Davenport House
Why it's listed
Set well back from Davenport Road on a small, heavily planted lot in a densely built part of New Rochelle, this large two-story house grew around a Gothic Revival stone cottage completed in 1859. Andrew Jackson Davis designed the cottage for Lawrence Montgomery Davenport. It has a hip roof, prominent central gables, symmetrical chimneys, diamond-paned windows, bargeboards and an entrance porch. Davis returned in 1871 to add a south wing with a semi-circular library and billiard room for the Evans family. Frederick H. Coles added a north wing around 1875, and the firms Snelling and Potter and Parish and Schroeder later enlarged the wings. In the 1920s the south end became a ballroom. Inside, parquet floors, marble mantelpieces and crenelated cornices survive. The house was listed because it is the only known surviving Davis-designed residence in New Rochelle, and its additions blend with the original design.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is architecturally significant as a Gothic Revival cottage designed by A.J. Davis, one of America's leading 19th-century Gothic Revival architects. It is described as the only Davis-designed residence known to survive in New Rochelle. Later architect-designed additions are said not to detract from the original design. The house is considered locally important.
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 80002791, listed April 30, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 157 Davenport Rd., New Rochelle |
|---|---|
| County | Westchester County |
| Listed | April 30, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80002791 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899, 1900- |
| Architect / builder | A.J. Davis, Frederick H. Coles, Snelling and Potter, Parish and Schroeder |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied as a private residence; described as well preserved, with interiors largely unchanged, after the current owner repaired the formerly neglected house. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 40.90162, -73.77091 (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 80002791.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5230246
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.