Newkirk Homestead
Also known as: Newkirk-Garcia House
Why it's listed
Set on high ground at the foot of Potick Mountain, about a mile and a half from the village of Leeds in Greene County, this farmhouse grew in three stages. A stone basement and a one-and-a-half-story frame house came first in the eighteenth century. A two-story Federal addition followed, probably by the 1820s, and a full-height Greek Revival portico with four Doric columns was added in the mid-nineteenth century. The land traces to a 1675 purchase by Jan Bronck, and the farm worked nearby Catskill Creek flats. Martin G. Schuneman, a congressman, likely built the Federal wing before his death in 1827. Abraham H. Newkirk bought the house and 270 acres in 1849, and his descendants held it until 1943. Their long ownership helps explain why so little has changed. The nominated parcel of twenty acres includes the house, a corn crib, two barns and a barn foundation, and protects the open views across the farm.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues that the homestead joins an old farm site tied to eighteenth- and nineteenth-century farm life near Old Catskill (now Leeds) with a nineteenth-century house in nearly unaltered condition. Its full-height portico and setting against Potick Mountain have made it a local landmark for more than 125 years. The site is also thought to have archeological potential.
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 79001584, listed July 22, 1979. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | NW of Leeds on Sandy Plains Rd., Leeds |
|---|---|
| County | Greene County |
| Listed | July 22, 1979 |
| Reference number | 79001584 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Federal and Greek Revival (vernacular Dutch-influenced frame core) |
| Areas of significance | Exploration/Settlement, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied private residence; the form notes few changes over time, though the two-story wing has never had bathrooms, a kitchen or central heating added. |
| Acreage | 20 |
| Coordinates | 42.26658, -73.90668 (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 79001584.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7018282
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.