Foster, Dr. Charles A., House
Why it's listed
Built in 1889 for a Glens Falls physician, Dr. Charles A. Foster, this two-and-a-half-story Queen Anne house at 162-164 Warren Street combines rock-faced granite on the first story with shingled upper floors. A raised stone porch shelters a round-arched entrance, and a cylindrical two-story tower with a conical roof rises at the southeast corner. Numerous gables, dormers and changes in roof pitch add to the asymmetrical profile. Hiram Krum served as contractor; the architect is unknown. Three successive fires in 1894 damaged the interior, yet the entrance hall survives, with a rock-faced sandstone fireplace, an inglenook beneath the ornate staircase, a gilded relief panel of cherubs and musicians, oak wainscoting and a beamed ceiling. The house was later converted to multi-family use. It was listed as an intact, representative example of Queen Anne design on a prestigious residential street, retaining more integrity than many large houses of its period in the city.
Significance in brief: The house is argued to be a notable, intact and representative example of late nineteenth century Queen Anne residential design in Glens Falls. It stands on one of the city's most prestigious residential streets and retains considerable exterior integrity, unlike many comparable large houses altered for multi-family or office use. Its entrance hall is described as one of the most significant Queen Anne interior spaces in the multiple resource area.
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 84003321, listed September 29, 1984. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 162-164 Warren St., Glens Falls |
|---|---|
| County | Warren County |
| Listed | September 29, 1984 |
| Reference number | 84003321 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Architect unknown; Hiram Krum, contractor |
| Architectural style | Queen Anne |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Used as multi-family residential since about 1940, with a long history as a rooming house; rehabilitated c. 1940 after interior fire damage in 1894. Condition marked as deteriorated on the 1981 inventory form. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 43.31055, -73.62212 (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 84003321.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5304018
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.