North, Benjamin D., House
Why it's listed
Overlooking Cherry Valley from a hillside on Route 166 in Middlefield, this brick house was built between 1799 and 1802 in the Federal style. It is a two-story, five-bay bank house, with a one-story rear elevation set into the slope and a frame wing at one side. Its front wall is laid in Flemish bond, and the arched entrance has a rope-molded architrave. Inside, the staircase, mantels and cupboards follow plates from Asher Benjamin's The Country Builder's Assistant, and original tinted plaster and grained and marbleized wainscots survive or have been restored. A stone smoke house, a privy and a horse barn complete the group. The house matters because brick was rare in the county at the time, and it is the only known bank house of its era there. Three generations of the North family farmed the land from 1802 to 1936, and surrounding farmland preserves the rural setting.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is an exceptionally intact and relatively sophisticated example of rural Federal style architecture in Otsego County. It is built of brick in a region where frame and stone were used almost exclusively, and it is the only known late 18th or early 19th century bank house in the county. It retains original fabric, including Asher Benjamin influenced interior woodwork and original wall finishes.
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 85001499, listed July 11, 1985. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | NY 166, The Plank Rd., Middlefield |
|---|---|
| County | Otsego County |
| Listed | July 11, 1985 |
| Reference number | 85001499 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | c.1800-1890 |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed in excellent condition; a restoration by the owner has been in progress since 1980, and the house is a private residence. |
| Acreage | 14.7 |
| Coordinates | 42.70336, -74.83529 (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 85001499.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4888458
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.