Chichester House
Why it's listed
Set on the east side of Fair Street in Kingston, New York, this large brick house dates to about 1870 and shows the Second Empire style. It is three stories tall, with a main block three bays wide and a slightly recessed north wing, all resting on a stone and brick foundation. A concave mansard roof of patterned slate shingles, an overhanging bracketed eave and round-arched dormers give the building its character. A full-width porch with Classical Revival detailing spans the front. Inside, a side hall plan holds a carved stair, modillioned ceiling cornices and finely crafted fireplace surrounds. A ca. 1870 carriage house survives behind the residence. An 1870 city map shows a Mrs. Chichester as owner. Fair Street is described as one of the city's most prosperous mid-nineteenth century residential neighborhoods. The property was listed for its architecture, as a sophisticated and well-preserved local example of the style, with original two-over-two windows and an intact urban setting.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is an outstanding example of French Second Empire residential architecture in Kingston. It displays a concave mansard roof, patterned slate shingles, a bracketed cornice, double entrance doors and lavish moldings. It also retains a high degree of integrity and is an important local landmark.
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 01001392, listed December 28, 2001. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 116 Fair St., Kingston |
|---|---|
| County | Ulster County |
| Listed | December 28, 2001 |
| Reference number | 01001392 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | ca.1870 |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian/Second Empire |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | In use as a single dwelling; the ca. 1870 carriage house is used for storage. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 41.92803, -74.01579 (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 01001392.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5096005
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.