Berry, Col. Sidney, House
Why it's listed
Set on a 13.77-acre parcel along the Hudson River in Northumberland, Saratoga County, this two-story timber-framed house began as a Federal-period farmhouse and was later updated in the Greek Revival manner. It has five bays, a center-hall plan, a stone foundation, a front porch with Tuscan posts, and a 1 1/2-story rear wing that may be the first dwelling on the site. Inside, plank floors and simple Greek Revival moldings survive. The house is tied to Col. Sidney Berry, a New Jersey-born Revolutionary War veteran who settled in the area by 1790. He served as the first Saratoga County Surrogate, sat in the State Assembly, helped establish the first local school district, and became Northumberland's first town supervisor. He also helped found an early temperance society. The house is valued as a rare surviving example of settlement-period farmhouse architecture in the town, with changes around 1850 that show shifting tastes among prosperous landowners.
Significance in brief: The house is an intact example of vernacular farmhouse architecture from the post-Revolutionary settlement of Saratoga County. It shows how a Federal farmhouse was updated with simple Greek Revival features. It is also tied to Col. Sidney Berry, a Revolutionary War veteran who became a large landholder and local political figure.
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 03001281, listed December 12, 2003. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 725 W. River Rd., Northumberland |
|---|---|
| County | Saratoga County |
| Listed | December 12, 2003 |
| Reference number | 03001281 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | ca. 1790-1850 |
| Architectural style | Early Republic/Federal; Mid-19th Century/Greek Revival |
| Criteria |
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| Areas of significance | Exploration/Settlement, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still used as a residence; a deteriorated ca. 1945 garage on the parcel is non-contributing. |
| Acreage | 13.8 |
| Coordinates | 43.21324, -73.58521 (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 03001281.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5141789
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.