Hornbeck Stone House
The pin is a point inside the NPS boundary polygon, not a surveyed location.
Why it's listed
Built around 1750 on Whitfield Road in the rural town of Rochester, Ulster County, this vernacular stone house is a one-and-one-half story dwelling in two sections. A three-bay northern section with a central hearth was later extended by a single-room southern section. Seams in the stonework show that a former third entry was altered into a window, and a large window beside the south door functions like a sidelight to light a dark hall. A wrap-around porch dates from the early twentieth century, and renovations from about 1993 added new dormers. The house sits on 11.3 acres beside the North Peterskill, near the historic Whitfield Cemetery and a farm with a lime kiln. It was listed as an outstanding regional example of the linear stone houses common in the Hudson Valley and Ulster County. It also survives as a rare example of an upland subsistence farming household, recalling the early development of the area.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is an outstanding regional example of a mid-eighteenth-century linear stone dwelling typical of the Hudson Valley and Ulster County. Its stone construction, multiple asymmetrical entrances and simple gable roof are characteristic of the type. It also remains a rare surviving example of an upland subsistence farming household, and a local landmark despite alterations.
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 95000957, listed August 10, 1995. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 149 Whitfield Rd., Rochester |
|---|---|
| County | Ulster County |
| Listed | August 10, 1995 |
| Reference number | 95000957 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | ca. 1750 |
| Architectural style | OTHER/vernacular |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Used as a single dwelling. Major renovations began around 1993, including new shed-roofed dormers and removal of part of the porch. |
| Acreage | 11.3 |
| Coordinates | 41.81750, -74.22109 (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 95000957.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5904050
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.