Westinghouse, George, Jr., Birthplace and Boyhood Home
Why it's listed
Two modest wood frame houses on the east bank of Cobbleskill Creek, near Central Bridge in Schoharie County, mark where George Westinghouse Jr. was born in 1846 and spent his boyhood until 1856. The first house, built about 1825, is a one-and-one-half-story post and beam building with Greek Revival detailing and Eastlake additions from around 1880. The second, built about 1840, has a two-story block with a rear kitchen wing. The property also includes a privy, a well house, barns, and the site of his father's threshing machine works and blacksmith shop across the road. Westinghouse worked in that shop with his father and became familiar with machinery. He later invented the railroad air brake and helped develop alternating current power systems, natural gas transmission, and other technologies. The nomination describes these buildings as the only intact historic property tied to his life that is known in the United States, and notes that they have changed little since the family left for Schenectady.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it the only intact historic property directly associated with the life of inventor and industrialist George Westinghouse Jr. known in the United States. He was born in the first house in 1846 and lived in the adjacent house from 1847 to 1856. His father's machine shop here exposed him to mechanical trades early in life. The homes have changed little since the family left in 1856.
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 86000489, listed March 20, 1986. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Westinghouse Rd., Central Bridge |
|---|---|
| County | Schoharie County |
| Listed | March 20, 1986 |
| Reference number | 86000489 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1846-1856 |
| Architect / builder | unknown |
| Architectural style | Vernacular Greek Revival and Federal; Eastlake additions c. 1880 |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Invention |
| Level of significance | National |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied private residences, in good condition, under single ownership; the c. 1900 barn is non-contributing. |
| Acreage | 3 |
| Coordinates | 42.70906, -74.33177 (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 86000489.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5546178
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.