Schoonmaker Stone House and Farm
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Why it's listed
Set on a small knoll on the west side of Samsonville Road in Rochester, this ninety-acre farm centers on a two-story stone house built in a simple Adamesque style around the turn of the nineteenth century. The east front is five bays wide with a central recessed entry framed by sidelights and Doric pilasters, and the interior keeps its original central hall plan and many early finishes and moldings. A large cross-gable was added in the 1880s. Nearby are a bank barn from the 1880s, a storage shed, a small shed, a privy and a low stone retaining wall, all counted as contributing, plus three later seasonal laborer cottages. The Schoonmaker family built the farm and held it until 1963. A 1994 survey found it to be one of only seven surviving two-story masonry houses among Rochester's pre-1850 stone dwellings, a form typical of the Hudson Valley but generally uncommon.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is architecturally significant as an example of the stone dwelling architecture typical of the Hudson Valley and Ulster County. It is one of only seven surviving two-story masonry houses of its type identified in a 1994 survey of Rochester's pre-1850 masonry dwellings. The two-story, five-bay, center-entrance plan is typical of the form but generally uncommon.
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 97000109, listed February 21, 1997. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Samsonville Rd., near jct. of NY 76 and Cherrytown Rd., Rochester |
|---|---|
| County | Ulster County |
| Listed | February 21, 1997 |
| Reference number | 97000109 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | ca.1820 - ca.1880 |
| Architectural style | Early Republic/Federal (described as a simple Adamesque style) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still in use as a single dwelling and agricultural property; the form says the present owners raise beef cattle and that the property was restored after 1963. |
| Acreage | 90 |
| Coordinates | 41.79453, -74.31403 (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 97000109.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7432754
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.