Van Keuren, Benjamin House Ruin
Why it's listed
Set in woodland off Bruyn Turnpike in Shawangunk, Ulster County, this stone house ruin marks the home of Benjamin Van Keuren, an early settler who began building around 1745. The dwelling grew in a typical linear pattern, with a northern wing and an L-shaped kitchen added around 1788. An arson fire in 1980 nearly destroyed it. Today the stone foundation and cellar survive, along with substantial wall sections, both gable-end fireplaces and chimneys, a cooking fireplace and bake oven, and some charred framing timbers. A small stone ruin to the south, believed to be a smokehouse, is also on the site. The site is significant for its archeological potential. Limited testing has occurred nearby, but the building trench has not been excavated, and doing so could clarify the construction sequence, the builders' methods and the daily life of the Van Keuren family. The lot of under three acres was set aside from a housing subdivision for conservation, and local preservationists are working to stabilize it.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the ruin is significant under Criterion D for its potential to yield information about eighteenth and nineteenth century lifeways and building practices of one of the community's earliest settler families. Archeological testing has been limited, and the building trench has never been excavated, which could reveal the construction sequence and the methods used by the builders.
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 00001424, listed November 22, 2000. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Off of Bruyn Turnpike, Shawangunk |
|---|---|
| County | Ulster County |
| Listed | November 22, 2000 |
| Reference number | 00001424 |
| Resource type | Site |
| Period of significance | Ca.1745-1788 |
| Architect / builder | Van Keuren, Benjamin |
| Architectural style | COLONIAL/Dutch Colonial |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Historic - Non-Aboriginal, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | A ruin after a 1980 arson fire; the lot was reserved out of a subdivision, and local preservationists are working to protect, stabilize and interpret the site. |
| Acreage | 2.9 |
| Coordinates | 41.64432, -74.31039 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
Sites (archaeological sites, battlefields, landscapes) are often listed with a restricted address to protect them from looting or disturbance. Listing is honorary for private owners; federal undertakings on or near the site go through Section 106 review, and state laws may protect burials and artefacts regardless of listing.
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 00001424.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4889327
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.