Hughes, Langston, House
Why it's listed
This 20-by-45-foot brownstone rowhouse at 20 East 127th Street in Harlem was built in 1869 to designs by architect Alexander Wilson and constructed by developers James Meagher and Thomas Hanson. It rises three stories above a basement, with a brownstone stoop, cast-iron railings, arched window and door enframements, and a bracketed, modillioned sheet metal cornice. It is typical of rowhouses built in Harlem after the Civil War. The house is best known as the home of Langston Hughes, poet, author and a foremost figure of the Harlem Renaissance. He moved in with his friends Emerson and Ethel Harper when they bought the house in 1947 and lived there until his death in 1967, using the top floor as his workroom. Harlem inspired much of his writing, and this was the only residence he occupied for any length of time. The interior has been divided into two apartments, but his workroom survives largely intact.
Significance in brief: The house was the home of poet and author Langston Hughes, a leading figure of the Harlem Renaissance, for the last twenty years of his life. It was the only residence he occupied for any length of time and is described as the most tangible symbol of his link to Harlem. It is also typical of post-Civil War rowhouses built in Harlem.
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 82001198, listed October 29, 1982. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 20 E. 127th St., New York |
|---|---|
| County | Manhattan |
| Listed | October 29, 1982 |
| Reference number | 82001198 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1869 (1947-67) |
| Architect / builder | Alexander Wilson (architect); built by developers James Meagher and Thomas Hanson |
| Architectural style | Italianate |
| Areas of significance | Literature |
| Level of significance | National |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Rated in good condition and altered; divided into two apartments and rented to tenants. Hughes's top-floor workroom survives largely intact as a separate apartment. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 40.80727, -73.94041 (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 82001198.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6486515
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.