Paine, Thomas, Cottage
Why it's listed
This small saltbox house in New Rochelle, New York, was the home of Thomas Paine, the pamphleteer of the American Revolution and author of Rights of Man. It has two stories, a central chimney, shingled walls and a long rear roof slope. The oldest section measures 16 by 31 feet. A one-story wing was added in 1804, and the Greek Revival door and porch pillars date from about 1830. New York State granted Paine the 277-acre farm in 1784, and he lived in the cottage from 1802 until 1806. He was buried on the farm in 1809. In 1908, as the farmland was divided into residential lots, the cottage was moved about a quarter mile to its present corner of the old farm. Wide floorboards, plaster walls and chair rails survive from the original house. Nearby are an 1839 monument to Paine and a stone memorial building of 1925. The cottage is open to visitors as a historic house exhibit.
Significance in brief: The cottage was Paine's home from 1802 to 1806, and it stands on part of the farm he owned from 1784 to 1809. Paine was a pamphleteer for the War for Independence and the Rights of Man, and he was buried on this farm in 1809. The cottage is near the monument and memorial building honoring him.
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 72000920, listed November 28, 1972. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 20 Sicard Ave., New Rochelle |
|---|---|
| County | Westchester County |
| Listed | November 28, 1972 |
| Reference number | 72000920 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1784-1809 |
| Architectural style | Salt-box type with Greek Revival porch and door details added about 1830 |
| Areas of significance | Politics/Government |
| Level of significance | National |
| National Historic Landmark | Yes, designated November 28, 1972 |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Altered and moved; open to visitors as a historic house exhibit, with the wing used as a caretaker's apartment. |
| Acreage | 1 |
| Coordinates | 40.93401, -73.79123 (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 72000920.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7792975
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.