Cook, Will Marion, House
The pin is a point inside the NPS boundary polygon, not a surveyed location.
Why it's listed
This three-story buff brick townhouse at 221 West 138th Street in Harlem anchors the east end of a row of sixteen units in the district known as Strivers Row. Built in 1891 by developer D. H. King, the block was designed by Bruce Price and Clarence Luce in an eclectic Georgian style. Notable features include a terra-cotta Palladian-style second-story window, a round-arched doorway and delicate wrought iron balconies. Parts of the cornice and stone balustrade are missing. The house matters chiefly for its link to Will Marion Cook, who lived here from 1918 until 1944. Cook trained at Oberlin, the National Conservatory in New York and in Berlin, then applied that classical training to black musical forms. His 1898 show Clorindy and later works with Bert Williams and George Walker helped open Broadway to black entertainment. He also guided younger musicians, among them Eubie Blake, Sidney Bechet and Duke Ellington.
Significance in brief: The house was the home of composer Will Marion Cook from 1918 to 1944. Cook, classically trained at Oberlin, in New York and in Berlin, applied that training to black musical idioms and was a pioneer of black musical comedy on Broadway. He also mentored musicians such as Eubie Blake, Noble Sissle, Sidney Bechet and Duke Ellington.
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 76001238, listed May 11, 1976. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 221 W. 138th St., New York |
|---|---|
| County | Manhattan |
| Listed | May 11, 1976 |
| Reference number | 76001238 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1918-1944 |
| Architect / builder | D. H. King / Not Known |
| Architectural style | Georgian style of the eclectic period |
| Areas of significance | Black, Performing Arts |
| Level of significance | National |
| National Historic Landmark | Yes, designated May 11, 1976 |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as a private residence also used as a doctors' office; the cornice, fascia and some balusters are missing. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 40.81787, -73.94323 (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 76001238.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q8002952
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.