Bailey House
Why it's listed
Rising from a corner lot in Hamilton Heights, this massive rock-faced stone house at 10 St. Nicholas Place was built between 1886 and 1888 to designs by Samuel B. Reed. A three-story round tower with a conical roof and spiked finial dominates the building, echoed by small turrets at the other corners and by curved Flemish gables on all four facades. Deep porches have checkerboard stone parapets, and stained-glass transoms brighten many windows. Inside, a two-story hall with carved dark paneling, an inglenook, and a stair-landing window bearing the initials JAB lead to parlors with carved fireplaces and original chandeliers. It was commissioned by James Anthony Bailey of the Barnum & Bailey Circus, who lived here only briefly. The house blends Romanesque Revival massing and masonry with the irregular silhouette of the Queen Anne style. It survives as one of few freestanding houses in a neighborhood now dense with apartment buildings, and it is currently used as a funeral home with upper-floor residence.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is a superb example of late nineteenth-century picturesque design, combining Queen Anne and Romanesque Revival elements in an original composition. It is also one of the few freestanding houses left in an area now filled with apartment buildings, and it recalls the district's rural beginnings. It was built for James Anthony Bailey of the Barnum & Bailey Circus.
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 80002668, listed April 23, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 10 St. Nicholas Pl., New York |
|---|---|
| County | Manhattan |
| Listed | April 23, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80002668 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1886-88 |
| Architect / builder | Samuel B. Reed |
| Architectural style | Queen Anne and Romanesque Revival |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied; used as a funeral home with a residence on the upper floors, and maintained in its original condition as much as possible. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Sugar Hill Historic District |
| Coordinates | 40.82720, -73.94199 (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 80002668.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6129235
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.