Upland Lawn
Why it's listed
Built around 1850 at 16 Duncan Lane in Cornwall-on-Hudson, this one-and-one-half-story, five-bay frame house began as the gate or guesthouse of a large estate called Upland Lawn. It was constructed when Cornwall was popular as a summer resort and country estates were fashionable. Its Gothic Revival character shows in the steeply pitched cross-gabled roof, decorative vergeboards, a round-arched tripartite attic window with a hoodmold, and a center portico with a bell-shaped pent roof. Inside, the center-hall plan with flanking parlors survives, along with period mantels, hardwood floors, four-panel doors with original hardware and a staircase with rounded newel posts. The west side has been altered by a bay window and an added small room. The surrounding estate was later subdivided and filled with modern development, but this lot of under one acre keeps its shade trees and lawns. It was listed as a well-preserved vernacular example of mid-nineteenth-century Gothic Revival design.
Significance in brief: The house is significant under Criterion C as a highly intact vernacular example of Gothic Revival dwelling, representing the property type Victorian Dwellings 1850-1900. It retains original floor plans, mantels, staircase, trim and doors, and its exterior form including roofline, portico and decorative vergeboards. It is also the only surviving part of the former estate that keeps its original setting.
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 96001433, listed December 6, 1996. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 16 Duncan Ln., Cornwall |
|---|---|
| County | Orange County |
| Listed | December 6, 1996 |
| Reference number | 96001433 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | ca.1850 |
| Architectural style | Mid-19th Century/Gothic Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Currently in use as a single-family dwelling; the west elevation has had recent renovation and a noncontributing shed is on the lot. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 41.44036, -74.01992 (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 96001433.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7898347
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.