Romer-Van Tassel House
Why it's listed
This stone house on Saw Mill River Road, just south of Elmsford in Greenburgh, was built around 1793 on the foundation of an earlier Van Tassel home burned by British troops in 1777. John Romer, who married Leah Van Tassel, and her father Cornelius Van Tassel began the new house, and it later served as Greenburgh's first town hall. Romer was a Revolutionary War veteran who also served in the War of 1812 and died in 1855. The one-and-one-half story building has a gable roof, gable-end chimneys, a center entrance, wood-framed gables and massive stone fireplaces. A date stone reads 1793, and a stone inside the east fireplace is inscribed 1684. The 1920s renovation rebuilt a wing, added a kitchen wing and a dormer, and changed some windows, but the layout and character remain largely intact. The four-acre property also holds a modern garage and swimming pool, which do not contribute to its significance.
Significance in brief: The house is a rare surviving late eighteenth century stone dwelling in Greenburgh and reflects the region's vernacular stone building tradition. It is tied to Cornelius Van Tassel and John Romer, two prominent local figures. It also served as Greenburgh's first town hall from 1793 into the early nineteenth century.
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 94001373, listed November 25, 1994. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 2121 Saw Mill River Rd., Greenburgh |
|---|---|
| County | Westchester County |
| Listed | November 25, 1994 |
| Reference number | 94001373 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | ca. 1793 - 1855 |
| Architectural style | Colonial |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Community Planning and Development, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Currently used as a single dwelling; a 1920s renovation altered parts of the exterior and interior, but the form states the house retains sufficient integrity. |
| Acreage | 4 |
| Coordinates | 41.04427, -73.82740 (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 94001373.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7363151
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.