guidelines for identification and preservation

PREFACE AND FOREWORD

“Honoring the Past and Looking into the Future: Guidelines for Identification

and Preservation in Saugerties, NY" seeks to raise public awareness of historic

preservation through an approach that encourages the understanding of styles and

details from four major landmarks of Saugerties: the Kiersted House, the

Saugerties Lighthouse, the Main-Partition Streets Historic District and Opus 40.

This technique places each of these landmarks in the context of its historic

period, relates this period to styles and details of the houses built during that

time, identifies characteristics of this environment through guidelines, and then

ties them together under the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for

Rehabilitation.

At the same time, this organization suggests an overall approach to historic

preservation in the larger community and at the same time presents guidelines

specific enough for Certificate of Appropriateness design review purposes. In

addition, details of the history of Saugerties will be interspersed throughout

thereby creating a bicentennial keepsake for every citizen of Saugerties and the

general public. A final section of this publication covers the law and the responsibilities

and operations of the Historic Preservation Commission of the Town and the

Historic District Review Board of the Village, for which this is a joint project.

Honoring the Past and Looking into the Future

Every community is unique. Each has its own flavor; its identity.

Saugerties' identity is felt where its past and present come alive in the

houses that dot its scenic landscape, in the welcoming look of businesses, in the

careful maintenance of public spaces and in the loving attention paid to

traditions and landmarks. This conveys a palpable sense of pride; a positive

Identity.

Saugerties' identity is steeped in history. Threads of the high points of

nearly every important period in American history can be found in Saugerties.

The goal of this booklet is to identify these high points of history by illustrating

how to preserve the Saugerties landmarks that relate to them. Our premise is

that through identification, we will further civic pride in Saugerties.

This booklet is a tribute to the former and current homeowners who have

preserved the architectural styles and construction details of past generations. It

is not the Town or the Village but individual property owners who have kept

our historic identity safe for future generations. It is their individual efforts that

you will see on these pages. It is these individuals we thank for lighting our

way to the more personal encounter we all share as "our Saugerties identity.”

Honoring The Past and Looking to the Future:

Guidelines forIdentification

and Preservationin Saugerties, New York

Page number 1Honoring The Past and Looking to the Future: Guidelines for Identification and Preservation in Saugerties, New York

Greg L. Helsmoortel, Town Supervisor

Kelly MyersJimmy Bruno, Town Board Liaison

Bill SchirmerCommissioners:

Myles Putman (until

, Town Historian (ex officio)

2010/11; 2014

, Town Supervisor 2012/13

2010-2013

, Town Board Liaison 2014

Josh Randall, Chair 2010-2014 (deceased but fondly remembered)

Michael Sullivan Smith, vice-Chair 2010-2013

Stephen Shafer, vice-Chair 2014

Barry Benepe, Chair 2014

Susan Puretz 2012)

Stefan Yarabek (from 2014)

Audrey Klinkenberg

Bill Murphy, Mayor

Patrick Landewe, Village Board Liaison

Review Board:Richard Frisbie

Dave Minch

, Chair

Michael Fanelli

Michael Sullivan Smith (until 2013)

Jonathan Shapiro (after 2013)

Brian Wilson

Written and designed for the Town of Saugerties Historic Preservation Commission and Village of Saugerties Historic Districts Review Board by Michael Sullivan Smith; edited by Susan Puretz;reviewed by the Certified Local Government program of the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation; published under two grants from the NYS OPRHP Certified Local Government program.Copyright 2011Revised 2014


T A B L E O F C O N T E N T S

Photos of p from theTown of Saugerties Historical Resource Survey, 2005

roperties taken

PREFACE and FOREWORD - 1

INTRODUCTION - 3

The Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation (Secretary's Standards) - 4; The

Kiersted House Example - 5; General Guidelines for references accepted for Town and Village

landmark declarations of historical significance - 7; Recognized Research Documents - 7

THE HISTORY WE HAVE PRESERVED - 7-56

Early Documentary History - 7; Our earliest structures - 8; The Kiersted House - a Colonial

Model - 10; Colonial Period Stone Houses - 11; Early Entrepreneurship in Saugerties - 14;

Preservable assets from the Town's first decades - 16; Foundation of Saugerties' 19th century

growth period - 20; Preservation of Saugerties' 19th century growth period - 27; Preservation of

Saugerties Mercantile Period - 33; The National Register Listing - 37; Preserving our grand

estate and village homes - 40; The Historic Landscape of Saugerties - 48

GUIDELINES FOR THE KIERSTED HOUSE MODEL - 10-19

Guidelines for Walls - 10; Guidelines for Foundations - 12; Guidelines for Chimneys - 12;

Guidelines for Roof Form - 12; Guidelines for Roofing - 13; Guidelines for Dormers - 13;

Guidelines for Gutters and Downspouts - 13; Guidelines for Trim & Ornamentation - 14;

Guidelines for Windows and Doorways - 14; Guidelines for Entranceways and Porches - 16;

Guidelines for Fire Exits and Handicapped Access - 16; Guidelines for Decks and Terraces - 17;

Guidelines for Fences and Walls - 17; Guidelines for Outbuildings - 18; Guidelines for Walks

Roads and Parking Areas - 18; Guidelines for Signs - 19; Guidelines for Light Fixtures - 19

GUIDELINES FOR THE SAUGERTIES LIGHTHOUSE MODEL - 20-32

Guidelines for Walls - 20; Guidelines for Foundations - 23; Guidelines for Chimneys - 23;

Guidelines for Roof Form - 24; Guidelines for Roofing - 24; Guidelines for Dormers - 24;

Guidelines for Gutters and Downspouts - 25; Guidelines for Trim & Ornamentation - 25;

Guidelines for Windows and Doorways - 26; Guidelines for Entranceways and Porches - 27;

Guidelines for Fire Exits and Handicapped Access - 29; Guidelines for Decks and Terraces - 29;

Guidelines for Fences and Walls - 30; Guidelines for Outbuildings - 31; Guidelines for Walks

Roads and Parking Areas - 31; Guidelines for Signs - 32; Guidelines for Light Fixtures - 32

GUIDELINES FOR THE MAIN/PARTITION MODEL - 33-47

Guidelines for Walls - 33; Guidelines for Trim & Ornamentation - 34; Guidelines for

Foundations - 36; Guidelines for Chimneys - 36; Guidelines for Roof and Roof Element Form -

37; Guidelines for Roofing - 37; Guidelines for Dormers - 38; Guidelines for Gutters and

Downspouts - 38; Guidelines for Windows and Doorways - 39; Guidelines for Entranceways

and Porches - 40; Guidelines for Fire Exits and Handicapped Access - 29; Guidelines for Decks

and Terraces - 41; Guidelines for Fences and Landscape Walls - 42; Guidelines for Outbuildings

- 42; Guidelines for Streetscapes - 43; Guidelines for Walks Roads and Parking Areas - 31;

Guidelines for Signs - 44; Guidelines for Light Fixtures - 47

GUIDELINES FOR THE OPUS 40 MODEL - 48-56

Guidelines for recognizing the historic significance of land - 49; Guidelines for Waterfronts - 49;

Guidelines for Settings - 50; Guidelines for Burial Grounds - 51; Guidelines for Roads, Streets

and Trails - 52; Guidelines for Sidewalks. Curbs and Tree Lawns - 53; Guidelines for Historic

Stone Structures - 54; Guidelines for Quarry Sculptures - 55; Glossary of local landscape terms

- 56

APPENDIX - 57-69

Criteria for historic significance in Saugerties - 57; Preservation Section of the Village of

Saugerties Zoning Code - 57; Saugerties Town Preservation Ordinance - 63; Frequently Asked

Questions for explaining the basics of preservation law - 64

Leading the way

Look at the photos and drawings at the right; each one

has a history which was instrumental in “leading the way”.

The Kiersted House was included in The Daughters of

the American Revolution's visionary documentation of all

the early stone houses in Saugerties for the American

Bicentennial in 1976. Charles Steele, Mayor of the Village,

lived in and restored the Kiersted House setting the model

for future restoration projects. Dr. Frank Daniels, the next

owner, followed that lead which ended up with the Kiersted

House qualifying for the National Register in 1998 and, in

the same year, the home of the Saugerties Historical Society.

The Saugerties Lighthouse and its nature trail access are

the result of a steadfast community of volunteers who had a

vision of preserving a national landmark. Ruth Reynolds

Glunt placed the Lighthouse on the National Register in

1978 and the Lighthouse restoration was completed in the

early 1990's.

The Central Business District of the Village

has been, since 1982, a National Register

Historic District because of the vision and

persistence of one citizen's passion for

preservation and we thank Cliff Steen for that.

Opus 40, a National Register landmark, not

only includes the world famous land art

sculpture but also the Quarryman's Museum.

Assembled by Harvey Fite to preserve the total

environment of his work of art, it is a blend of

natural and folk history.

Each of these structures, in their own way,

led to regulations designed to protect and

preserve them, thereby protecting and

preserving Saugerties History. For example, the Village of

Saugerties established a Historic Review Board in 1986 and

the Town of Saugerties the Historic Preservation

Commission in 2004. Their strong local laws to protect their

historic assets have rewarded the village and town with

federal and state status as Certified Local Governments.

Yet, with all this community involvement, it is not groups

nor laws, commissions or boards, or even federal, state, or

local recognition that preserves the historic identity of

INTRODUCTION


Saugerties. All these institutions can do is provide

example and guidance to those that have independently

made their own decisions to honor our past by

preserving their historic homes and buildings. We credit,

admire, and respect those individuals and groups for

their actions which have enhanced the whole

community.

Producing Guidelines

Between the Village and the Town there are hundreds

of historical structures. As early as 1978, the Village had

surveyed over 200 structures within its borders and 84 of

these received National Register of Historic Places

designation as the Main-Partition Streets Historic

Business District in 1982. The Town surveyed almost

180 structures within its geographic boundries and

published details on 155 of these in the Historical

Resources Survey of March, 2005. More recently, eight

individual historic property owners in the town and

village have had their properties placed on the National

Register of Historic Places by their own initiatives. With

this publication, the Town Historic Preservation

Commission and the Village Historic Review Board,

have now developed preservation and design guidelines

for the various periods and styles that had been

documented in the two surveys of the historical

buildings in Saugerties. These guidelines address the

way the site, shape and architectural/structural details are

best preserved to maintain the look of a period identified

with Saugerties' past.

In creating these guidelines, we incorporated the

recommendations of the Secretary of the Interior's

Standards for Rehabilitation commonly referred to as the

Secretary's Standards - SEE SIDEBAR, PAGE 4. With

the Secretary's Standards as the foundation, we have

added observations of "best practices" found in our own

community, and developed a manual that will service

Saugerties. In general our guidelines cover the materials,

paint color, and restoration techniques for the siding,

roof, masonry, windows, shutters, doors and porches of

properties appropriate to their periods. The walls, fences

The Secretary of the Interior's Standards for

Rehabilitation (Secretary's Standards)

1. A property shall be used for its historic purpose or

be placed in a new use that requires minimal change

to the defining characteristics of the building and its

site and environment.

2. The historic character of a property shall be

retained and preserved. The removal of historic

materials or alteration of features and spaces that

characterize a property shall be avoided.

3. Each property shall be recognized as a physical

record of its time, place, and use. Changes that create

a false sense of historical development, such as

adding conjectural features or architectural elements

from other buildings, shall not be undertaken.

4. Most properties change over time; those changes

that have acquired historic significance in their own

right shall be retained and preserved.

5. Distinctive features, finishes, and construction

techniques or examples of craftsmanship that

characterize a property shall be preserved.

6. Deteriorated historic features shall be repaired

rather than replaced. Where the severity of

deterioration requires replacement of a distinctive

feature, the new feature shall match the old in design,

color, texture, and other visual qualities and, where

possible, materials. Replacement of missing features

shall be substantiated by documentary, physical, or

pictorial evidence.

