Farm
Why it's listed
Set at the end of a long private road off Enterprise Road in northeastern Rhinebeck, this 109-acre farmstead centers on a one-and-one-half-story Greek Revival farmhouse built around 1835. The five-bay, center-hall house has clapboard siding, broad corner pilasters, exaggerated cornice returns, a wide frieze pierced by eyebrow windows, and a trabeated entrance with sidelights and a transom. Inside, two parlors flank the center hall, and the original woodwork, staircase and floors survive. The property also holds a guest cottage from about 1900, several late nineteenth-century barns, a dammed pond and dry-laid stone walls, along with a few modern outbuildings that do not contribute. It was listed because the house is an intact rural example of a nationally popular style, and because the surviving farm buildings and setting show how a working farm developed over time. The name comes from P. Williams, who occupied the house in 1850. The builder is unknown.
Significance in brief: The farmhouse is argued to be a distinctive, intact, text-book example of rural Greek Revival architecture in Rhinebeck, with a remarkably intact interior. Together with the barns, guest cottage, dam and stone walls, the farm illustrates the evolution of a working farmstead and the town's growth as a prosperous agrarian community.
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 87001080, listed July 9, 1987. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Enterprise Rd., Rhinebeck |
|---|---|
| County | Dutchess County |
| Listed | July 9, 1987 |
| Reference number | 87001080 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | ca. 1835-1900 |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Farmhouse in good to excellent condition and still used as a residence; part of the land is used for horses and for displaying outdoor sculpture. |
| Acreage | 109 |
| Coordinates | 41.93603, -73.83659 (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 87001080.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q8021016
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.