Feustmann Cottage
Why it's listed
This gambrel-roofed, shingled house at 28 Catherine Street in Saranac Lake was built in 1923 as the home of Maurice Feustmann, an architect who came to the village to cure his tuberculosis. Trained at the Ecole des Beaux Arts in Paris, he became a partner in Scopes & Feustmann, one of the village's most prolific firms, whose work included the Harrietstown Town Hall, the Hotel Saranac and several sanatorium buildings. His own residence follows the cure cottage type, with three cure porches, French doors, interior ventilating windows, wide doors and a call bell system. Many original light fixtures, mantels, paneled doors and kitchen fittings survive. The house is significant because it was both designed by and built for a tuberculosis patient who understood the needs of patients, and it reflects design ideas found in advanced sanatoria of its day. A shingled garage on the lot also contributes.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is architecturally significant as a private residence both designed by and built for a tuberculosis patient. It was the home of Maurice Feustmann of the firm Scopes & Feustmann. It incorporates features typical of Saranac Lake cure cottages, including multiple cure porches, call bells and wide doors.
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 92001455, listed November 6, 1992. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 28 Catherine St., Saranac Lake |
|---|---|
| County | Franklin County |
| Listed | November 6, 1992 |
| Reference number | 92001455 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1923 |
| Architect / builder | Maurice Feustmann |
| Architectural style | Late 19th & 20th Century Revivals: Colonial Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Health/Medicine, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still in use as a single dwelling; many original features such as light fixtures, paneled doors, the cast iron kitchen sink and call bell systems remain. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | New York Central Railroad Adirondack Division Historic District |
| Coordinates | 44.33296, -74.13026 (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 92001455.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5446046
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.