Sternberg, Abraham, House
Why it's listed
Built around 1790 on a rise above Schoharie Creek, this two-story brick farmhouse in Schoharie, New York, sits on land the Sternberg family had held since the 1740s. The house is five bays wide and two deep, with Dutch cross bond brickwork, a limestone foundation, a side-gabled metal roof and a central entrance with transom and sidelights beneath a later Doric porch. Inside, a four-room plan with a center stair survives, along with Federal mantels, paneled wainscoting, hand-hewn beams and two eighteenth-century cellar fireplaces. Three outbuildings also contribute: a shed ell, a c1935 chicken coop and a former barn converted to a garage. The property is recognized for its architecture, which blends Dutch and English vernacular traditions typical of larger New York farmhouses after about 1790, and for its connection to early settlement of the Schoharie Valley by Lambert Sternberg and his descendants. It remains a single-family residence.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is an intact example of Dutch and English vernacular building practices in the Schoharie Valley during the late eighteenth century, combining Dutch bond brickwork with Georgian/Federal features. It is also important for its link to the early settlement of the valley by the Sternberg family, whose forebear Lambert was among the earliest European settlers in the area.
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 10000726, listed September 8, 2010. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 150 Rte 30A, Schoharie |
|---|---|
| County | Schoharie County |
| Listed | September 8, 2010 |
| Reference number | 10000726 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | c1790-c1935 |
| Architectural style | Colonial: Georgian |
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Exploration/Settlement |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still used as a single dwelling; the interior retains high integrity, with some historic alterations and a non-historic rear porch. |
| Acreage | 3.7 |
| Coordinates | 42.70290, -74.30372 (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 10000726.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4669193
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.