Van Vechten, John, House
Why it's listed
Brick walls, a hipped metal roof and large shingled wall dormers mark this Queen Anne style house in the hamlet of Leeds, Greene County, New York. Rebuilt in 1891 by John Van Vechten and his son Peter after a fire, it incorporates walls from an 1876 dwelling that stood on the foundation of an earlier stone house. The site's first house dates to about 1731 and later served as a hostelry for travelers on the Susquehanna Turnpike. The west facade has a full-width porch with turned posts and a carved balustrade, and the north side has a projecting bay window topped by a balcony. Inside, wood floors, mantels, paneled doors, pocket doors and plaster walls survive. A boarding house wing added around 1910 was later removed, and six small cabins from the 1930s hotel period remain on the grounds. The house was listed for its architecture as a well-preserved local example of the Queen Anne style and as a landmark of the community's late nineteenth century growth.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is a highly intact, representative local example of Queen Anne residential architecture in Greene County. Its wall dormers, Eastlake-inspired porch and bay window with balcony, and well-preserved interior all date to the 1891 rebuilding. It is described as one of the finest residences in Leeds and an important local landmark recalling the community's late nineteenth century development.
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 95000212, listed March 10, 1995. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Susquehanna Tpk. (Co. Rd. 23B), Leeds |
|---|---|
| County | Greene County |
| Listed | March 10, 1995 |
| Reference number | 95000212 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1891 |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian/Queen Anne |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still used as a single dwelling. The interior is described as highly intact. A boarding house wing added about 1910 was removed in the mid twentieth century. |
| Acreage | 3 |
| Coordinates | 42.25547, -73.90335 (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 95000212.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6261779
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.