Cannon-Brownell-Herrington Farmstead
Why it's listed
This farmstead on Otter Creek Road in the Town of Pittstown, Rensselaer County, grew from land that Silas Herrington Jr. began assembling in 1807 and that reached about 165 acres by 1821. The surviving buildings reflect later generations of farming. The frame house has an east wing and ell from about 1830, with a larger central block and west wing added about 1870 in Italianate style. A bank barn from about 1862 and a hay barn from about 1895 form the core of the main dairy barn group. Melvin Quackenbush built the sheep barn in 1899 and the horse barn in 1902, which includes a wool storage and packing area. A corn crib and a family burial plot complete the historic group. The property was listed for its intact collection of buildings showing regional farm construction and for its long agricultural use, with a period of significance running from 1807 to 1962. It remains a working farm.
Significance in brief: The farmstead is argued to be an intact, representative example of a Pittstown farm under the Historic Farmsteads of Pittstown multiple property context, with an assemblage of house and agricultural outbuildings from the early 1800s to the early twentieth century. It also shows how later generations adapted older buildings to new needs. Additional significance is cited under Criterion A for agriculture.
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 12001131, listed January 2, 2013. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 551 Otter Creek Rd., Johnsonville |
|---|---|
| County | Rensselaer County |
| Listed | January 2, 2013 |
| Reference number | 12001131 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1807-1962 |
| Architect / builder | Melvin Quackenbush, horse and sheep barns |
| Architectural style | Mid-19th Century and Early Republic; house with Greek Revival and Italianate details |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Agriculture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still used as a working farm, with the house in multiple-family residential use and the barns used for dairy operations, storage and animals. |
| Acreage | 195 |
| Within district | Thomas-Wiley-Abbott Farmstead |
| Coordinates | 42.87531, -73.50018 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
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 12001131.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q22021944
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.