Beakes, John G., House
Why it's listed
Located at 134 West Main Street in Middletown, New York, this two-story frame house was built around 1884 and shows Queen Anne and Eastlake styling. Its intersecting gable roof, irregular footprint, cut-away bays, a two-tiered porch with turned posts and spindle friezes, and mixed clapboard and shingle siding define its appearance. Inside, the original plan survives, along with the cantilevered staircase, mantels, spindle friezes, five-panel doors, plaster walls and decorative glass. A garage from the early 20th century stands at the rear. The house was listed for its architecture, as a well-preserved example of middle-class housing from the period when West Main Street developed as a residential area northwest of the business core. Samuel S. Purvis owned it earlier and it may have been built for him. John G. Beakes, a coal merchant who came to Middletown around 1910, lived there with his family in the early 20th century.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is an architecturally significant and largely intact example of Queen Anne residential design in Middletown. It represents the fashionable middle-class housing built along West Main Street in the Late Victorian era. It is one of the more intact houses on this part of the corridor, where many neighbors have been altered.
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 10000939, listed November 29, 2010. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 134 W Main St, Middletown |
|---|---|
| County | Orange County |
| Listed | November 29, 2010 |
| Reference number | 10000939 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | c. 1884-c. 1925 |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian: Queen Anne |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still used as a single dwelling, with its historic function and current function both listed as single dwelling. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 41.44997, -74.42628 (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 10000939.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q136841383
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.