Parry House
Why it's listed
Overlooking the Hudson River from Michel Road in Highland Falls, this two-story frame house was built between 1860 and 1870 for one of the Parry Brothers, who owned a local flour mill at nearby Buttermilk Falls. The mill was reputed to be the largest between New York City and Albany. The house rests on a brick foundation and has a slate mansard roof with bell-cast sides, a bracketed cornice, a panelled frieze and thirteen dormers with segmental arched roofs and cutwork trim. An octagonal tower with rounded-head windows on its second story is belted by a bracketed pent eave. A porch with exposed rafters, piers, corner brackets and open cutwork railing runs across the east and part of the south facade. Projecting bays on the north and south sides and the west porch of the 1950s were later additions. The house is valued as a small, intact Second Empire residence with picturesque detail, and it remains a residence today.
Significance in brief: The house was built for one of the Parry Brothers, owners of a local flour mill said to be the largest between New York City and Albany. It is also a fine, intact example of a small frame Second Empire house that keeps a high level of picturesque detailing.
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 82001223, listed November 23, 1982. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Michel Rd., Highland Falls |
|---|---|
| County | Orange County |
| Listed | November 23, 1982 |
| Reference number | 82001223 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Second Empire |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition listed as excellent; still used as a residence, as it was originally. No threats known. |
| Acreage | 0.6 |
| Coordinates | 41.36939, -73.96220 (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 82001223.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7139875
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.