Smith, George J., House
Approximate location: the National Park Service places this pin arbitrarily within the property, not at a surveyed point (stated accuracy ±12 m).
Why it's listed
Built around 1885 on a deep lot at 109 Albany Avenue in Kingston, this three-story frame house is a well-preserved example of Queen Anne architecture. It has steeply pitched gable roofs, projecting bays, recessed porches, patterned shingles and spindle work, with a mix of cedar clapboard and wood shingle siding. Inside, a central hall holds a carved stair, and two parlors with classically inspired mantels are joined by a broad archway. Original finishes survive throughout, and the second floor has been converted to an apartment. A contemporary carriage house at the rear serves as a garage. Records show the house standing by 1887, and the 1892 city directory names George J. Smith (1859-1913) as owner. He brought the Powell Cigar Company to Kingston, built a large cigar factory employing up to 1800 workers, and served in Congress from 1903 to 1905. The house is valued as a distinctive local landmark of the neighborhood's late nineteenth-century development.
Significance in brief: The house is argued to be a highly intact, representative local example of Queen Anne residential architecture, with original exterior and interior features. It is also associated with George J. Smith (1859-1913), a cigar manufacturer and congressman who owned it by 1892.
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 02001316, listed November 15, 2002. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 109 Albany Ave., Kingston |
|---|---|
| County | Ulster County |
| Listed | November 15, 2002 |
| Reference number | 02001316 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | c.1885 |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian/Queen Anne |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Historic single dwelling; now used as a school, with the second floor converted to an apartment. Interior finishes and original layout largely survive. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 41.93294, -74.01089 (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 02001316.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5541020
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.