7. Chemical or physical treatments, such as

sandblasting, that cause damage to historic materials

shall not be used. The surface cleaning of structures,

if appropriate, shall be undertaken using the gentlest

means possible.

8. Significant archeological resources affected by a

project shall be protected and preserved. If such

resources must be disturbed, mitigation measures

shall be undertaken.

9. New additions, exterior alterations, or related new

construction shall not destroy historic materials that

characterize the property. The new work shall be

differentiated from the old and shall be compatible

with the massing, size, scale, and architectural

features to protect the historic integrity of the

property and its environment.

10. New additions and adjacent or related new

construction shall be undertaken in such a manner

that if removed in the future, the essential form and

integrity of the historic property and its environment

would be unimpaired.


and trees related to the landscaping of the site are also

included in these guidelines. Additionally, for the

commercial area of the Main-Partition Streets Historic

District, we have added guidelines for signs, awnings,

lighting and the possible appropriate reversal of

inappropriate details. While these guidelines are being

published as recommendations for non-designated

properties, they are mandatory for our designated landmarks.

Setting our own standard

The logic of the Secretary's Standards is easy to

understand. Applying procedures for making these standards

work is not. Every community is different and an old historic

community like Saugerties has a broad range of historic

influences, each with its own "feel", that present many

different choices. To make these choices easier, we have

adopted a strategy of using period landmark examples.

To have Saugerties-specific standards is especially

appealing in an historic community where the application of

these is evident in the historic character of homes and places

of business.

In these pages we attempt to put the preserved structures

that define our past in perspective. We show how a selected

group of four properties exemplify the Secretary's Standards

and how they have led the way to the creation of our

community standards. Thus, we have arbitrarily divided our

300 plus year community history into 4 periods: Colonial

(agricultural), Early Industrial, Mercantile, and a hybrid

which we label as "Historic Landscapes." These periods are

not discrete and sometimes stretch and sometimes overlap.

In these guidelines we have selected as examples of each

historic period, four properties that are National Register

designated and are accessible to the public. The periods and

examples are:

The Colonial Period mainly defined by our earliest stone

houses: The Kiersted House

The Early Industrial Period emblematic of the many mid-

19th century residences in the town and village: The

Saugerties Lighthouse

The Mercantile Period defined by the Village's late-19th

The Kiersted House Example

Numbers 1, 2, and 3 of the 10 Secretary's Standards

deal with preserving changes to a landmark. Using the

Kiersted House as an example, #1 suggests that since the

Kiersted House was an historic home, its best use would be

as a residence; however, it goes on to say that if its current

usage is removed from its "historic purpose" (e.g. to be

used as a gallery space, business, or a society meeting

place), then there should be no change to the "defining

characteristics of the building, site and environment" that

make it identifiable as a former residence.

The Secretary's Standard #2 reiterates the importance

of retaining an "historic character" by emphasizing that a

property must be preserved with the character defining

historic architectural materials; we find that the Kiersted

House meets that criterion. Standard #3 states "Each

property shall be recognized as a physical record of its

time, place and use". This standard insures that the

building remains a record of its specific history, and does

not allow “conjectural elements” or elements from other

houses, to be added. Because the Kiersted House meets that

standard, visitors can be certain what they experience

today is the same door and latch that Dr. Kiersted placed

his hand on and opened; and the same threshold that he

stepped over after walking, perhaps over the same stepping

stones and under even the same ancient black locust trees

that are the same distance from that old wagon road that is

today’s Main Street.

Meeting these three Secretary's Standards is a goal that

all owners of historic houses should aspire to and the

Kiersted House sets this standard for the whole community.

But even the Kiersted House is not a perfect "physical

record of its time" as there have been changes.

None of the stone houses of Saugerties have survived

without some updates or expansions. Each of their owners

over the past three centuries sought to make their homes

more comfortable and look more "contemporary". Nearly

every stone house has had at least one horizontal

expansion, or a second floor, a Federal era decorative fan

window, or a Victorian era porch added during its long life.

These historic changes follow the patterns of growth of the

community and tell a story as instructive and captivating as

the parts of a house that have never changed, exactly as

Standards#1, 2 and 3 recommend when they state they

“shall be recognized as a physical record of its time, place,

and use”.

For example, in Saugerties we can see the upgrading

or addition of windows as the appeal of bluestone lintels

locally produced became popular, replacing earlier,

possibly cruder materials and forms.

Additionally, in Saugerties we have examples of stone

houses built at different points in Saugerties history. The

Brink house on the town’s southern border and the

Eligh/Kocherthal house on the northern one probably date

from the late 1600's and were vernacular, owner-built farm

houses. Whereas the architect-designed Winston Mansion

dates from the early 1920's and a Depression-era stone

house built by WPA-trained stone masons represent

“recent” structures. Among these vastly different stylistic


and early 20th century buildings: Main-Partition Streets

Historic District

Historic Landscapes span all periods: Opus 40,

recognized as an inspired sensitivity to the altered land form,

shows how to properly treat the scenic, artistic and

archaeological elements along our land and water byways.

Using the above mentioned Kiersted House as an

example, the Sidebar demonstrates the incorporation of the

Secretary’s Standards into the creation of our unique

Guidelines – thus merging historical considerations and the

community sensibility of Saugerties. (SEE SIDEBAR).

Standards and guidelines benefit a historic community

like Saugerties. They give a consistent way of explaining

why something of historic significance should stay the same

or not be changed. They are the way we encourage a uniform

preservation ethic throughout the community. They set the

tone of our intentions. This publication tries to make

preservation easy to do by giving clearly defined, published

and acknowledged standards and guidelines. That is our

purpose.

periods, in general, it is the vernacular look that is most

common and best characterize the look of the stone house

of Saugerties. The vast majority of these were built in the

decades of the 18th century that mark the period of the

Kiersted House that we have chosen as our model.

Secretary's Standard #4 recognizes that "most

properties change over time" and that any change that has

"historic significance in its own right shall be retained and

preserved." In the case of the National Register Trumpbour

Farmstead, an original 1750's stone house, the official

listing even allowed inclusion of two later period houses

built on the same farmstead property, recognizing them as

contributing to the "acquired historic significance" of the

overall landscape as a landmark.

Accordingly, with Standard #4 and the remaining six

standards, all of which address what is recognized as

"historic" and what is acceptable in the maintenance of

historic properties, we can confidently rely on the Kiersted

House as a reference for all acceptable change for

buildings from that era. In general we can count on the

Kiersted House's authenticity to set the standard for anyone

looking for guidance in dealing with an historic design

appearance or for rehabilitation guidance for their own

property, regardless of whether it is a stone house or not.

Our guidelines using the Kiersted House as the

Standard example of that period, maintains the look and

feel of an historic Saugerties colonial era environment.

Stone houses are very durable which is why they are still

around as they remind us of what the less durable houses of

the colonial period in Saugerties probably looked like. So

whether a house is frame or stone, the pitch of the roof,

placement of windows, dormers and entries, and the trim at

openings and roof lines were likely the same. It is such

details that define this period and upon which we base our

guidelines for preservation.

The Kiersted House and other stone houses and their

settings are the best indicators of what should be an

acceptable standard for rehabilitations of current

structures or proposed new buildings that will fit into any

neighborhood lucky enough to have a stone house.

Saugerties actually has several "tribute" or "homage" stone

houses found throughout the township. These are more

recently constructed while being built to a standard chosen

to reflect the look of the stone houses of earliest Saugerties.

These houses confirm the principle that a sensitive design

using the scale, materials, and color of the original as their

model adds to the value of the new construction and thus to

the quality of the community.

One further comment; the many Dutch and English

style barns throughout Saugerties that generally

accompanied the farmhouse on the property should not be

overlooked when it comes to adhering to preservation

standards. The ones that survive are often relics of the later

agricultural period and, as functional structures, often

replaced deteriorated ones from the 18th century but with a

functional style that retained the same look and occupied

the landscape in the same way. Needless to say, the purpose

of the stone house would be lost significantly if the

remaining barns of the roadsides and the rural open setting

of Saugerties' agricultural era were lost.


The Trumpbour Homestead 1732 stone house is the centerpiece of theNational Register of Historic Places historic landscape Trumpbour farm.

Early Documentary History

he earliest record of a non-native presence in

Saugerties is in 1609 with the voyage of Henry THudson. Documentation continues through 131

years of the Colonial Period and into

the early years of the United States,

from the 1688 charter of the

"Corporation of Kingston" to our

separation as the new Town of

Saugerties in 1811.

The very first extant record is a

survey of our natural resources and

description of our native population

found in the journal of Hudson's

voyage. The next record is from

1683 when the confluence of our

Sawyer Kill and the Hudson River is

made the boundary point between the original counties of

Ulster and Albany. The property that occupies this location

on the river, Anchorage Farm, was designated a landmark of

the Town of Saugerties on December 17th 2007.

The area that would become Saugerties was first

mentioned in the Andros Treaty of 1677 as lands previously

granted to "the Sawyer"; however, there is no record of this

grant.

Records earlier then 1677 seem to indicate a population

may have built near the Plattekill on Saugerties' southern

border. In documents of the time this was variously called

"precinct of Kingston" and "dead mens bones". In these early

records, mill sites and compound locations called "innsteads"

were recorded as on "the footpath to

Albany" implying, if not settlement,

continuous traffic northward across

Saugerties, at this early date.

The first recorded deeds for land

overlaying the present Town of Saugerties

are the Meales and Hayes patent in 1686

and the Kingston patent in 1687, granted

by James II, King of England.

General Guidelines for references accepted for Town and Village landmark declarations of historical significance

1. Declaration of historical significance of the cultural

environment of places and structures must use references to

publically accessible records

2. Up-to-date lists of names and locations of recognized

resources accepted for documenting historical significance

of a property within a municipality must be available

through that municipality

3. Only publicly available and locally recognized records that are electronically published and electronically searchable or are available in the Saugerties Public Library Local History Reference Room are acceptable as resources referenced when making positive or negative declarations of historical significance.

Purchas’s Pilgrimes Chap. XVIJournal of Robert Juet of Limehouse 1909 Half Moon Tricentennial replica with Overlook on horizon

The History we have Preserved


Publications:

The Pearl 1875 Leon Barrett & Edward Jernegan - digitized in pdf at the Saugerties Public Library

Records:

Deeds, wills, leases and surveys on file in record books of Ulster County Clerk at the Records Room of the Ulster County Office Building, Fair Street, Kingston NY and County Archives,

at 300 Foxhall Avenue in Kingston, NY

Town of Saugerties Historic Resources Survey March 2005 Volumes 1 & 2, copies in Saugerties Public Library and Saugerties Historical Society. Digitized version available in History Atlas of Saugerties at Saugerties Public Library

on Essential Saugerties CD

History of Ulster County 1881 Nathaniel Bartlett Sylvester - Saugerties section digitized in searchable pdf on Essential Saugerties CD at the Saugerties Public Library

History of Kingston, New York 1888 Marius Schoonmaker - Downloadable in pdf from the Library of Congress web siteHistory of Saugerties 1901 Benjamin Myer Brink - digitized in searchable pdf on Essential Saugerties CD at the Saugerties Public Library or downloadable from Gutenberg Project in various formats from internet

Ulster County Records Center

Recognized Resource Documents

The first record of a settler is in a 1687 deed from the

Meales and Hayes patent for land near the mouth of the

Esopus Creek. This deed documents a well established

homestead had already existed there preceding the patent. It

catalogues a house, water conveyances to a mill, and herd

pens and shelters. The remains of a roadway first described

in a 1712 deed that referenced the location of this

1687 homestead was designated a landmark of

both the Town and Village of Saugerties October

18th, 2010. The roadbed is located on the

property of the Esopus Creek Conservancy and is

part of the Carriage Road designation.

The best use of early records is for mapping

sensitive cultural sites for environmental review

of proposed land developments, thus these 17th

century records are of locations that may be of

archaeological interest.

It is to the documents of the early 18th century

that we turn to in order to identify the historical

significance of structures built then, still standing

today, that are of preservation interest.

