Woodlawn Farm
Also known as: Wood Homestead
Why it's listed
Woodlawn Farm is a frame farmhouse and farmstead on a knoll north of the hamlet of Slate Hill in Orange County, New York. The house grew in stages. Its two-story main block, with a side hall and double parlors, was probably built around 1790. A kitchen wing of reused timbers was added at the same time. Greek Revival remodeling followed around 1840. An east wing, woodshed and wrap-around porch were added around 1870, bringing Italianate touches. Local tradition dates the center section to about 1765, but physical evidence does not support that. Reused hand-hewn timbers found in 2002 suggest an earlier dwelling stood nearby. The property also holds a dairy barn built around 1888 after a fire destroyed its predecessor, and a privy. Owners include Richard Wood, who hosted religious meetings before a nearby Baptist meetinghouse was built in 1792, and Roswell Mead, a state legislator in 1842. The farm is listed for its layered architecture and its long, well-documented ownership history.
Significance in brief: The nomination presents the farmhouse as a well-preserved vernacular dwelling that layers Federal, Greek Revival and Italianate features across several building campaigns. It also documents a long chain of owners, many of them related, who held local offices and took part in the community life of the area. The complex retains a high degree of 19th-century integrity.
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 08000277, listed April 11, 2008. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 20 Mount Orange Rd., Slate Hill |
|---|---|
| County | Orange County |
| Listed | April 11, 2008 |
| Reference number | 08000277 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Early Republic: Federal; Mid-19th Century: Greek Revival; Late Victorian: Italianate |
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Exploration/Settlement, Industry |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still used as a single dwelling; the house was renovated in 2002 and retains a high degree of physical integrity to the 19th century. |
| Acreage | 19.5 |
| Coordinates | 41.39463, -74.47811 (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 08000277.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q8033015
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.