Stevens, John, House
Approximate location: the National Park Service places this pin arbitrarily within the property, not at a surveyed point (stated accuracy ±12 m).
Why it's listed
Built around 1849-1851 at 29 West Fourth Street in Mount Vernon, New York, this two-and-a-half-story clapboarded farmhouse sits on a raised basement and is five bays wide on its front. A one-story porch with six fluted Doric columns and a dentiled cornice runs the length of the front, and the gable roof is carried on queen post trusses. Inside, marble and wooden mantels, plank flooring, shouldered door trim and a plaster cornice with a rinceau pattern survive. The house was under construction by farmer Sylvanus Purdy when John Stevens, a merchant tailor, bought it as his home. Stevens organized an association of New York City mechanics seeking suburban homes; in 1851 it bought five farms totaling 369 acres, and members chose building lots by lot in the barn behind the house. Mount Vernon was incorporated as a village in 1853. Stevens held several civic offices there, and his descendants occupied the house after his death.
Significance in brief: It was the home of John Stevens, founder of Mount Vernon, and is one of the earliest dwellings in the area. It served as the political and social center of an early working-class suburban community formed by a New York City mechanics' association. It is one of the few remaining landmarks in the municipality and a good example of a mid-19th-century frame farmhouse.
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 72000919, listed April 26, 1972. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 29 W. 4th St., Mount Vernon |
|---|---|
| County | Westchester County |
| Listed | April 26, 1972 |
| Reference number | 72000919 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1849-1851 |
| Architect / builder | Sylvanus Purdy (began construction of the dwelling) |
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed in fair condition, unaltered, on its original site, and used as a private residence. The form says it has been continuously occupied by Stevens's descendants since 1882. A cover letter notes a critical threat of demolition by urban renewal. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 40.90427, -73.83510 (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 72000919.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6259100
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.