Our earliest structures

he early 1700's saw an exponential

increase of settlement on land that is Tnow inside the Town of Saugerties.

Documents from late 1710 place a large colony of

Palatine refugees settled in the area now known as West

Camp. The Kocherthal/Eligh stone house at West

Camp was designated a landmark of the Town of

Saugerties, June 24th, 2004.

A 1712 deed from part of the 1686 Meales

and Hayes patent to John Persen, was for land in

the area of the future Village of Saugerties in

trade for his house in the village of Kingston.

The well maintained Mynderse stone house built

by John Persen is a surveyed but

undesignated landmark in the

Village of Saugerties.

A 1719 deed from the same

Current photo of the Kocherthal/Eligh House

Current photo of the Evert Wynkoop House

Period photo of Mynderse House

Detail of John Kiersted 1825 survey of roadcrossing at Esopus Bend to lower Main Street


2005 Survey Landmark #92005 Survey Landmark #9










Colonial era stone houses from the2005 Town of Saugerties Historic Resources Survey

Kaatsbaan Church in 2005 survey photoKaatsbaan Church in 1865 photoKaatsbaan Church in 1731


Dr. Kiersted’s house from Brink’s Early History of Saugerties, 1901

Capt. Egbert Schoonmaker house from 1978 Village survey



2005 Survey Landmark #592005 Survey Landmark #592005 Survey Landmark #202005 Survey Landmark #20




2005 Survey Landmark #922005 Survey Landmark #922005 Survey Landmark #912005 Survey Landmark #91








1686 Meales and Hayes patent sells land in the area of the

Winston Farm to Evert Wynkoop. The Evert

Wynkoop stone house was designated a

landmark of the Town of

Saugerties, May 14th

2004.

The

Palatines

migrated from

West Camp,

which is near the Hudson, to the lands toward the base of the

nearby Catskill Mountains. Their many rural stone houses

served as shelter and protection in these "wild" lands. These

settlers built a stone church in 1731 at Kaatsbaan on the

Kings Highway -- midway between their new homesteads

and West Camp. The records of the families of this church

give an idea of how many stone houses must once have been

in this northern part of Saugerties. The Kaatsbaan Church

was designated a landmark of the Town of Saugerties,

December 27th 2004.

In this early period the Kaatsbaan Church and Palatine

settlements were all located north of the Ulster County

border, in the original Albany County. If deeds existed at that

time they were not part of the local record.

In 1753, at the time of the French and Indian War, the

Town of Kingston annexed these Albany County settled

lands (now located in the northern area of Saugerties) in

order to enlist their inhabitants' in its militia. Deeds and

leases were recorded at that time. This annexation remained

in dispute through the period of the

Revolution and up to the time that the

borders of the new Town of Saugerties

were placed fully within Ulster County.

The Revolutionary War burning of

Kingston in October of 1777 made the

outlying communities into relief centers

for the affected Kingston population for a

brief period of time during the winter of

1777-78, the same bitter winter as Valley

Forge! One focal point of resettlement

was centered around the tavern of

Abraham Post, located on the river road to Albany. Just east

of Post's tavern was a stone house built in 1727 by Hezekiah

DuBois, later to become the home of Dr. Christopher

Kiersted. A little further north on that road was the stone

house of Egbert Schoonmaker and, on the river, was the

stone house of Myndert Mynderse (mentioned earlier). These

stone houses and the no longer standing frame houses and

tavern of the large Post family,

formed the core of what would

become the Village of

Saugerties.

The Kiersted House - a

Colonial Model

he 1727 Kiersted

House is one of the Tearliest of these

stone houses in Saugerties. It is

listed on the National Register, and is currently the home of

the Saugerties Historical Society. Today, the Kiersted

House, its lawns and adjacent open space perfectly embrace

that heritage of our Colonial past. This property's unchanged

character, located close to the village center, is today as

much a symbol of our earliest beginnings as it was

throughout all of Saugerties' periods of cultural growth and

physical expansion and thus is fitting to be the model for all

colonial period preservation in Saugerties.


GUIDELINES FOR THE KIERSTED HOUSE MODEL

(These guidelines approach appropriateness in new construction

based on whether the architecture will be harmonious with the

characteristic style of its immediate environs. Both derivative

architecture and compatible contemporary architecture are appropriate

so long as they are carefully crafted as not to upstage or to disrupt a

neighborhood's ambiance. The objective is to maintain continuity with

the past and to protect and enhance the heritage as a whole.)

Guidelines for Walls

During the early colonial era defense specifications

for frontier houses required them to be built of stone

with full basements. The majority of surviving stone

houses have expanded beyond this specification.

Indicators of their original structure such as seams

and mating lines and base-level entries are important

for establishing age in historic houses and should

remain visible and in good repair.

The original locations and sizes of window and door

openings in stone walls should not be covered, resized

or filled. Corbeled heads above window or door

openings in stone walls are evidence of early

construction and should not be restructured. If repairs

to or bracing of window openings and lintels is

necessary, it should be undertaken in a manner that

leaves the stone as the primary visual element. Steel


2005 Survey Landmark #1272005 Survey Landmark #127 2005 Survey Landmark #1302005 Survey Landmark #130




2005 Survey Landmark #1372005 Survey Landmark #137 2005 Survey Landmark #1482005 Survey Landmark #148


National Register listed1727 DuBois/Kiersted Stone HouseSaugerties Historical Society

wall-integrated chimney (replaced here)

Multiple chimneys

Multiple entries (mother-daughter)

Corbeled header opening

Roof edge trim flush to walls

Unbroken roof surface

Limited number of windows

Mos

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Mating seam of original house(random stone courses)

Dormers breaking roof surface (typically late 19th century)

Merging section(interim pre-center hall entry)

Later expansion house(more formal stone shaping)

12 over 8 windows(late 18th century)

Asymmetric gable end wall (Typically pre-1750)

Cantilevered forebay shelter (Typically pre-1750)

Symmetrical gabled expansion(Typically post-1750)

Ground-level banked cellar entry (backfilled here)



Colonial Period Stone Houses

tone houses are the only

thing we have that can tell Sthe story of this early

colonial period. Their presence has

been frozen in time and thus

presents a partial picture of the way

their 18th century residents ate,

slept, worked, and, unceremoniously, built a community.

Stone house examples that can be dated from the early to

mid decades of the 18th century are found along the Kings

Highway, along river roads south and north of the Village of

Saugerties, in Veteran and running west toward Woodstock,

and also in the Saxton Flats.

Many of Saugerties' early 18th

century stone houses are preserved in

near original form. These are all 1 ½

story with functional basements.

Those in rural settings were built into

banks with an exposed basement

entry. They usually had a full length

porch a level above the ground as

their main floor entry. When first built

they were designed for livestock to be

sheltered in the basement and

provisions stored in the garret; an

all-purpose shelter for all the

family's possessions.

On the other hand, houses of this

period with no level basement entry,

found mostly on flat fields, were

meant from the beginning to be part

of a barn and stable complex.

Typically they belonged to a second

or third generation family with more of a business plan for

land use. In these houses, their main floor was

raised as high as a three step Dutch stoop.

Some have "summer kitchen" additions but

most have basements designed as

kitchens and slave quarters.

All of the stone

houses from this

as a hidden support below original stone is one approach

that can be an acceptable repair.

If it is necessary to patch or replace individual stones, such

work should be completed with stone of the same type as

predominates on the wall. Where brick work is repaired,

used brick of a surface matching the original and intended

for the same exterior placement, matching the original in

size, shape, and color are appropriate. Exposed stone or

masonry surfaces should remain exposed. Surfaces should

never be covered with new materials such as vinyl,

aluminum, dryvit, T-111, etc.

Routine repair and maintenance of any masonry surface

requires re-pointing that duplicates the historic condition.

For example, the grout material and color, the tooling style

of grout and color and type of masonry should all be

consistent with the existing materials.

Stone or masonry surfaces which have not been painted

previously should not be painted. Painting will cover

defining features such as stone type and color, joint profiles

and bonding patterns and fills. Painting will also create an

instant and continuing maintenance expense into the future.

Some previously-painted surfaces should be re-painted.

If owners wish to clean the paint from historic stone or

masonry surfaces, this treatment should be undertaken only

using the gentlest effective means possible. In no case

should abrasive cleaning (i.e., sandblasting, water-

blasting, blasting with nut shells, etc.) be used. Further

guidance for cleaning is found in the U. S. Department of

the Interior's Preservation Briefs No. 1, The Cleaning and

Waterproof Coating of Masonry Buildings and No. 37,

Removing Graffiti from Historic Buildings. A test patch

should always be taken prior to beginning a major cleaning

project, since the surface may not be suitable for cleaning

due to its age or condition. Also replacement materials may

have been installed that are better hidden with paint.

Always inspect the building fully before beginning a

cleaning project; window and door openings may have

been altered and in-filled with materials that do not match

the original and the building may look better re-painted

than cleaned. Stone and masonry cleaning, particularly

paint-stripping, must be undertaken in an environmentally-

responsible fashion. The paint on older buildings is very

likely lead-based, and when removed should be disposed of

properly.

Later colonial and post-Revolution homes and stone house

additions were H-frame structures using clapboard as the

predominant siding material. Typically the spacing was

quite narrow with an exposure of around 3 ½ inches but

was often narrower on the bottom, started with a flat

termite board and were adjusted so that a full clapboard

would fall above and below window and door frames.

Board and batten style siding was commonly used for barns

and other outbuildings.

Additions and alterations to existing structures should use

building materials original to the structure. Board and

batten siding is more appropriate for accessory buildings

than a primary structure. Typically it is appropriate for

vinyl or aluminum replacement siding to be used only if the

details of the structure remain unchanged and if the

structure is not a designated landmark. Routine repair of

siding of any type should not alter the appearance of the

structure. Because it is difficult to match the texture of

adjoining materials when replacing siding, the repair of Page number 11Honoring The Past and Looking to the Future: Guidelines for Identification and Preservation in Saugerties, New York

Kaatsbaan Church rear wall retainsoriginal 1732 stone work and date stones

Cockburn stone houseoriginal 1770 stone work

Random course wall with originalground level basement entry intact

Original 1740’s gable end of Evert Wynkoop House

period are

vernacular

structures whose

"style" is unique to

an Ulster County

Dutch building tradition. This tradition is easily identifiable

by the random lay of the courses of their walls of rough

limestone, called cliff stone for the random size it is found

in, i.e., it was not quarried to size.

The "texture" of the walls shows a distinct selection

process in stone placement; not just in the arrangement of

sizes, but in the arrangement of colors and mineral

composition patterns of the face sides of individual stones.

The most pristine of the preserved houses have undergone no

restructuring of these original wall patterns; however, most

stone houses have gone through some change over their long

lives. The most common alteration, and one that

compromised the original builder's wall composition,

happened when original wood framed window openings

were replaced with bluestone lintels and sills.

The next most common modification is of the roof line

with alteration of the gable ends. Changing the roof pitch

while adapting the loft for living space and adding dormers

was common in the late 19th century. The original roofs

with open frames holding thatch were built to be replaced,

and often were at regular maintenance periods. Because of

this practice the typical stone house's style pays little

attention to roof trim or gutters. They attach to the wall with

a simple board, placed there only to keep the drafts out.

For some stone home owners, the roof's regular

maintenance change became an opportunity to add some

contemporary style to the

house. At that time, the roof

would then become more

existing siding with wood restoration products is

encouraged. Replacement materials must match the color,

texture, shape and pattern of existing portions. Siding

products that are new to market such as cementaceous

fiberboard siding are appropriate if they duplicate the

original material in appearance and texture.

New construction should incorporate building materials

traditional to the neighborhood. The use of natural siding

materials including clapboard and brick is encouraged.

The use of aluminum and vinyl siding is discouraged on

any new construction which has a prominent location.

