Evans-Gaige-Dillenback House
Why it's listed
Built around 1820 on a knoll at the west end of Chaumont village, this two-and-one-half-story house is made of coursed, quarry-dressed Chaumont limestone with smoothly dressed lintels and sills. A one-and-one-half-story stone wing, said to have once stood apart as a kitchen building, and a wood rear wing extend behind it. Distinctive details include an elliptical-arched entrance, segmental-arched dormers and paired limestone chimneys. Inside, the original stair, Federal mantels and 1830s parlor woodwork survive. A stone smokehouse is the only remaining part of the original farmstead. The house was built for Musgrove Evans, a surveyor who became James LeRay's principal agent and promoted Chaumont's growth until LeRay's bankruptcy in 1823. Later owners included the Gaige family, farmers and quarry dealers, and George Dillenback, a quarry operator who added the ornate paired doors in the 1880s. It is considered Lyme's best-preserved early house and a fine example of local craftsmanship.
Significance in brief: It is argued to be an outstanding local example of Federal residential architecture and the best-preserved early nineteenth-century house in Lyme, with refined limestone craftsmanship and an unusual side-hall plan. It is also tied to Musgrove Evans, James LeRay's principal agent who guided Chaumont's early 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 90001340, listed September 6, 1990. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Evans Rd., Chaumont |
|---|---|
| County | Jefferson County |
| Listed | September 6, 1990 |
| Reference number | 90001340 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | c. 1820 |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Exploration/Settlement, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition is listed as excellent; the house remains in residential use, with shutters being restored. |
| Acreage | 2 |
| Coordinates | 44.06934, -76.13647 (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 90001340.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5415864
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.