Fallon Cottage Annex
Why it's listed
Built in 1901 on Helen Hill in Saranac Lake, this two-and-one-half story shingled house sits on a fieldstone foundation beneath a hipped roof with cross gables and an octagonal Queen Anne-style turret. A wraparound veranda was later glazed, and several cure porches were added, some used for sleeping out and others for sitting out. Original call bells, light fixtures, hardwood floors and an archway between the living and dining rooms survive. In the 1920s it was registered as a nursing cottage, and by 1928 it operated as a boarding cottage. Anna Fallon, who became owner in 1937, ran it together with her home at 33 Franklin Avenue, with staff serving patients from there, hence the name Annex. It represents the adaptation of ordinary family houses into tuberculosis cure cottages and remains much as it was during that era. After the cure era it became a three-family dwelling.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is an intact, representative example of a single-family residence adapted over time as a cure cottage, and a fine medium-sized private sanatorium with a glass-enclosed veranda and cure porches. It also reflects the Saranac Lake tuberculosis cure era, when it operated as a boarding cottage tied to a neighboring home.
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 92001463, listed November 6, 1992. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 31 Franklin St., Saranac Lake |
|---|---|
| County | Essex County |
| Listed | November 6, 1992 |
| Reference number | 92001463 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1901-c.1940 |
| Architectural style | Queen Anne |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Health/Medicine, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as in excellent condition with a high degree of integrity; in use as a three-family dwelling after the end of the cure era. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Helen Hill Historic District |
| Coordinates | 44.32662, -74.12571 (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 92001463.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5432411
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.