Guidelines for Foundations

Saugerties' earliest foundations were of native limestone,

bluestone and stone topped with brick. The ground level

bank house with a raised front foundation is an important

architectural element of the 18th century in Saugerties. The

high foundation form remained popular through the 19th

century for field and hamlet houses. Many of the most

ancient houses have had foundation walls back-filled with

their ground entries stepped in landscaping schemes. Re-

exposure of the lower walls can be highly appropriate in

restoration of historic structures, and may actually help

address moisture problems occurring in the basement or

lower walls.

If the design in a new construction calls for exposed

foundation walls and/or raised basement stories, local

building tradition dictates the use of brick facing or

traditional stonework. Large exposed areas of concrete

foundation are not considered appropriate.

The same concerns should be taken with historic stone and

brick foundations as with more visible components of

historic structures. Further, care should be taken to keep

them free from concentrations of excessive moisture. Use

the same measures recommended for stone walls for

cleaning and repairing.

Guidelines for Chimneys

Typically chimneys of the colonial period are red brick with

straight, undecorated courses that terminate with a single

step outward. Chimneys should be maintained in their

original height, form and design. If a new chimney is

constructed, it should match the existing chimneys in style

and material. Non-masonry chimney stacks should not be

used.

Guidelines for Roof Form

Typically eighteenth and early nineteenth century houses

were built with a relatively steep pitch of about 8-12 inches

in vertical dimension to every 12" horizontally. Many

colonial era homes were side gable designs allowing this

broad expanse of the roof to face the entry. The pitch of the

roof is a defining element of these buildings. Appropriate

roof designs will reflect that characteristic roof form in

most colonial era Saugerties neighborhoods.

The eaves or meeting of the roof to the walls at gable and

side faces is relatively flush on Saugerties' colonial era

homes. Early 19th century additions of box gutters for rain

water collection is common in closely built neighborhoods

where building sites relate to roads more than water

source. Design of broad overhangs at gable ends are

inappropriate. Either flush trim board edges or box gutters

transitioned to the wall with broad frieze boards are

appropriate for roof edges.


Early 20th century photo and current restoration ofonce common 18th century timber-over-stone bank house

Early 20th century photo andcurrent adaptive reuse ofan early 19th century stone house

Guidelines for Roofing

Historically, Saugerties' colonial homes typically would

have had wood shingle roofs after the earliest use of less

permanent materials. The preservation of existing wood

roofs is encouraged. Howeve, wooden roofs were meant to

wear out and be replaced with new wood and today,

wooden roofs might not meet fire codes and are being found

not to last as long as those made from older- old growth

wood. For this reason the State Historic Preservation

Officer is comfortable with the use of alternative materials

that have the appearance of wood but may last much

longer, be fire resistant and more economical for the

property owner.

The use of original roofing materials is encouraged where

practical in restoration or replacement and the use of

traditional materials characteristic to the neighborhood is

encouraged in new buildings. In some instances,

alternative roofing material may be acceptable as a

practical replacement to the original roofing material.

Architectural asphalt shingle colors are available from

manufacturers that simulate the original wood material.

Care must be taken in the choice of color in these simulated

materials.

Guidelines for Dormers

Saugerties' early agricultural period houses typically did

not have dormers. Lofts or garrets were functional storage

areas and sometimes sleeping areas of a house. The first

wide spread use of multiple gabled dormers occurred with

the advent of the Federal style (Ca. 1790-1830). Also, you

may find some shed roof dormers added as Dutch revival thelements in the early 20 century. Many stone houses in

Saugerties that did not have walls raised in Federal period

restructuring had broad cross gable fronts added for a

second floor. Dormers are important markers of the change

of architectural styles and the growth of buildings to

accommodate growing needs. Where historic and existing,

their materials and stylistic details should be retained.

In general both gable and shed dormers may be an

appropriate way to use existing attic space. However, the

addition of new dormers on existing architecturally

significant roof surfaces is discouraged. Dormers may also

be a useful way to reduce the apparent scale of new

construction. If shed dormers are used they should be

clearly subordinate to the primary roof form and best used

on appropriately pitched roofs. Flush dormers (also called

wall dormers) that are continuous with a wall below are

discouraged. All dormer windows should match the

predominant patterns and placement of the existing

windows of the wall below.

Skylights are inappropriate for colonial era structures and,

if needed, should be relegated to parts of the house not

visible from the street. A well-designed dormer, where

appropriate, will serve the same purpose as well as

increasing the living space.

Guidelines for Gutters and Downspouts

Up until the turn of the century, water drainage systems

usually consisted of diversionary rooftop devices built into

the roof structure.

Attached metal gutters that are appropriate for most

historic structures in Saugerties are the half round style.

The square metal form most commonly used today was

introduced in the 1950's and is most appropriately used on

permanent usually indicating a period of prosperity after the

Revolution. Many of the Saugerties stone houses have

Federal elements, such as the Kiersted house's central fan

windowed shed dormer.

The stone houses built in the late 18th and early 19th

century were all two story structures with Georgian style

symmetrical design and Georgian finishing details. In this

period more dimensional, finished quarried stone was used.

During this post-Revolution era, some of Saugerties' early

stone houses underwent expansion to "keep up with the

Jones'." Some were restructured to add a story, sometimes

totally replacing the random course rough limestone front

walls and corners with quarried stone. In extreme cases this

modification has replaced the original vernacular structures

to the point of obliterating all indications of their earlier date.

Interiors of structures have always been versatile. By the

time our earliest stone houses had reached the 20th century

some may have been occupied by seven or eight generations

of the same family. It is not unusual to find interior changes

to beams, floor boards, rafters, and shakes at least once every

sixty or seventy years. Thus it is rare to discover original

fabric in an interior.


Gabled summer kitchen rear wall shed extensions of Kiersted House

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contemporary homes or as a replacement for similarly

styled wood gutters. Green and brown are the most

appropriate colors for these features as that will help them

recede visually.

Guidelines for Trim & Ornamentation

The trim and ornamentation of a building play an

important role in defining its character. Historic

houses often have purely decorative applied trim that

may be found on windows, doors, porch columns, and

eaves.

Original existing trim and ornament should be

preserved or repaired in keeping with the original

design. Epoxy based wood restoration products can

repair damaged or rotted wood quite nicely.

Replacement of lost trim and ornament is encouraged,

with appropriate historic documentation. The addition

of trim and ornamentation for which no historic

precedence exists is inappropriate. Trim and

ornamentation on additions should display the

characteristic use of trim and ornamentation found on the

main house. In many instances this may be done in a more

simplified fashion than the main structure.

Trim on new buildings should be appropriate to examples

withinthe neighborhood. Highly elaborate ornamentation is

usually inappropriate for new construction.

Guidelines for Windows and Doorways

The proportion, rhythm, and relative symmetry of entrances

and fenestration (the location, size, shape, pattern, and

rhythm of windows and window openings) are basic design

elements and major factors in identifying the characteristic

style and building traditions of historic homes, an historic

district and in the choice of windows at an appropriate new

addition to a neighborhood.

As styles progressed through history, windows became both

larger and more frequent and doorways became more

decorative. In time, windows became decorative in their

own right balancing doorway details. By the middle of the

nineteenth century, windows were grouped into decorative

and projecting bays and by the end of that century into

horizontal window bands.

Addition and enlargement of window openings,

enlargement of doorways and movement of door and

window openings to adjust symmetry is the most frequently

encountered and earliest change found in early stone and

frame houses. When found to record local cultural

transitions these changes are appropriate to retain in an

historic property and should not be changed further.

Typically Colonial and Federal era windows had a fixed

upper sash and a moveable lower sash, known as a single

hung sash. The windows consisted of multiple smaller

panes of glass separated by wooden muntins. The earlier

the window in general, the more the number of panes in a

sash. Sash windows are described by the number of panes

per sash. For example, 8 over 12 or 12 over 12 windows

are characteristic of the Colonial and Federal Eras. By

1830 technology allowed larger panes of glass to be

produced and one sees for the first time 6 over 6 windows

and by 1850 2 over 2 windows. As styles evolved many

homeowners of 18th and 19th century houses updated their

windows with newer sash configurations with fewer panes.

Colonial doorways had single or double (Dutch) doors

without lights. 17th and 18th century doors consisted of

Early Entrepreneurship in Saugerties

y the 1790's a business district

in what was to become the BVillage had begun to develop

west of the Post Tavern and Kiersted House.

On period maps one can see the north-south

roads meeting those from the west, and all

were heading towards the river. This

confluence was on the edge of the farm lands where the level

plain begins to drop down to the Esopus Creek's confluence

with the Hudson River. The road from the west passing

Post's and going to the river had been used by the

Livingston's of Clermont since the 1740's. This route served

to transport the products of their tenants in the Catskill

Mountains to the river and ferrying to their warehouses on

the other side of the Hudson. The Livingston's commercial

traffic to the south with Kingston was also from this ferry

point. As early as 1687 a road to Albany is noted as a

landmark on the Meales and Hayes Sawyerkill patent here.

In early deeds for farm lands around these crossroads the

only business activity noted is in the name "Mill Road" so it


Late 19th century photo of Post’s Tavernfrom Brink’s Early History of Saugerties

shed porch roof Corbeled headerEntry to the Kiersted House

Entry to the Wynkoop House

Corbeled stone headerFrame headerFrame jamb

Muntin

Wood sill

Meeting railWindow light

Bottom rail

Parts of an 8-over-8Kiersted House window

Sash

2-panel shutter

Dutch stoop

Shed dormerGable dormer

12 over 12 window

8 over 12 window

Bluestone lintel(mid 19th century)

Fan window(20th century Colonial Revival)

Frame headerTransom light

Transom barTransom mullion

Dutch door mating rails

Bottom rail

Cut stone sill

Panel

Cut stone lintel withincised builder marks

MuntinCenter stile

vertical flush boards, mid to late 18th century doors had

raised panels. On earlier Colonial and Federal era houses,

the doorway was usually centrally located and was given

the highest degree of ornamentation. Transom and side

lights appear after 1780.

Replacement of historic doors is discouraged. Repair of

existing historic doors or replacement with new doors that

duplicate the original design are the only appropriate

actions.

Restoration of original windows is encouraged where

windows have been removed or where later replacements

are historically inappropriate. Some exceptions include

later replacements where the replacement itself is

historically significant and represent a significant period in

the building's history. Windows without historic precedence

should not be added to existing primary architectural

facades.

In general the retention and repair of an existing historic

window in lieu of replacement is strongly encouraged.

Replacement of windows is appropriate if the historic

windows are beyond repair or it is infeasible to

appropriately weatherize or retrofit them for energy

efficiency. They must, however, be in keeping with the

design, configuration, size, setback, and all other qualities

of the original window(s). Replacement of true divided

lights with fake snap-in grills is inappropriate. Some

window replacement products with insulating glass can use

thicker muntins which can significantly change the

window's appearance and be inappropriate for the style of

house. In general, wood windows should be replaced with

wood windows, and windows with factory applied paint

(primer or finish) are preferred to vinyl or aluminum clad

windows.

New buildings should have fenestration and doorways

located to reflect the characteristic proportions and

rhythms of those of neighboring buildings. Similarly

window and door openings in new additions should be

spaced to reflect the characteristic proportions and rhythm

of the existing building, though they may be diminished in

scale to reflect the secondary importance of the addition to

the main mass of the building.

Storm doors and windows are appropriate additions for

keeping homes warm. Used historically, they were typically

built of wood and were replaced with wood framed screens

for the warmer months. However, many of these features

have been lost over time and replaced with metal "triple

track" windows. New storm doors and windows should be

of a plain, undecorated design, not conflicting with the

primary window or door in design or configuration. It is

best if meeting rails and other components of new storm

window line up with those of the primary window.

Homes typically were not designed for exterior shutters

until the mid-19th century. For example, Colonial and

Federal era houses did not typically space windows for

exterior shutters. Shutters were originally used for

protection from storms, sun and for privacy. Appropriate

installation of shutters requires that if closed they would

cover the entire window. Paired shutters should flank a

single window and should be sized so that the pair of

shutters are equal to the width of the window frame.

