Lasher, George, House
Why it's listed
Rainbow Hill, also called the George Lasher House, is a two-story, five-bay frame farmhouse built about 1800 on a 183.5-acre farm along Levey Road in Duanesburg. Its gable roof has cornice returns, and the clapboard walls carry slender corner boards. A Palladian-inspired window marks the central bay above an entrance with slender pilasters, sidelights, a multi-paned fanlight and a shallow gabled hood. The house is considered a refined local example of Federal architecture, more fashionable than most vernacular dwellings of its time. Evidence inside and out shows it was enlarged from a "two-thirds" house to a full center-hall plan, one of only two such documented cases in the town. George Lasher came from Dutchess County at the request of James Duane to manage the mills at Lake Maria, and the house reflects the standing of the miller. Ten nineteenth-century outbuildings, including barns, sheds and a carriage barn, survive in the farm setting.
Significance in brief: It is a distinctive local example of early nineteenth century Federal residential architecture, with delicate detailing that makes it a more sophisticated interpretation than typical vernacular houses. It shows documented expansion from a "two-thirds" house to a full five-bay center-hall plan, and it is linked to a miller who managed the mills at Lake Maria. The intact complex of nineteenth-century outbuildings and the historic farm setting add to its significance.
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 84003242, listed October 11, 1984. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Levey Rd., Duanesburg |
|---|---|
| County | Schenectady County |
| Listed | October 11, 1984 |
| Reference number | 84003242 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Private residence in excellent condition, with no known threats; the original residential use continues. |
| Acreage | 183.5 |
| Coordinates | 42.83639, -74.15409 (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 84003242.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5541546
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.