Jones, A.D. (Boss), House
Why it's listed
Set on a 104.1-acre farm along McGuire School Road in Duanesburg, this two-story, five-bay frame farmhouse dates to about 1860. Boss Jones built it himself. The house combines late Greek Revival features with Italianate influence: a full entablature wraps the building, corner pilasters are unusually broad, and the central entrance has sidelights, a transom and a trabeated surround. A hipped roof reflects the Italianate style, and eyebrow windows pierce the frieze of the side wing. Aluminum siding now covers the original board-and-batten exterior. The house is also notable for stacked plank construction, a technique known in only three houses, including two octagon houses associated with Jones. Three nineteenth-century frame outbuildings survive: a cruciform barn with attached sheds, an L-shaped barn and a small shed. Together they preserve the historic farm setting. The house is one of several farmhouses attributed to Jones in the area and belongs to a group of related resources recognized for his work.
Significance in brief: It is a representative, slightly more mature and sophisticated example of a late Greek Revival/early Italianate rural farmhouse. It is also one of three known houses built with stacked plank construction, an innovative technique used by Boss Jones. Its largely intact nineteenth-century outbuildings and surviving farm setting add to its value.
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 84003231, listed October 11, 1984. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | McGuire School Rd., Duanesburg |
|---|---|
| County | Schenectady County |
| Listed | October 11, 1984 |
| Reference number | 84003231 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Built by Boss Jones himself (inventory form lists architect and builder as unknown) |
| Architectural style | Late Greek Revival / early Italianate |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Private residence in use as a home; condition rated fair, with no known threats; the original board-and-batten siding is covered by aluminum siding. |
| Acreage | 104.1 |
| Coordinates | 42.77479, -74.21413 (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 84003231.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4647096
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.