Shutters come in different styles such as louvered or

paneled. If installing shutters that are not replacing

existing shutters, property owners should keep the

would appear that

from as early as the

1740's businesses

here may have also

supported millers at

mills on the Esopus

falls and their

patrons.

By 1790 Robert

R. Livingston had

begun acquiring land around the plateau's south and west

edge and down the slopes to the Esopus Creek's mill sites.

He had roads laid out and lots surveyed in the area of

present-day Ulster, Livingston, Market and Main Streets.

The first store was built here at the northeast corner of

Market and Main around 1800 by John R.

Livingston. A tavern on the other side of this

intersection, run by Myndert

Mynderse, had been there

earlier.

Between 1806 and

1816 Asa Bigelow, then

George Gay and finally

Jeremiah Russell,

successively ran businesses

in John Livingston's building

and a proto-village began to take form around this location.

On a survey map from 1825 by John Kiersted the area from

Livingston Street down Market, Main, and Partition Streets

is already divided into lots with a few residential houses

pictured.

In addition to this

future Village of

Saugerties location an

early center of

commercial activity

was Glasco. The

earliest turnpike

crossing Saugerties

was the "first

branch" road, a spur

of the Delaware and

Hudson Turnpike


The Fiero house on Kings Highway is a typical framepost-Revolution roadside residentia /tavern structure l

In the early 19th century the 2nd and 3rd generation of the agricultural class chose to buildthe first totally residential structures close to of Saugerties the future village center

Early Malden town house occupying the same lotas on the original 1812 map for the village of Bristol

that brought goods to

the Hudson River from

the center of the state.

The 1810 survey plan

for Glasco names its

streets Genesee, Delaware, Hudson and Hartford after the

starting point and planned destination of the turnpike in

Connecticut. Connecticut yankee businessmen and investors

were Glasco's proprietors and founders. It flourished until

the Erie Canal created economies that drove all the turnpikes

into decline.

Another early commercial village was Bristol. It was

founded by Asa Bigelow, another Connecticut yankee, in

1812 as a factoring center for hides destined for the tanneries

at the top of the mountains. Bristol is present day Malden

and the Malden turnpike is the road Asa Bigelow built to

capture this tannery business.

By the end of the first quarter of the 19th century

Saugerties had developed four major land transportation

routes and three tidewater shipping ports. Its early

commercial period is preserved in the churches, shops,

schools and houses of these villages on the Hudson and of

the hamlets that grew along those mountain turnpike routes.

Preservable assets from the Town's first decades

n the spring of 1811 the Town of

Saugerties began its life. Its earliest Iinhabitants had farmed, herded cattle

and cut wood on its soil for

many generations when large

parts of this territory were

considered as part of the

common lands belonging to the

Town of Kingston as a result of

the Kingston patent of 1687. Up

to 1804, the land to become

Saugerties had, relatively

speaking, very little privately

owned property. What was

owned were farmsteads either

close to the main road -- the

Kings Highway, or part of a


1812 Bigelow Homestead House, Malden-on-Hudsonwith portico and federal entranceway facing river

1811 corporate outline of the Town of Saugertiesfrom the 1829 map of Ulster County

following guidelines in mind:

If the shutters are not operable, they should be installed in

a manner that imitates a hinged shutter.

If louvered shutters are used, louvers should face

upward in an open position.

The style of shutter installed should be consistent with

the style of the house. For example elaborate Victorian

shutters would not be appropriate on a Colonial home.

Guidelines for Entranceways and Porches

Historically, entryways have been a major character-

defining element of a home. The entranceway was often the

primary decorative feature of colonial era structures.

Commonly, early photographs of stone houses show simple

Dutch stoop entranceways, some in a mother-daughter

division, or two entrances, two stoops to a front, while the

majority of their altered stone house counterparts received

Victorian porches. Many early pre-industrial frame houses

in Saugerties today retain their original simple entries.

Throughout the Victorian era and into the early 20th

century, the porch remained a characteristic architectural

feature. Porches were often the most embellished

architectural element of a house and were added to provide

exterior living space, provide more protection for the entry,

or update the architectural style of the building. Removing

existing porches, particularly one not original to the house

but added during the historic period is inappropriate.

Doing so would strip the entranceway of a primary street-

front characteristic. The preservation and restoration of

porch detail is crucial and should be considered as part of

any appropriate design. The reconstruction of a lost porch

is strongly encouraged, if historic documentation of the

porch is available, If there is no such documentation

available, the new porch should be based on historic

precedence for either the style of the building or for the

most appropriate transitional improvement based on

historic houses of the same period. For new structures, an

appropriately scaled and located porch can be an

appropriate way to relate to the scale of a neighborhood

and "fit in".

Porch additions to building types which traditionally did

not have any porches should be limited to the rear side of

the building where possible and all such additions should

be compatible with the style and detail of the building.

Depending on the style, a new porch roof pitch may

reflect the main roof form of the building or may be shed

or appear flat.

Enclosing an existing porch is generally inappropriate. If

considering porch enclosure, it is recommended that this

occur only at a side or rear elevation porch. If enclosing

such a porch the finished space should retain porch

elements in place, constructing enclosure framing inside of

porch columns and railings. Screening in a traditionally

open porch requires sensitivity. The look of a temporary

enclosure is preferable, such as screens or glazing that are

removed seasonally and retain the character of reversible

enclosure by being placed within vertical and horizontal

framing members that align behind porch elements like

columns and railings so as not to visually interfere with or

damage decorative or unique historic building fabric.

Guidelines for Fire Exits and Handicapped Access

Exterior stairs to upper level entrances are generally

inappropriate to the historic context and thus should be

concealed from public view and only used when no other

practical approach meets the safety code. Such features

should reflect the detail and finish of the main structure. In

additions, plans should provide an interior exit.

Retrofitting for handicapped accessibility can either be

surprisingly simple for some buildings, difficult to achieve

in historic buildings, but new technology is always. Main

entrances to historic buildings that might be negatively

impacted by the requirements for full accessibility under

the American's with Disabilities Act accessibility

Guidelines (ADAAG) or New York State Code may receive

special consideration, including greatly scaled down

access requirements, or barring that, relief from

accessibility if suitable alternatives to access or

programs is provided.

Where access ramps must be added to visible sides of

a historic structure, they should be made as discrete

as possible by reflecting characteristic details of the

main building. Often such ramps can be constructed

as landscape terraces to further mitigate the visual

impact on the architectural massing of the main structure.

A ramp with a gradual rise of 1 foot per 22 linear feet is

considered a sidewalk and does not require a railing.

Guidelines for Decks and Terraces

While porches, stoops and door-yard entries are

all traditional building elements of the colonial

period, contemporary decks have little historic

precedence. Residential terraces and patios that

are at grade are appropriate landscaping

elements. However, new deck additions should

be limited to the first floor and should be located

out of public view.

Guidelines for Fences and Walls

During the 1700's and 1800's most residences

used fences for animal control. Typically these

utility fences were of rough wood slats or rails

and random-laid stone. Simple picket fences

were typical of the later 19th century and again of the 20th

century. More decorative fences typical of the mid-19th

century when ornate iron work was fashionable are not

appropriate for colonial-era settings.

Existing walls and fences should be preserved wherever

possible. Restoration of existing historic fences and walls is

always preferred to replacement. Where stone walls are

reset or built new, they should follow the traditional

drywall techniques used in original construction.

New fences should follow local traditions

appropriate to the period of the property and

immediate neighborhood. New fences should not

exceed 3 feet in height in any front yard and 6

feet in height on back side and back yards. High

masonry walls, barricade fences, and other large

imposing fence like structures are inappropriate

because they are not characteristic of any period

of Saugerties' history. Chain link fences are

appropriate only in industrial situations and not

at primary public areas of residential and

commercial retail areas (there might be times

when these are appropriate, if they are located

outside of primary elevations and views). Vinyl

fences are discouraged, as they typically have an

appearance that is not in character with historic fencing in


Dutch “H-bent” barn framing of late colonial Saugerties hamlet cottage

Classic framing on Malden Turnpike late colonial Saugerties hamlet cottage

“Eyebrow” half story windows

handful owned by

Palatines who were

pioneering along the

Saxton Flats and toward

the Woodstock Valley.

The population was

spread out. Less than a

few dozen homes existed in the area we now

call the village, either near the mills at the

Esopus Creek falls or at the landings on

the Hudson. South along the Glasco bluffs

and north at Bristol, river front

development plans were just beginning to

attract settlement. Small clusters of stores

where clove roads up through breaks in the mountain face

met the Kings Highway at Trumpbour's Corners, Kaatsbaan

and Plattekill had stabilized as the centers of business and

small inland settlements.

After the Town of Kingston in

1804 divided its common lands

(which was known as the

Kingston Commons) and began to

sell lots, and even after enough

lots had been purchased to

establish a voting freeholder

population in the area of the new

town of Saugerties, few of these

new property owners were

actually settling on their land. Most of the countryside lots

had been sold to those who were already established

residents in the Churchland, Kaatsbaan or Saxton farmsteads

or still resided in the village of Kingston. The population of

the new Town of Saugerties remained unchanged well into

the first decade of the Town's incorporation.

Saugerties' founding fathers, in

this initial decade, surveyed roads,

established a post office, and

organized the courts. Even though

the first town meeting was in

Kaatsbaan, nearly everything that

happened after that was centered at

the corner of what would be Main

and Market Streets -- within a

short walk of the Town's first Early Colonial period timber framing insulation method using a

progressively packed between clapboards outside andsplit sapling lathe inside.The lapped clapboards creates a form that

leaves the pattern in the photograph.

clay andgrass fiber paste

finish and detail. Planting for screening is only appropriate

when needed to obstruct the otherwise unavoidable public

view of an inappropriate structure or feature, such as

ground mounted electrical transformers or HVAC

equipment . Stockade fencing is only appropriate for this

purpose on a case by case basis.

Guidelines for Outbuildings

Historic outbuildings such as garages, barns, sheds,

carriage houses, and even greenhouses, are all considered

important elements of an historic house setting. In

designated historic properties historic outbuildings can be

as important as principal buildings, requiring appropriate

consideration in repair, maintenance and replacement of

such things as garage doors, building windows, and trim.

Existing historic outbuildings on designated properties are

afforded the same legal protection from demolition as are

principal buildings.

The construction of a garage on a site where an automobile

was not originally envisioned can have considerable

impact on the site and the overall appearance of the

historic setting. Typically, freestanding garages are

preferred to ones attached to the primary building on site.

Outbuildings should be placed so as to minimize their

visual impact.

Designs for such new outbuildings should reflect the style

and especially the roof line of the principal building or the

vernacular style common to such local structures of the

period. The use of materials traditional in appearance to

the period of the main historic structure such as wood

shingles, wood clapboard, brick, or board and batten is

recommended in new construction. The use of modern

materials that look traditional can be perfectly appropriate

here, such as cementious clapboard. Alternatively,

outbuildings may be designed as a subtle visual

counterpoint to the principal structure. For instance, the

design may call for board and batten on the outbuilding in

contrast to the formal clapboard of the principal building.

The design and type of material used in new and

replacement garage doors should match barn or carriage

house style doors with wood paneled as an alternative.

Again, fiberglass or other materials might be appropriate

given that they have a traditional appearance.

Guidelines for Walks, Roads and Parking Areas

The appropriateness of pedestrian walkways, driveways,

lanes and public road frontage as well as parking areas are

a consideration when evaluating the visual historical

setting.

Generally parking areas are without historic precedence. If

needed, off-street parking areas should be concealed from

the road wherever possible and preferably should be

located to the rear of the building. Parking areas in a front

yard are typically inappropriate. If the only accessible

entry for a public, cultural, or religious building is at the

The farm at Herrick’s Bridge still has the turnpike road bed between its barn and farmhouse

Barn on the Snyder Farm

supervisor, John Kiersted. Meetings and court were held at

Myndert Mynderse's tavern, a building that still stands just

two doors east of the present M&T bank. The map made of

the area in 1825 shows the Mynderse tavern and also the

farm lands all around the Main-Partition center and the

location of all houses standing at this time. Not surprisingly,

the names on these house lots and farmlands matched the

elected officials of the Town since its founding. This

clustering shows Saugerties as a society and economy firmly

centered in agriculture.

