Hudson Valley contributes more sites to State and National Register of Historic Places

ALBANY, NY - The New York State Board for Historic Preservation has recommended adding two sites in the 40th Senate District to the State and National Registers of Historic Places. The properties to be added include the Waccabuc Historic District in Lewisboro and the Murphy Grist Mill in Beekman.

State Senator Terrence Murphy noted that being listed in the State and National Register is a boost for property owners to revitalize their buildings, as it makes them eligible for various public preservation programs and services such as matching state grants and state and federal historic rehabilitation tax credits.

“The beauty of the Hudson Valley is matched only by its rich history,” Senator Murphy said. “Bestowing this honor upon properties in my district in Beekman and Lewisboro means their stories will be preserved for future generations. Their heritage is the fabric of our very nation.”

The Waccabuc Historic District, located in Westchester County, is a 524-acre space which includes the historic core of the Enoch Mead Family’s landholdings, which developed into the small hamlet of Waccabuc beginning in 1780, and the landscape and architecture retains a high level of integrity despite changes over several generations.

In Dutchess County, the Murphy Grist Mill was built in 1889 on the site of an earlier 18th-century mill. The water-powered grist and saw mill represents nearly 200 years of continuous use at the site, serving local farmers and the hamlets of Beekmanville and Poughquag through the early 1930s.

Once the recommendations are approved by the state historic preservation office, the properties are listed on the New York State Register of Historic Places and then nominated to the National Register of Historic Places, where they are reviewed and, once approved, entered on the National Register.

New York State Assemblmyan Kieran Lalor said, “Throughout its storied history the Muprhy Grist Mill was significant in both commerce and the social scene for Beekman and Poughquag. It was once even owned by FDR junior. Senator Murphy and I are working together to see that it is conserved, restored and appreciated.”

Lewisboro Town Supervisor Peter Parsons said, “The Waccabuc Historic District is important to the history of our town, county and state. Mead Street in the heart of Waccabuc saw Rochambeau’s march to join Washington for the crucial victory in the War of Independence at Yorktown in Virginia. I am overjoyed at its inclusion on the State Register of Historic Sites and look forward to working with Senator Murphy to see it added to the National Register of Historic Places.”

Lewisboro Deputy Town Supervisor Pete DeLucia said, “There are so many great reasons to come to Lewisboro, not the least of which is our many local historic sites. I would like to thank Senator Murphy for working to add the entire Waccabuc Historic District to the list of historic places which will help us preserve the memory of a bygone era even as we progress toward the future.”

Lewisboro Councilman Frank Kelly said, “I’m proud to work with State officials like Senator Murphy who share my belief that government must do more to protect and preserve significant historic sites. Striking feats of engineering and minimally-altered period architecture remind us of our past and with historic designation are now better positioned to be preserved for posterity thanks to his efforts.”

Property owners, municipalities and organizations from communities throughout the state sponsor these types of nominations. According to the State Historic Preservation Office, developers invested $500 million statewide in 2014 to revitalize properties listed on the National Register of Historic Places, while homeowners using a tax credit invested more than $9.8 million statewide on home improvements to help revitalize historic neighborhoods.