McLean, Thomas, House
Why it's listed
This farm property in Battenville, a small mill hamlet in the Town of Greenwich, Washington County, centers on a timber-frame house built in stages between about 1795 and about 1867. The two-story, five-bay main block has a center-passage plan, a fanlighted entrance with a decorative frontispiece blending Late Georgian and Federal motifs, and wood mantels in both styles. A story-and-a-half wing added around 1840 has a recessed porch and Greek Revival entablatures, and a north wing followed after 1867. Roof framing shows the main block was first hipped and later gabled. The property also includes two timber-frame barns, a small Federal-detailed commercial building, a shed and a stone foundation remnant. Thomas McLean helped found the local woolen mill around 1815, and his brother Judge John McLean later took over the mill. The Susan B. Anthony family was brought to Battenville through that mill business. The house remains a single dwelling today.
Significance in brief: The house shows Federal and Late Georgian features in its c. 1795 main block, plus a c. 1840 Greek Revival wing and a later north wing. It is tied to the McLean family, early settlers of Battenville and its mill industry. The surrounding barns, a commercial building and other resources add to the property's rural and commercial history.
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 07001128, listed October 31, 2007. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | NY 29, Battenville |
|---|---|
| County | Washington County |
| Listed | October 31, 2007 |
| Reference number | 07001128 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Early Republic: Federal; Mid-19th Century: Greek Revival |
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Exploration/Settlement, Communications |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still used as a single dwelling, with one outbuilding used for storage; one timber frame barn is described as in an advanced state of deterioration. |
| Acreage | 2.5 |
| Coordinates | 43.11319, -73.42171 (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 07001128.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7792335
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.