By the middle of this first decade an expansion was also

underway in the countryside. New hamlets had sprung up

and established ones were growing to support the heavy

wagon traffic of the mountain tanneries and of the central

New York agricultural products heading for the river. In

addition to the three Old Kings Highway-centered hamlets,

new ones included the hamlets at Shultis Corners, High

Woods, Veteran, Blue Mountain, Quarryville, and Brett's

Corners (the Saugerties side of Palenville).

The houses and shops built in these hamlets were an

indication of the first expansion of the newly established

Town. Their builders were from the farm families already

there and they used building techniques identical to those of

their ancestors; thus their designs tended to have the same

look and function as the stone houses they grew up in.

Rather than stone, however, they tended to use the less long

lasting kind of timber employed in their crop storage and

stock shelters found throughout the Kingston Commons.

This range of building practices can be seen on the Snyder

Farm, designated a Saugerties landmark on February 20,

2006. In addition to the stone house, currently still occupied

by a Snyder, its barns and outbuildings are preserved

applications of the earliest frame construction methods of the

town's farming community. An 1855 family history


primary elevation, it may be possible to locate limited

parking nearer that entrance, with appropriate screening

and/or paving surfaces. Other parking should be held away

from the primary elevation(s).

Wide curb cuts are not appropriate and parking areas

should be accessed by as narrow a driveway as is practical.

Paving materials which contrast with the adjoining

roadway are preferred so as to provide a visual break in

both texture and color. Asphalt may be acceptable as

appropriate materials for parking areas but the use of more

textured paving materials is encouraged especially for

larger parking areas. Textured paving materials include

gravel, brick pavers, granite paving blocks or cobblestone.

Other "green" paving might also be appropriate, including

pierced pavers that allow grass to grow through them.

Both public road and interior site sidewalks should use the

material of the locality, bluestone, in common 30" x 40"

square-cut slabs in keeping with the characteristic

neighborhood tradition. Curbs should be bluestone as well.

It might be acceptable to use bluestone-tinted concrete if

traditional materials are not appropriate due to location or

other considerations.

Parking which remains visible from the public right-of-way

should be suitably screened with landscaping. Landscaping

may also help reduce the apparent size of parking areas.

Sidewalks and roadways which fall in the public way

should be installed in a manner that is sympathetic to the

period of the property.

Guidelines for Signs

Signs are encouraged to reflect local historic precedence

but pretense to antiquity is discouraged where no such

traditions exist. Carved and painted wooden (or materials

that mimic wood) signs attached to wooden posts are

encouraged for business use. In most cases zoning

regulations will dictate the size and location of signs. In

cases where the Town commission and Village Review

Board set conflicting standards for signage, the stricter

standards prevail.

Outdoor advertising signs should reflect the historic

traditions of signs for the building and district. For rural

sites the historic character is better maintained if multiple

sign types and locations are used instead of a single larger

sign. The style of the sign should reflect the style of the

building to which it is attached or the prevalent style of the

neighborhood. Internally lit translucent plastic signs and

flashing signs are inappropriate.

Guidelines for Light Fixtures

Lighting fixtures should be appropriate

to the historic context of the building.

Outdoor lighting fixtures on residential

and commercial buildings must be

directed downward and at the object or

surface requiring illumination and

apply lighting only of sufficient

intensity to identify it without

reflection. Seasonal and festive

lighting should be appropriate to the

scale of the historic structure and

enhance its setting. Flashing and

scrolling electronic displays are

inappropriate to an historic setting.

published in 1905 documents generations of Snyder family

carpenters active throughout the entire "growth" period of

the town. The pure relationship of the bank-style vernacular

stone house of the landmark Snyder farm with its working

setting and structures made it a preservation priority as an

interpretive treasure of Saugerties' early town history.

Hamlet structures were commonly one rod deep by two

rods wide and a rod high at the peak. The rod (16 ½ feet)

was handy for all measurement as it was the standard used

for surveying in the then land-based culture. A house would

most likely have had an earthen floor basement below

ground level with walls built up of dry laid stone and packed

inside with clay-based daub. The basement would have

contained a cooking hearth. The chimney was typically local

brick and ran up the inside of the eastern most gable with the

entry centered on the eave side to the west of the chimney

side. The house would have been covered with unpainted

clapboards packed on the back side with the same clay daub,

and loose-lathe covered and smooth-plastered with a

lime/horsehair paste.

Wide frieze boards across the eave side and then up the

gables with, later, broad box gutters made to catch rain water

added, were the only stylistic elements aside from the simple

framing of the windows and door. These trim elements were

actually more for function than design since they sealed the

overhangs and other mating edges from pests. These early

details can be obscured or entirely replaced with later

materials and details, as seen in many examples with later

Greek Revival proportioned and style eave and cornice trim.

This was a common thing, as the owner would update their

house to stay in fashion or show off their taste and wealth.

Echoes of the simple origins of this style from the

founding decade of the Town continued in use for nearly half

a century. While many of the earliest stone houses went

through their additions upward and

outward these remnants of the

comfortable proportion of the

humble farm house kept this

traditional building form popular

in the face of the massive change

the agrarian founders would

experience in the second quarter of

the 19th Century.


Restored mid 1800’s High Woods 3 bay H-bent constructed quarryman’s cottage


The Jeremiah Russell house with street corner Greek revival pedimented gable facing Ulster Avenueand Federal eave side entry facing Market Street has Italianate additions, all showing

the influences of the entire growth period of Saugerties

GUIDELINES FOR THE SAUGERTIES LIGHTHOUSE MODEL


During the Federal period (1790 to 1830) and the Greek

Revival period (1830 to 1850) multi-storied brick and

frame structures were introduced to the local building

vocabulary. The majority of surviving examples are found

in the immediate village area and along major travel

routes. Period indicators such as symmetry of wall

openings, gable exposure to road front and ornate

entryways centered or to one side should be retained with

these original forms openly visible and in good repair.

Window and door openings should not be resized or filled.

The original locations and sizes of window and door

openings should not be covered by porches unless one is

retained as an addition from an historic era. Original

porches are found on few Federal and Greek Revival

houses in Saugerties as they were not typical of that period.

Frame houses of this period used clapboard as the siding

material. See guideline on page 11 for maintenance and

restoration of early original clapboard materials.

Shingle siding is inappropriate for period

restorations of Saugerties' pre-1890's

housing stock. Cross-cut clear pine

clapboards in up to 16 foot lengths are

the most authentic materials if they can

be obtained, although for new

construction or entire replacement, new

cementious clapboard materials can be

appropriate.

The style of the majority of post

industrialization houses in Saugerties is

a blend of Greek Revival and early

Italianate. Frame houses from this

period tend to have heavy geometric elements at wall edges

and narrow exposures of clapboard material.

Frame structures can often have a history of being re-sided

in the later decades of the 19th century. In Saugerties the

Foundation of Saugerties' 19th century

growth period

he Colonial Period in Saugerties ended

when in 1824 Henry Barclay started Tdeveloping water powered milling

industries where the Esopus Creek meets the

Hudson River. Saugerties greatest inventory

of structures meriting preservation are from

this early Industrial Revolution-based

growth period. Factory workers, dock

workers, masons, merchants, civil

engineers, teamsters and assorted craftsmen

arrived in large numbers, mostly from

Ireland and England. The large and sudden

population growth provided the impetus for a

housing boom which led to the incorporation of the Village

of Saugerties in 1831. This growth also had a domino effect

on the surrounding countryside. Hamlets began to prosper as

Village demand for fuel supplies, agricultural products, and

other merchandise produced in the rural areas increased.

Saugerties' explosive development coincided with one

that New York City was experiencing as a result of the

opening of the Erie Canal. The Hudson River instantly

became the center of American commerce. The heirs of

Robert Livingston -- who once had monopoly rights to steam

transport on the Hudson -- owned most of the land in the

present village area and all of the mill sites on the Esopus

Creek's falls. Henry Barclay's purchase of all the land along

the south edge of the Esopus and his subsequent partnership

with Robert L. Livingston, made it possible to dam the

creek, lay out a water works and mill sites, and plan the lots

of a village many times the size of the small crossroads

hamlet diagramed in John Kiersted's 1825 map.

Saugerties rapidly became known as a

hotbed of inventiveness and a showcase of

progressive industry. Barclay, in 1827, after

creating the most sophisticated water power

distribution system of its day, imported the

first machine to produce roll to roll paper to

be installed in America. A young Moses Y.

Beach, who had invented a process for

preparing material for making paper, came

to Saugerties to work with Barclay. He set

up his own machine as well as Barclay's The George Taylor House is the oldest

frame house in the Saugerties VillageNational Register Historic Business District

remaining

predominant siding in use was "novelty" or

"German" boards that had the same 3 ½ inch

exposure as the original, functioned as ship-

lap with a coved top face of the board to lap

under the board above. Either beveled

clapboard or these period replacement sidings

are appropriate for restoration work as long

as it reflects the siding removed. It is not

typically appropriate to use multiple types on

the same wall but is acceptable for different

types to be used on non adjacent walls. The

scale of the siding material must always allow

the edge of window and door frames and their

hoods to dominate.

If it is necessary to patch or replace boards,

such work should be completed with materials

of the same type as predominates on the wall.

Surfaces should never be covered with new

materials such as vinyl, aluminum, dryvit, T-

111, etc. When removing non-historic siding

from wood buildings to expose historic siding

care should be taken to plan for the repair of

the original material after the non-historic

siding is removed. Wood surfaces that are

deteriorated should never be painted or

otherwise covered without first identifying and

treating the causes of any deterioration. All

previously-painted wood surfaces should be

scraped, sanded, and cleaned of debris prior

to painting. New wood should be back-primed

(painting the surfaces which are not to be

visible) prior to installation. Deteriorated

wood should be repaired using epoxy wood

repair products or "dutchmen" whenever

possible.

If paint failure is evident at historic clapboards,

always identify and treat the source of the

problem before beginning a painting project. It

might be caused by moisture inappropriately

entering the wall from a roof or gutter leak or

excess humidity from an interior space such as

a bath or kitchen. These situations should be

addressed, or paint failure will occur again. All

surfaces should be dry and properly prepared prior to

painting. Careful scraping and hand-sanding will assure

that the surfaces are free of loose paint and other

materials. Also it is extremely important to remove all dust

or dirt from the surface as this will impact proper paint

adhesion.. Caulk all joints carefully; caulking not only

provides for a more uniform painted surface but can also

seal leaks and create a more energy efficient building.

Prime all surfaces prior to painting; surfaces of new wood

that will not be exposed should be "back-primed" prior to

installation in order to assure maximum durability. Never

remove paint from wood wall surfaces by abrasive

methods. Sandblasting will damage the wood irreparably

and water-blasting subjects the surface to an unusually

high volume of moisture and can cause long term moisture

infiltration problems. Ideally, oil-based paint should be

imported 60 inch Fourdrinier papermaking

machine, thus putting the paper mill into

production by 1828. A second 62 inch

Fourdrinier was imported in 1829 making

Saugerties not just the only place in America

where paper was machine-made, but the

largest producer of paper in America.

Moses Y. Beach left in 1834 to co-found

the New York Sun and later the Associated

Press. Beach Street is where his house still

stands -- right up the street from the firehouse

of the fire company he helped form in 1833.

These structures are both in the local Overlay

Historic Industrial District of the Village of

Saugerties.

The focal point of this overlay district is

the building currently occupied by the

Knights of Columbus fraternal organization

at the corner of Burt and Barclay Streets. This

1825 building was among the first structures

to go up after Henry Barclay's arrival. Its

purpose was to house guests in comfort.

