Best, Dr. Christopher S., House and Office
Why it's listed
Built in 1884 by local contractor Jehiel Brazee, this two-story, flat-roofed, Italianate-inspired frame house on Clauverwie Street in Middleburgh served as both family home and doctor's office. Dr. Christopher S. Best bought it in 1885, and his son Dr. Duncan Best later practiced there until retiring in 1986. The house was enlarged between 1890 and 1912, gaining bay windows, a wraparound porch and a porte-cochere at the office entrance. A carriage barn and an early garage complete the property. Inside, the waiting room, examining room and pharmaceutical area keep their original furniture, instruments and supplies, along with household items, clothing, photographs and medical diaries kept by the family. The Bests were also prominent in local civic life, including the founding of the Middleburgh Telephone Company. Left to the Middleburgh Library Association, the property now operates as a museum that shows village domestic life and rural medical practice in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.
Significance in brief: The property is significant for its association with health and medicine and for its architecture. It served as home and medical office for two generations of local physicians, Christopher and Duncan Best, from 1884 into the 1980s. It retains an unusually complete interior, furnishings and medical collection from the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.
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 01000849, listed August 15, 2001. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 34 Clauverwie St., Middleburgh |
|---|---|
| County | Schoharie County |
| Listed | August 15, 2001 |
| Reference number | 01000849 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1884-1951 |
| Architect / builder | Jehiel Brazee (builder) |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian/Italianate |
| Criteria |
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| Areas of significance | Health/Medicine, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Operated as a museum and educational facility; the interior and outbuildings are preserved with original furnishings. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.59643, -74.33260 (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 01000849.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5304030
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.