Van Cortlandt Upper Manor House
Why it's listed
Set back about 250 feet from Oregon Road in Cortlandt, this five-bay brick house with two and one-half stories began in the third quarter of the eighteenth century as a residence of the Van Cortlandt family. Records suggest a smaller building stood on the site in 1756, and the house was built or remodeled in 1773 by Pierre Van Cortlandt. The family held the 86,213-acre Manor of Cortlandt, and during the American Revolution they used this upper manor as a refuge from their riverside house at Croton. Pierre returned after 1783, repaired the war-damaged house, and lived there until 1848. A New York businessman bought the estate in 1850 and remodeled it, adding decorative elements and a service wing. Later it became a convalescent home and then a nursing home, gaining additions in the 1920s and 1950s. The original house keeps its room plan, staircase, marble fireplaces and nineteenth-century porch and trim. The town acquired it in 1979.
Significance in brief: The house was built or remodeled in 1773 by Pierre Van Cortlandt, a member of the landowning family that held the 86,213-acre Manor of Cortlandt. It served as a refuge for the family during the American Revolution. It is also one of the few mid-nineteenth century country estates established in this part of the county, and it keeps many period features despite later additions.
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 81000417, listed April 2, 1981. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Oregon Rd., Peekskill |
|---|---|
| County | Westchester County |
| Listed | April 2, 1981 |
| Reference number | 81000417 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1700-1799, 1800-1899 (specific dates circa 1770's) |
| Areas of significance | Exploration/Settlement |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as vacant and in fair condition, owned by the Town of Cortlandt; it is to be used as the town hall. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 41.31257, -73.90582 (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.
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 81000417.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7913254
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.