DeBaun, John A., Mill
Why it's listed
Built around 1845 by John A. DeBaun, this water-powered mill sits on the Nyack Turnpike in Tallman, in what is now Airmont, Rockland County. It is a two-story heavy timber frame building with clapboard siding, a rubble stone foundation and a gable roof, with shed-roofed wings on the west and south. DeBaun, born in 1827, used the building as a machine repair and gunsmithing shop, later adding melodeon making and, from the 1870s, grain milling for local farmers. Inside, a wooden face wheel, pulleys and leather belts still drive benches and metalworking, woodworking and grain-milling machinery, much of it built by DeBaun himself. The mill stream still runs, and the outline of the drained mill pond remains. Operation continued until DeBaun's death in 1906, then on a limited basis by his heirs until the mid-twentieth century. The mill is valued as a rare, intact survivor of a once-common rural industrial building type.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the mill is a rare and highly intact example of a mid-nineteenth century rural industrial facility, representing vernacular hydraulic engineering of the period. It retains nearly all of its original machinery, much of it custom-built by DeBaun, along with the mill stream and the outline of the mill pond. It is described as an important local landmark.
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 93000852, listed September 2, 1993. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | NY 59, N side, opposite Highview Ave., Tallman |
|---|---|
| County | Rockland County |
| Listed | September 2, 1993 |
| Reference number | 93000852 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | ca.1845-1906 |
| Architect / builder | DeBaun, John A., Builder |
| Architectural style | No Style (rural vernacular) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Engineering, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Current function is listed as vacant/not in use; the building and nearly all machinery survive in a good state of preservation despite some deterioration. |
| Acreage | 2.3 |
| Coordinates | 41.11268, -74.10393 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
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 93000852.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6217627
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.