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Hochul announced that the state Board for Historic Preservation has recommended adding 19 properties to the State and National Registers of Historic Places, including three in the Hudson Valley and one in Sullivan County.
“New York's historical places are priceless treasures that help us connect with the past and our state's rich heritage," Hochul said. "These nominations reflect the fantastic breadth of the state's history and the prominent role New York has played in events that helped to sculpt our nation.
“These additions to the historic registers will help ensure there are resources available to protect these iconic places and that their stories will inspire us long into the future."
According to officials, “a listing on the State and National Registers listing can assist owners in revitalizing properties, making them eligible for various public preservation programs and services, such as matching state grants and state and federal historic rehabilitation tax credits.”
In the Hudson Valley, the properties nominated, all in Ulster County, are:
- Kingston Gas & Electric Co. Building: Constructed in 1911, the former utility headquarters directed the city's adoption of gas and electricity during the early twentieth century. It also functioned for a time as a retail seller of gas and electrical appliances in a bid to convince wary consumers to switch from reliance on coal. The building is currently used for retail and residential purposes.
- Domestic Dwelling in Kingston: Built in 1890 and added to through 1914, this Colonial Revival home includes elements of the Queen Anne style and reflects a neighborhood occupied by Kingston's 19th century elite. It was originally built for prominent local banker Charles D. Bruyn.
- Asbury Historic District in Saugerties: Located at the northern edge of the town of Saugerties, this 250-acre area is composed of four 18th-century farm properties that retain original buildings and agricultural lands dating to the time of settlement by a Palatine German family in the 1730s. All feature limestone houses in the Dutch Colonial or Early Republic style.
In Sullivan County:
- Hills Castle - Located atop Washington Mountain near the village of Liberty was nominated, this European-style stone "castle" was completed in 1937 by Otto Hillig, a German immigrant who had gained wealth and national prominence as a photographer of Catskills landscapes from small planes. Known as the "flying photographer," he became internationally famous in 1931 as the sole passenger on a transatlantic airplane flight from the United States to Europe by a Danish barnstorming aviator. The castle fell into disrepair after Hillig's death in 1954 but is now being restored.
Once recommendations are approved by the commissioner, who serves as the state's historic preservation officer, the properties are listed on the New York State Register of Historic Places and then nominated, reviewed, and once approved, entered into the National Register of Historic Places.
“New York is home to many important historic locations in regions all across our state,” Sen. Jose Serrano, the chairman of the Senate Committee on Cultural Affairs, Tourism, Parks and Recreation said in a statement. “These locations provide great educational opportunities, as well as much-needed regional tourism.”
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