Cropsey, Jasper F., House and Studio
Why it's listed
This board-and-batten cottage with an attached studio in Hastings-on-Hudson was the later-life home of landscape painter Jasper Cropsey. A Mr. Saunders built the cottage in the Pointed Style, and Cropsey bought it and settled there with his family in 1885. He added a square, hip-roofed studio lit by a large cupola and a big north window facing the Hudson River and the Palisades, which became major subjects of his late watercolors and oils. Inside, carved wood trusses designed by Cropsey span the studio without supporting posts, and a battlemented wooden hood shelters the fireplace and flanking benches. The house sits on a hill above a ravine and has descended to the artist's great-granddaughters. It remains substantially unaltered and is still furnished with his own possessions, including items from his European travels and pieces he designed. These features make the property a rare, intact expression of the artist's life and taste.
Significance in brief: The house and studio of Jasper Cropsey (1823-1900), a Hudson River School painter, are distinguished for their integrity of architectural design and interior decoration. Cropsey designed parts of the property himself, and it remains furnished with his possessions and pieces he designed. The nomination argues that it expresses Cropsey as both an architect and an artist.
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 73001287, listed May 17, 1973. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 49 Washington Ave., Hastings-on-Hudson |
|---|---|
| County | Westchester County |
| Listed | May 17, 1973 |
| Reference number | 73001287 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 19th Century (specific dates ca. 1832; ca. 1885) |
| Architect / builder | Jasper F. Cropsey (studio and alterations); original cottage built by a Mr. Saunders |
| Architectural style | "Pointed Style" board-and-batten cottage (Gothic Revival character) |
| Areas of significance | Art, Architecture |
| Level of significance | National |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Excellent condition and unaltered; occupied as a private residence, still furnished with Cropsey's possessions. |
| Acreage | 4 |
| Coordinates | 40.99319, -73.88145 (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 73001287.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5416865
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.