Thomas-Wiley-Abbott Farmstead
Why it's listed
Along Johnsonville Road in the Town of Pittstown, this 168.9-acre farm preserves a house and a group of agricultural buildings spanning roughly two centuries. The frame house grew in three stages: a modest center block from about 1790-1800, a larger Greek Revival south wing around 1840, and a kitchen wing added about 1870. Two nineteenth-century timber-frame barns form an L-shaped group with later cow barn and milk house additions. A workshop, garage, and a combined hen house and corn crib complete the contributing buildings, while a later pole barn does not contribute. Woodlots, fields, stone walls and a pond-fed stream remain part of the setting. The land was assembled from four lots of a colonial patent and sold to Jacob Lansing Abbott in 1840. The property was recognized as an intact and representative Pittstown farmstead, important for its architecture and its record of local agriculture through 1962.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the farmstead is an intact and representative example of a historic Pittstown farm, with a dwelling and agricultural outbuildings showing construction features typical of the region. It is also cited under agriculture and architecture. It was nominated at the local level under a Pittstown farmsteads multiple property context.
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 12000798, listed September 19, 2012. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 703 Johnsonville Rd., Johnsonville |
|---|---|
| County | Rensselaer County |
| Listed | September 19, 2012 |
| Reference number | 12000798 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | ca.1800-1962 |
| Architectural style | Mid-19th Century, Greek Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Agriculture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still used for some agricultural production; land is partly leased for hay and corn and the house is a dwelling. |
| Acreage | 171 |
| Coordinates | 42.87230, -73.50255 (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 12000798.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q23092120
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.