Osborn-Bouton-Mead House
Why it's listed
Set on the east side of Poundridge Road in South Salem, this two-and-one-half-story saltbox farmhouse was built around 1734, shortly after the Oblong area passed from Connecticut to New York. It has a heavy timber frame, clapboard siding, a five-bay facade, and a large central brick chimney around which the parlors, kitchen and keeping room are arranged. Much original fabric survives, including wide oak floors, raised paneling, fireplaces, a beehive oven and a smoke box. The Osborn family owned it until the Revolution, when it was awarded to Lieutenant Joel Bouton, whose descendants and the related Mead family held it until 1974. A shed dormer was added about 1930, and a restoration began in 1977. The house is described as one of only a handful of two-story Connecticut-type saltboxes still on their original foundations in New York State, and it was listed for its architecture.
Significance in brief: The house is significant in architecture as a rare surviving early-18th-century New England saltbox-type frame residence in Westchester County. It shows hallmark Colonial farmhouse features of western Connecticut and eastern New York, such as a symmetrical facade, central chimney and paneled parlors. It retains a high degree of integrity, with most original floors, paneling, fireplaces and plaster intact.
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 04000990, listed September 15, 2004. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 399 Poundridge Rd., South Salem |
|---|---|
| County | Westchester County |
| Listed | September 15, 2004 |
| Reference number | 04000990 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | c. 1734 |
| Architect / builder | unknown |
| Architectural style | Colonial (Connecticut-style saltbox) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Used as a single dwelling; restored from 1977 onward, returning it to much of its original 18th-century condition. |
| Acreage | 2.6 |
| Coordinates | 41.26598, -73.56605 (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 04000990.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7105751
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.