Peekskill Freight Depot
Why it's listed
Built around 1890 by the New York Central and Hudson River Railroad, this one-story brick freight house near the Peekskill waterfront measures about 96 by 30 feet. A shallow gabled roof extends roughly eight feet past the walls on all sides, supported by large wood brackets, to shelter freight handling. Brick pilasters mark the bays, and segmental-arched openings include service doors, some with original sliding systems. Around 1980 most of the exterior platforms were enclosed with wood studs and asbestos siding for storage, though little original fabric appears to have been altered. Inside, the open truss ceiling, wainscotting and reeded trim survive. The depot was put up in Peekskill's industrial district and is one of few buildings on the Hudson line built solely as a freight house. It replaced an earlier frame station where Abraham Lincoln spoke in February 1861 on his way to his inauguration. It is valued for its railroad architecture and its role in the city's transportation history. The building is currently vacant.
Significance in brief: It is significant for architecture as a representative example of late nineteenth century railroad architecture in Westchester County, and for transportation through its link to the New York Central and Hudson River Railroad, which was central to Peekskill's development. It is one of the few buildings on the Hudson line built solely as a utilitarian freight house. It also stands on or near the site of the earlier frame depot where Abraham Lincoln spoke in 1861.
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 04001207, listed October 27, 2004. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 41 S. Water St., Peekskill |
|---|---|
| County | Westchester County |
| Listed | October 27, 2004 |
| Reference number | 04001207 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | c. 1890 |
| Architect / builder | unknown (built by the New York Central and Hudson River Railroad; designed by railroad staff) |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian: Stick/Eastlake |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Transportation |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed current function is vacant/not in use; overall condition described as fair, with the exterior platforms enclosed around 1980. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 41.28977, -73.92955 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
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 04001207.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7160178
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.