Radwell Cottage
Why it's listed
Radwell Cottage is a two-and-one-half story wood frame house at 2 Charles Street in the French Hill neighborhood of Saranac Lake. Built before 1896 on a native fieldstone foundation, it has clapboard and shingle siding, a gabled red metal roof, and an asymmetrical Queen Anne-inspired plan with projecting porches and bays. It was built by the local contractors Branch & Callanan. It is significant as an intact example of the cure cottages that housed tuberculosis patients in the village. Begun as a single-family residence, it likely became a boarding house, and glass-enclosed cure porches were later added, including an unusual L-shaped one. A 1917 health survey recorded tuberculous occupants, and in 1922 it was a registered private sanatorium run by Mrs. Sarah Radwell and a partner. Original paneled doors, woodwork, a staircase newel post and a pressed tin kitchen ceiling survive inside. The house is again a single-family home.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is an intact, representative example of the cure cottages built in Saranac Lake for tuberculosis patients. Its multiple glazed cure porches, including an unusual L-shaped one, show its progression from a family house to a boarding house and then a registered private sanatorium. It retains a high degree of 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 92001456, listed November 6, 1992. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 2 Charles St., Saranac Lake |
|---|---|
| County | Franklin County |
| Listed | November 6, 1992 |
| Reference number | 92001456 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | c.1896-c.1930 |
| Architect / builder | Branch & Callanan (Mr. Callanan), local contractors |
| Architectural style | Late 19th & 20th Century Revivals: Colonial Revival (Queen Anne-inspired) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Health/Medicine, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Currently used as a single-family dwelling; it retains a high degree of architectural integrity. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | New York Central Railroad Adirondack Division Historic District |
| Coordinates | 44.33049, -74.13769 (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 92001456.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7281797
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.