Menge House Complex
Why it's listed
At 98 Van Buren Street in Dolgeville, a 2 1/2 story Queen Anne style frame house sits on a knolltop within a 4.8-acre landscaped lot. Contractor Adolph Wegner built it in 1893 for piano manufacturer Aloys Brambach, who had moved his business to town at the urging of industrialist Alfred Dolge. Craftsmen who had worked on Dolge's own residence produced the parquet floors, moldings and stained glass. William Menge Sr., a machinist, bought the house in 1903, and the family has owned it since. Menge operated a forge in an addition to the carriage house and made the wrought iron roof cresting, hinges, lanterns and entrance arch found on the property. The complex also includes a woodshed built about 1910. Minor changes in the 1920s enclosed porches and converted the carriage house for automobiles. Its architecture, original interior finishes and links to Dolgeville's German industrial families led to its listing for social history and architecture.
Significance in brief: The complex is argued to be a highly intact example of Queen Anne-inspired residential design in Dolgeville, with interior and exterior features preserved. It reflects the German industrialist community fostered by Alfred Dolge, and is notable for ornamental wrought ironwork forged on the premises by William Menge Sr. Continuous ownership by one family since 1903 preserved the buildings and grounds.
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 96001425, listed December 16, 1996. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 98 Van Buren St., Dolgeville |
|---|---|
| County | Herkimer County |
| Listed | December 16, 1996 |
| Reference number | 96001425 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1893-ca.1945 |
| Architect / builder | Adolph Wegner |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian/Queen Anne |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Social History, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Remains a single-family residence in the same family ownership since 1903; the interior retains original materials and many original furnishings. |
| Acreage | 4.8 |
| Coordinates | 43.09403, -74.76909 (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 96001425.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6816975
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.