Williams-DuBois House
Why it's listed
Standing at the corner of Grace Lane and Pinesbridge Road in New Castle, this circa 1780 farmhouse is a one-and-one-half story, five-bay timber-frame dwelling under a gambrel roof, set on a fieldstone foundation. Inside, it keeps its center hall plan, exposed heavy timber framing, wide floor boards and original fireplaces, including rare diagonally placed chimneys. Lunette attic windows were added around 1820. Arthur Williams, who likely built the house, was succeeded by descendants of the Williams and DuBois families, who farmed the land for about 150 years until the property was sold and subdivided in 1926. Only three acres remain with the house. It was listed for its architecture. It represents a Hudson Valley building type that blended Dutch-era traditions, Georgian symmetry and Federal details, and it is the only known surviving example in New Castle with a gambrel roof.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is a rare, substantially intact eighteenth-century vernacular residence in northern Westchester County. It combines settlement-period features such as the gambrel roof and heavy timber frame with Georgian symmetry and restrained Federal details. It is the only known surviving example of its type in New Castle and one of only a handful in southeastern New York.
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 89000463, listed May 25, 1989. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Grace Ln. and Pinesbridge Rd., New Castle |
|---|---|
| County | Westchester County |
| Listed | May 25, 1989 |
| Reference number | 89000463 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | Circa 1780-1820 |
| Architect / builder | Arthur Williams |
| Architectural style | Colonial (regional vernacular farmhouse with Federal period details) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Used as a single-family dwelling; the form says the house retains a high degree of integrity, with no major additions. |
| Acreage | 3 |
| Coordinates | 41.18515, -73.82763 (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 89000463.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q8021328
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.