Gardner, Silas, House
Approximate location: the National Park Service places this pin arbitrarily within the property, not at a surveyed point (stated accuracy ±12 m).
Why it's listed
Set on the west side of Union Avenue in Gardnertown, near Newburgh, this two-and-one-half-story stone house is three bays wide and two deep, with a one-story stone kitchen addition at the west end. Its flared roofline and deep eaves reflect Flemish architectural influence, a feature described as a unique survival among Orange County vernacular buildings. The exterior remains close to its historic appearance, while the first-floor interior has been opened up from its original arrangement of two rooms and a center hall. The house was the home of Silas Gardner, an early settler on the Kipp Patent. He signed a pledge of allegiance in 1775 but was court-martialed in 1777 for aiding the enemies of the American cause, sentenced to hang, then pardoned and paroled in 1778. He stayed in the area, and the district became known as Gardnertown. Nearby are the remains of a millpond and stone tunnel sluice that may hold archeological evidence of mill use.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it a largely intact, representative example of rural craftsmanship and vernacular architecture, with a flared roofline and deep eaves showing Flemish influence that is unique in Orange County. It was the home of Silas Gardner, an early settler who became known as a Tory during the American Revolution. The remains of a tunnel sluice on the property may yield archeological information about mill technology and siting.
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 80002734, listed March 28, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 1141 Union Ave., Gardnertown |
|---|---|
| County | Orange County |
| Listed | March 28, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80002734 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Eighteenth-century vernacular architecture with Flemish/Dutch influence |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Exploration/Settlement, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied as a private residence; in good condition though altered. A rear barn has been converted into a nursery school. |
| Acreage | 1.5 |
| Coordinates | 41.52686, -74.06996 (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 80002734.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7514154
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.