McDowell, Thomas, House
Why it's listed
Built around 1770 on Lake Road in New Windsor, this small farmhouse is a one-and-one-half-story "half-house" with a one-story kitchen wing. Its heavy hewn post-and-beam frame is clapboarded, with brick nogging, a fieldstone foundation and a massive center chimney. Inside, the original plan survives: a side hall, parlor, small bedroom and keeping room gathered around the chimney, with an enclosed stair to a finished half-story. Batten doors with hand-wrought iron hardware and mantel moldings in the late Georgian vernacular remain. A three-sided bay window was likely added about 1860. The house is tied to the McDowell family, Irish settlers who survived the 1729 voyage of the George and Anne and settled in the Little Britain area. A later tenant, weaver James Alexander, lived there in the early nineteenth century. The property also includes a c. 1870 carriage barn, a garden studio and a stone retaining wall. It was listed for its architecture and its link to early settlement.
Significance in brief: The house is argued to be a well-preserved example of a modest pre-Revolutionary, late Georgian vernacular dwelling of the type built by English and Irish settlers in the Hudson Valley. It retains its original plan, hewn framing, plaster and wrought-iron hardware. It is also tied to the McDowell family, who came to the area after the 1729 George and Anne voyage.
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 04000753, listed July 28, 2004. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 517 Lake Rd., New Windsor |
|---|---|
| County | Orange County |
| Listed | July 28, 2004 |
| Reference number | 04000753 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | c. 1770-1870 |
| Architectural style | Late Georgian vernacular |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Exploration/Settlement |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still in use as a single dwelling; the original plan and most original finishes survive, and the kitchen wing still serves as a kitchen. |
| Acreage | 9.9 |
| Coordinates | 41.46937, -74.10939 (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 04000753.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7792295
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.