Fort Decker
Why it's listed
Fort Decker is a one-and-a-half-story stone house at 127 West Main Street in the Germantown section of Port Jervis. Built in 1793, it rises from the foundation of an earlier fort or block house that predated the American Revolution and was destroyed by fire in 1779. That first structure served a Dutch-descended family as a dwelling and trading post. After the stone rebuilding, Mortimer Decker and his family first occupied it, followed by Richard Decker in 1810. During construction of the Delaware and Hudson Canal in 1826, the building housed engineers and laborers as a hotel and from 1826 to 1828 served as headquarters for chief engineer John B. Jervis. It later functioned mainly as a residence. The house has a gable roof, stone chimneys at both ends, a center-hall plan, wide board floors and plaster-over-lath walls. Considered probably the oldest house within the city limits, it is valued as an architectural and historical symbol of the city's origins. A local historical society acquired it in 1973 and began restoration for museum use.
Significance in brief: The nomination holds it significant as a Port Jervis landmark for its architecture and its role in local settlement patterns. It stands on the site of a pre-Revolutionary block house and later served as a hotel and as headquarters for canal engineer John B. Jervis during construction of the Delaware and Hudson Canal. It is described as probably the oldest house within the city limits.
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 74001291, listed June 13, 1974. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 127 W. Main St., Port Jervis |
|---|---|
| County | Orange County |
| Listed | June 13, 1974 |
| Reference number | 74001291 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 18th Century (specific date 1793) |
| Areas of significance | Military, Exploration/Settlement, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition rated good and altered; undergoing restoration by the Minisink Historical Society for use as a museum and headquarters. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 41.37872, -74.70148 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
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 74001291.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5471034
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.