These guests were the technicians, engineers,

businessmen and investors that came as a

result of Barclay's water power developments

and innovative processing technology. The

pattern of hospitality represented by this

building inaugurated a tradition that would be

emulated by the hotels of Saugerties and be

recognized as one of Saugerties' greatest

attributes by the end of the century.

In the mid-1830's this historic industrial overlay district

sat at the center of Barclay's planned panorama: river and

Page number 21 Honoring The Past and Looking to the Future: Guidelines for Identification and Preservation in Saugerties, New York

1875 photo of pre 1840 painting ofthe house of Henry Barclay (demolished 1855)

Current photo of the John Kearny housebuilt at the same time as the Barclay house

The Lead Mill orginally built prior to 1830 byan Eldridge as agent to Robert L. Livingston

for whale oil processing

The Iron Mill in an 1831 colored engravingused for promotion to attract investment

in other water power sites

The size of the Paper Mill by the 1880’s

applied over oil based paint, and latex over latex; oil over

latex will fail and should not be used. Clear finishes and

stains are not typically appropriate for historic buildings.

Pressure-treated wood is recommended only for non-visible

locations (porch joists, etc.); if pressure-treated wood has

been used for a project, it should be painted using

appropriate colors and following the manufacturer's

recommendations. Take all necessary precautions relative

to lead paint in accordance with state and local

regulations.

Property owners are urged to use historically appropriate

paint colors and to place the colors on the building (lights

and darks) as they would have been placed historically.

Sources of information on appropriate paint color selection

and placement are available from the Town Historic

Preservation Commission and Village Historic Review

Board.

Brick is a dominant material of the early industrial period

in Saugerties' Village area. Brick of this period is that of

the "unstamped" type (irregular pre-factory production

common brick). Brick of a size, shape, texture and color

matching the original made for the same exterior

placement as the original, are appropriate for repair or

replacement. Period bricks from the same structure should

be reused.

Repointing of early brick must never be done with mortars

that cure harder than the brick. This will compress the face

mountain views, churches and stylish homes on a street grid

symbolizing community stability, all looking down on an

industrial complex that guaranteed financial rewards for

anyone willing to partake.

Two other luminaries that shared this earliest vision for

Saugerties' future were John Simmons and Charles Ripley.

They were developers of two other industrial processes of

the early Industrial Revolution that was introduced to

America for the first time in Saugerties.

John Simmons brought the "puddling" process for

purifying iron to Saugerties, presaging the steel industry. The

strength and durability of Saugerties' bar and plate from

Simmons process and rolling technology made the

Saugerties' Ulster Iron Works a prototype for all advanced

metal processing businesses by the 1840's. John and his

brother Edward and their families all arrived

from England during the half decade after 1826

and remained influential members of the

community for the rest of the century.

Charles Ripley was the inventor of

processes for making white lead used for paint

and putty. His lead mill was the only mill on

the north side of the Esopus and was housed in


Fluted Pilasters

Louvered shutters

6 over 6 windows

Revealed trim

Speared picketsMolded and finial-capped square posts

Jeremiah Russell House

Tie-back irons

Boxed dentils

A perfect specimen of a preserved early 19th century residence Classic pedimented gable

4 inch reveal painted clapboard siding

Flush Architrave surround

Trimmed Frieze board surround

Keystone fluted elliptical pediment fan vent

Classic horizontal gable cornice with steps

Classic raking cornice with stepped molding

Egg and dart transition to raking frieze board trim

1. Historic mortars were often softer because of their high lime content and lack of Portland cement. New mortar should be soft enough to prevent damage to historic masonry materials. Work will be appropriate providing it occurs only where mortar is missing or deteriorated. Because mortar saws and grinders can damage historic brick or stone, mortar shall be removed only with hand-held, non-power tools. New mortar should match the original in color, texture, tooling, size and profile of joint. The following mortar mix is recommended for 19th century construction:1 part white Portland cement3 parts Type S hydrated lime6 parts sand with no admixturesFor 20th century construction, slightly harder mortars may be appropriate and the following mix should be considered.1 part white Portland cement1 part Type S hydrated lime6 parts sand with no admixtures2. When repointing at parapets, at grade, or other areas exposed to harsh weathering conditions, it may be appropriate to use a more durable new mortar. Please note that this mix should not be used at other locations. In addition, mortar saws should not be used as they can damage historic brick or stone. The following mix is recommended:2 parts white Portland cement3 parts Type S hydrated lime6 parts sand with no admixtures3. Harsh chemical or high-pressure washing can damage the protective outer coating of historic masonry. Cleaning should remove surface dirt using the gentlest methods possible. Work will be appropriate providing only non-ionic neutral pH detergents (not chemicals), non-metallic brushes or scrapers, and water pressure no greater than 150 pounds per square inch (psi).4. Moisture trapped under inappropriate coatings can cause excessive masonry damage in freeze-thaw cycles. These coatings prevent the natural passage of moisture from within the wall and aggravate most existing moisture problems. Work will be appropriate providing acrylic sealers, cementitious paints and other nonbreathable coatings are not applied to historic masonry surfaces.(From the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation, State Historic Preservation Office)

General Guidelines for Treatment of Historic Masonry

Profiles of joints foundin typical early brick walls

of the wall causing flaking and decomposition. See below

for appropriate mortar mixes.

Never pressure-clean masonry buildings with deteriorated

mortar joints. This will allow water to penetrate the wall

during the cleaning process. Repoint joints prior to

pressure cleaning. Masonry cleaning should never take

place when the possibility for freezing weather exists.

Masonry cleaning should be undertaken when temperatures

will be upwards of 50 degrees for at least 3 days after

cleaning.

For routine masonry repair and maintenance see page 11.


For every stone house in Saugerties there are hundreds of

frame or brick houses with stone basement walls laid up to

the same quality standard as the fully stone house. Of these,

many retain full walk-in basement levels as a design

feature. These foundation walls are as important to

Saugerties' architectural heritage as their full stone house

wall counterparts and should be kept visible and in good

repair to show off their texture and composition.

Early development of local sources of lime allowed lime

mortars to be used for making stone foundations weather

tight. A thick whitewash of lime mortar was traditionally

applied at normal maintenance intervals as a sacrificial

coating. This was most important on a stone foundation

wall close to ground moisture. A thick coating of lime

mortar tinted a color is commonly found on both high stone

and brick foundation walls. This is still the best way to

prevent dampness from penetrating into the basement and

is the most appropriate maintenance procedure.

Traditionally, a new coat was not necessary until the old

has weathered away. The mottled look of rough stone

surfacing from the fading coating is as acceptable for an

accurate period look of a house as a newly coated surface.

Saugerties' foundations progressed from native limestone to

bluestone and to stone topped with brick and all brick. In

the design of houses following the hillside lots of the

village, high foundation walls and/or raised basement

stories were common. Local building tradition in the

countryside often had a preference for use of building sites

dug into banks which often had stonework exposures. In

contemporary construction large exposed areas of concrete

foundation are considered appropriate when they emulate

this banked house look.


Chimneys should never be removed from, have their

location moved, or be newly added to, period structures.

They are an historical design feature. Chimneys of the

majority of the nineteenth century are red brick with

straight, undecorated courses that terminate with a single

step outward. Chimneys should be maintained in their

original height, form and design. If a chimney is

reconstructed, it should match the period chimneys of the

house in style and material where it is exposed above the

roof line. Non-masonry chimney stacks should not be used.

House styles that traditionally did not have external

chimney walls should avoid these. The removal of

inappropriate metal and cinder block external chimneys

a massive stone building built by

Robert L. Livingston prior to

1830. Ripley set up lead

manufacturing there in 1833,

however, operations ceased at the

stone mill before the Civil War

but continued up the Esopus at

Glenerie falls on the southern

bounds of the Town. A large

community with school and

church grew up around the lead

manufacturing business there. No

sign of that community or the mill

remains today.

On the ledge above the stone

mill Robert L. Livingston built a

large estate house around 1832,

also of stone, for his daughter

Adelaide Clarkson. The

Clarkson's stay was but a short

two years because the village

growth had overtaken the

suitability of this location as an

estate. However, the legacy that

survived was that all the level area at the base of Partition

Street and the entire beach front along the north side of

Barclay's Pond continued to be known as the Clarkson

Grounds well into the twentieth century.

The entry for the Clarkson estate was from Dock

Street and the cobblestones of the drive to the

house were still there until the present

development on the property (2011). The

Clarkson stone house was preserved intact as

the office of the Cantine Mill until it

burned with the mill in 1978. Ripley

Street leads to the site where the house

stood.

The Main-Partition area

continued to retain its


1830 period classic cornice return

Edge box bevel

Edge box soffit

Return soffit

Fly soffit

Return facia

Rake edgemolding

Rake edgecrown

Fly facia

Rake edgereturn molding

Frieze board return

Frieze molding

Rake friezemolding

Rake frieze

Low reliefdentil brackets

Edge box faciaCornice edge crown

Decorative Federal fan window added whenKiersted House frame gables enclosed in stone

Cross gable roof with modified mansardtransition of the Saugerties Lighthouse’s design

Unfortunate inappropriate chimneys on otherwiseimportant specimen of Revival/Italianate mix

20th century stone work

18th century stone work

prominence as the nucleus of commerce in Saugerties

mainly because it was the location of the store of Jeremiah

Russell, the dominant merchant of the period, and the

terminus of his 1828 Woodstock and Saugerties Turnpike.

Most of the early activity and expanding population were

around the mills. That was separated from this business

district by the dammed Esopus Creek and broad pond that

powered the mills. In 1831 Henry Barclay had a bridge built

across the Esopus to support real estate

interests on the other side that washed

away and was replaced in 1840

by the longest single span Burr

arch bridge in New York.

In the process of building the

1831 bridge another industry

and population explosion was

sparked. Supplying the building

material for the bridge supports

started the bluestone industry.

The builder of these support

structures, Silas Brainard, quarried

stone for this construction and

afterward purchased the land the

material came from. Brainard then

began to sell the bluestone for

sidewalk flagging and it became

known as North River Bluestone.

Within the next quarter century

bluestone quarries spread

throughout Saugerties and

all along the base of the

Catskill Mountains into

Pennsylvania. After the

Civil War, supplying

bluestone for sidewalks

became a multimillion

dollar industry in

Saugerties. The Jeremiah

Russell Turnpike House

marks the location of

Brainard's first commercial


previously placed on houses of architectural significance is

highly encouraged.

Guidelines for Roof Form

Typically early nineteenth century houses were built with a

relatively shallow 5 on 12 pitch with the gable at the entry

side in the Greek revival style. This progressed toward

steeper pitches in mid-century when ell and tee-plan side

gables came into style. The 8 to 10 on 12 pitch of the roof

on the many colonial era side gable stone houses that had

full scale cross dormer additions added to put the gable

over the entry way locally set this trend. The steeper pitch

front gabled roof continued as a design factor even after

the Italianate style added its characteristic shallow and flat

roof forms to local home styling. Saugerties homes many

times added the Italianate cornice bracket to its roof eaves

and gable rakes.

An understanding of the design logic of the period should

support any decision on appropriate care of the roof and its

related elements on historically significant houses. The

design of eaves at gable and side faces had the functional

purpose of maximizing the collection of rainwater for

domestic use the larger surface areas of the steeper roof

form made available. In general, box guttered cornices

ornamented with moldings and scrolled Italianate brackets

transitioning to the wall via broad frieze boards is

appropriate for the roof edge for this broadly recognized

architectural feature in Saugerties. These features should

never be removed and it is recommended that those that

have been altered restore their lost roof edge features if

historic documentation of the features exist.


Roofing materials have changed dramatically over the life

span of the average historically significant Saugerties

home. Typically roofs are re-shingled every 20 years with

current materials, 30 to 50 years with historic materials,

and with slate and metal roofs associated with much longer

periods of use, existing materials are often are found to be

original. roofing materials can be very character defining,

and should be replaced in kind it at all possible or at least

in appearance. There are some excellent replacement

materials on the market that have the appearance of

historic materials at either a lesser material or installation

cost . Since the roof is the first line of defense for a house,

maintenance of the roof surface is the highest priority task

of the conscientious homeowner.

