Gates Homestead
Also known as: Reynolds-Gates Homestead
Why it's listed
This homestead on Lakeshore Drive in Bolton, New York, consists of a c. 1830 farmhouse, an ice house, a carpenter shop and two barns. The house was built by Elijah Reynolds as a 2½-story, five-by-two-bay frame dwelling with clapboard siding, a boxed cornice with returns and a slate roof. Victorian-era changes include a wrap-around porch and two-over-two windows. Originally the buildings stood across the road on a 90-acre lakeside farm. After that land was sold in 1916-17, the house and barns were moved in 1919 to their present lot, joined by the ice house and carpenter shop from the Gates Bros. & Co. general store parcel. The property reflects the Reynolds and Gates families, early Bolton settlers, and the area's shift toward tourism along Lake George. It was listed for its architectural integrity as a cohesive 19th-century farmstead. The east barn, rebuilt in 2002, is the only noncontributing building.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues significance under Criterion C in architecture as a highly intact, cohesive group of 19th-century buildings. The main house is a regional example of late-Federal/early-Greek Revival design with Victorian-era changes made before the move. The relocation also reflects the area's shift from industry and agriculture to recreation and tourism. It qualifies despite being moved because its orientation to the road and its setting remain largely the same.
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 10000229, listed April 27, 2010. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 4617 Lakeshore Dr. (NY 9N), Bolton |
|---|---|
| County | Warren County |
| Listed | April 27, 2010 |
| Reference number | 10000229 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | ca. 1830 - 1940s |
| Architect / builder | Unknown |
| Architectural style | Early Republic/Federal (late-Federal/early-Greek Revival) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still used as a single dwelling, with family ownership continuing; the east barn was rebuilt in 2002 after the original collapsed. |
| Acreage | 0.6 |
| Coordinates | 43.53981, -73.66719 (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 10000229.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5527107
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.