Johnson Cottage
Why it's listed
Johnson Cottage is a square, two-story frame house on a small hill at 6 1/2 St. Bernard Street in Saranac Lake, built before 1896 and sided in clapboard and shingles under a metal-shingled hipped roof. Around 1915 it was fitted with an unusually large number of porches, including two sets of over-under wrap-around verandas, sleeping porches and "sitting out" porches. Each floor holds a single flat, and each flat has four porches. Richard and Lillian Johnson bought the property around 1915. He was a livery man, and she managed the house as a commercial cure cottage, as she did several others, including the well-known Linwood Cottage. It served that purpose through at least 1929. The building is significant as a representative example of a residence adapted for the outdoor treatment of tuberculosis, with more fresh air facilities than any other private building in the village. It has not undergone major alterations and retains considerable architectural integrity.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the cottage is a representative example of residential architecture adapted over time for use as a commercial cure cottage for tuberculosis patients. It has two sets of over-under verandas and a greater proportion of fresh air facilities than any other private building in Saranac Lake. It also retains considerable architectural integrity.
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 92001436, listed November 6, 1992. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 6 1/2 St. Bernard St., Saranac Lake |
|---|---|
| County | Franklin County |
| Listed | November 6, 1992 |
| Reference number | 92001436 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | c.1896-c.1940 |
| Architectural style | Queen Anne |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Health/Medicine, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Retains considerable architectural integrity with no major alterations; current function is multiple dwelling. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | New York Central Railroad Adirondack Division Historic District |
| Coordinates | 44.32558, -74.13149 (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 92001436.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6268235
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.