Bellinger-Dutton House
Why it's listed
Set on a 4.5-acre parcel along River Street in Middleburgh, this two-story timber-framed house was built around 1846 for John Bellinger, a prosperous local merchant who had moved to the village in 1838. Its west front is dominated by a raised portico with four fluted Doric columns, a molded entablature and a pediment, giving the house the look of a Greek temple. Inside, a center-hall plan holds paired parlors, plank floors, carved acanthus-leaf trim and a basement kitchen with its original brick hearth. Three historic outbuildings survive behind the house: a carriage barn, a garden house and a brick smokehouse. The property was listed for its architecture. It is described as a finely crafted rural adaptation of urban Greek Revival fashion, and Talbot Hamlin chose it for illustration in his 1944 book. Only two families, the Bellingers and later the Duttons, owned it for most of its history, so few changes were made over time.
Significance in brief: The house is argued to be an outstanding, highly intact example of mid-nineteenth century Greek Revival residential architecture in Schoharie County. It is a finely crafted vernacular adaptation of high-style trends, with a monumental portico and rich carved detail. It was built for merchant John Bellinger and was illustrated in Talbot Hamlin's 1944 study Greek Revival Architecture in America.
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 05001380, listed December 7, 2005. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 158 River St. (NY 30), Middleburgh |
|---|---|
| County | Schoharie County |
| Listed | December 7, 2005 |
| Reference number | 05001380 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | circa 1846 |
| Architect / builder | unknown |
| Architectural style | Mid-19th Century: Greek Revival |
| Criteria |
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| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Currently in use as a single-family dwelling; the rear wing has been modernized with a kitchen, bathrooms, office and screened porch. |
| Acreage | 4.5 |
| Coordinates | 42.60415, -74.33639 (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 05001380.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4884016
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.