For new buildings, care should be made to use materials

having the appearance of the traditional materials

characteristic to the neighborhood.


Multiple gabled dormers added with the advent of the

Federal style and shed roof dormers added as part of the as

Dutch Colonial revival elements are common in Saugerties.

Many stone houses in Saugerties that did not have walls

raised in Federal period restructuring had broad cross

gable fronts added essentially making a complete second

floor.

The look of the heavily trimmed, steep pitched, broad roof

defines the form of the industrial period domestic

Formal window linels and Greek Revival entryof a West Saugerties hamlet house

Unique stone framing on side lightsof Jeremiah Russell Turnpike house

Multi-family Italianate row houseof the post-Civil War village expansion

architecture of Saugerties. These homes did not historically

have turrets, towers, cupolas or dormers but used the clean

geometry of their unbroken roof surfaces to show style.

Dormers and cupolas are found on the few earlier

Georgian and Federal-styled houses and in later additions

to update older colonial period houses in the later part of

the century. These are appropriate in that they reference a

Federal period style and are markers of changes made in

the historic Colonial Revival era. Their materials and

stylistic details, especially the Federal fan windows are

highly visible architectural elements that should be

retained and maintained.

In general both gable and shed dormers may be an

appropriate way to add existing attic space, however the

addition of dormers is discouraged on the front face of the

house.

Dormers are, however, a highly appropriate way to reduce

the apparent scale of new construction. As such they should

be clearly subordinate to the primary roof form and used

only on appropriately pitched roofs. Flush dormers that are

continuous with a wall below are discouraged. All dormers

should be windowed to echo the predominant patterns of

the wall below.

Skylights, if needed, should only be placed on parts of the

house not visible from the street.


Up until the turn of the century, water drainage systems

usually consisted of diversionary rooftop devices built into

the roof structure. Early 19th century additions of box

gutters were a common feature of hamlet and village

houses and the practical application of rainwater

collection remained a factor of roof design in the village of

Saugerties until the advent of a public water supply in the

1890's.

In houses of the entire 19th century roof rainwater and

even dew run off was always directed to internal cisterns.

There was little need to be concerned with protecting

exterior walls from roof run off. Today, care must be taken

to keep walls free from this source of concentrations of

excessive moisture. Discharge areas for down spouts

should be a minimum of six feet from a foundation wall.

Compact soils and grass should slope away from the

foundation and extend to a point lower then the basement

floor level if possible. If not possible, a sump or catch basin

to make a low point is an acceptable alternative.

Attached metal gutters that are appropriate for most

structures are the half round style. The square metal form

most commonly used today was introduced in the 1950's

and is most appropriately used on contemporary homes or

as a replacement for similarly styled wood gutters. Green

and brown colors are appropriate.


The trim and ornamentation of a building play an

important role in defining its character. Historic houses

often have purely decorative applied trim that may be found

on windows, doors, porch columns, and eaves.

This trim and ornament can be applied or it can be integral

to the structure. For instance, barge boards are applied

bluestone quarry and was designated a landmark of the Town

of Saugerties on September 18th, 2006.

For the first two decades following the Town's formation,

Saugerties' rugged land of bluestone ledges and outcrops was

considered low in value. With the commercialization of

bluestone the availability of this land for speculative

quarrying quickly attracted an influx of prospectors.

Beginning in 1833 Jeremiah Russell, Saugerties' most

successful merchant and

developer of the Woodstock and

Saugerties Turnpike, entered the

personal banking business. He

began purchasing for lease and

also financing mortgages on the

most promising land for

quarrying; his clients were, for

the most part, recently arrived

Irish immigrants. As a result,

within a couple of years, the

hamlets around the most

productive quarries began to have

populations that would make the

numbers in the countryside

exceed those of the new village.

Jeremiah Russell served as Town

Supervisor for many terms and was elected to State and

National office, serving in the New York State Legislature

in 1842 and in the twenty-eighth Congress of the United

States.

Traffic from both the

increasing population in

the village area and from

the growing population in

the countryside coming to

do their shopping in its

business district placed a

proportionate demand on

the new village's

infrastructure. A feel for

the pattern of expansion


The bracketed cornice with broad frieze boardsfollowing the rake of the gable is a typical featureof the post Civil War Italianate style of Saugerties

decoration while window hoods are an actual support

component of the wall. Some serve both purposes. Soffit

brackets are decorative but they are actually both

supporting eaves and transferring compression from the

soffit to the frieze board to brace the wall. Removal of the

brackets removes a highly significant period identifier from

the building and can compromise the structural integrity of

the building; removal of the barge board is removing a

highly significant period identifier from the building. Both

are inappropriate treatments.

The range of window lintels alone in its stone, brick and

frame houses tells Saugerties' history. The axed bluestone

lintels in the pre-1800 brick Cockburn house presage the

bluestone industry. The corbeled brick headers of the

Beach house recall the structuring of the first mills while

the precise arches of The Mill repeat the sturdy pattern of a

thousand window openings ubiquitous in the town and

village. The paired protruding quoined arches of the

lighthouse windows and doors pretend in brick to be the

iron hoods of Saugerties' fashionable townhouses.

All of this original existing trim and ornament should be

preserved or repaired in keeping with the original design in

order to preserve Saugerties' historic identity. Epoxy based

wood restoration products can repair damaged or rotted

wood quite nicely. Replacement of lost trim and ornament

is encouraged. Replacement should match the most

commonly found preserved examples of other homes from

the same period in the same neighborhood. The

addition of trim and ornamentation for which no

historic precedence exists is inappropriate and

detrimental to the community standard. Trim and

ornamentation on additions should display the

characteristic use of trim and ornamentation found on

the main house. In many instances this may be done in

a more simplified fashion than the main structure.

Trim on new buildings should be appropriate to the

neighborhood. Highly elaborate ornamentation is

usually inappropriate for new construction.


A generalized discussion of historically correct window and

door forms and guidelines for repair and appropriate

replacement of doors, windows and shutters is found on

pages 14 and 15. Guidelines for window and door

components of historically significant structures are

essentially the same across all architectural periods

represented in Saugerties but are more specifically relevant

to houses and commercial properties of Saugerties' major

growth period in the middle quarters of the 19th century.

Later, historic changes to earlier structures that can be

documented with regard to stylistic updates of door and

window elements that occurred during this growth period

are appropriate to retain as references to the changing

cultural environment over this industrialization period. In

restoration projects it is recommended that obviously

inappropriate changes made to historically significant

structures during periods later than this period of influence

be replaced using, as much as possible, period photos and

appropriate period examples of the surrounding

neighborhood as references.

of services can be found in the earliest minutes of the Village

government after incorporation in 1831. In its first five years

of existence decisions on crosswalks around Market and

Main Streets and widening of access and sidewalks along

Main and Partition Streets show the pedestrian focus of a

vibrant and highly commercialized Main-Partition business

district well before 1840. The record specifies an early

application of "flagging" for crosswalks and sidewalks and

even a dimensional standard for curbstones and hitching

posts.

In this same period roads and

streets were laid out on a

route roughly from Cross

Street to West Bridge Street

to relieve the business

district of traffic congestion

which occurred once

the first bridge was

operative after 1832.

By the 1850's a

commercial map of the

village shows the

Main-Partition corridor fully developed after a decade of

substantial investment in building.


Typical Greek Revival/Italianate cross styleof the Saugerties post Civil War growth period

Classic Italianate residencial complex of high Saugerties growth periodwithout cross Greek revival features of the earlier common Saugerties style

The lower end of West Bridge Street is typical of earliest development of plannedresidential streetscapes in the village of Saugerties that began in the early 1830’s

The opening framework of doors and windows, whether

plain or decorative, defines original architectural

character and must be retained as elements of a buildings

period integrity. Likewise, the proportional balance of the

window and door components within their framework must

be retained for each complete unit to work within the full

architectural integrity of the building.

Original doors and windows can rarely be replaced. Their

materials were originally chosen for durability and often

reflect the 150 to 200 years of the age of the building they

occupy. Period sashes and window frames were designed

for maintenance. Even complete restoration of a period

window is more economical than replacement with a

product of inferior materials. It is never appropriate to use

factory-made replace windows or doors in any house built

before factory production of window and door components

began in the second quarter of the 20th century.

Contemporary standards for energy efficiency generally

give a high grade to the materials and structures of

century-old sashes and window boxes based on their mass

and sealing characteristics. The traditional storm window,

especially when upgraded with low-e glass, prevents more

air infiltration with greater thermal retention than is

typically possible in a factory-made replacement window.

Therefore, it is never appropriate to replace historically

original windows and traditional weatherization techniques

for reasons of greater economy or energy efficiency.

Work to fanlights, sidelights, pilasters, entablatures,

columns, as well as the window sashes and doors these

woodworking features frame involves the skill of the

professional woodworker. While it is not the place of the

Commission or Board to make recommendations of those

that best perform these skills it is highly appropriate for

those that have employed these professionals to their

satisfaction to make such recommendations. Always ask for

and confirm references before having any period

woodworking maintenance, repair or restoration done on a

period house. Also, always consider that a proper paint job

will require some woodworking repair so also confirm the

painter's references relative to preservation experience.


As the average house grew to two and a half floors and

windows were enlarged, houses almost universally grew

bay windows and sitting porches, in keeping with the

fashions and styles of the time. The characteristic bay

window placed to the side of the house replaced light

diminished by the broad roof of the porch shading the front-

facing windows. The stylistic elements of porch and bay

window migrated outward from the village side street to the

countryside farmhouse. As the boarding house economy

developed in the later decades of the 19th century porches

became dominant features of even the most simple of house

designs and verandas rising to three and four floors

became the identifying feature of both the rural guest house

and village hotel.

Porches on historic buildings are often the dominant

element of the façade. When they were constructed their

form, details, and decorative elements were often intended

to complement or update the style of the building so

Preservation of Saugerties' 19th century

growth period

ithin a short 20 years, from 1830 To 1850,

Saugerties had set the pace for a building Wboom. The prosperous upper class built

sophisticated homes in the styles of the era; the healthy

middle class constructed more traditional styles of sturdy

shops and houses; and, the

workers established

themselves in modest

housing. More massive

structures such as churches of

all denominations and mills

were built and, earthwork

projects such as dams,

raceways, bridges, docks, and

a lighthouse in mid-river

made permanent changes to

Saugerties and its landscape.

Up until the post-WWII

building boom the houses

built during this mid 19th

century period represented

the majority of the

housing stock in

Saugerties.

The hamlets and

roadsides of this period

were dotted with many

small houses of a form and

appearance now referred to

as the Quarryman's

Cottage. In their classic,

unaltered condition the vast majority

of these houses give a great deal of

historic texture to village

streetscapes. These quarrymen and

factory worker homes have a very

special character and style which is


Farmhouse on pre-quarrying farmlandat the head of Hummelville Road

Italianate villa in once-expansive farmland south of village

Brick Greek Revival/Federal-influencehomestead main house off Old Stage Road

Rare Greek Revival store with Dutch cross coursebrick laid on bluestone water table band

maintenance and good repair of the porch is central to

the overall preservation of the house.

Porches consist of decks, steps, balustrades, columns,

entablatures, and roofs and they were often the most

embellished architectural elements of a house.

It is inappropriate to remove existing porches because

doing so would strip the building's primary elevation of

its primary characteristics. The reconstruction of a lost

porch is strongly encouraged if its appearance can be

discerned from historic and/or remaining physical

documentation. If it is known that a porch once existed,

but conclusive documentation of it is not discoverable, it

may be appropriate to construction a proch reflecting the

historic in form, but not detail. This would return a

building to an appropriate appearance without "faking"

historic detail.

When porches were not original to the earliest houses, but

added during the 19th century, they are now part of the

history of the structure and should not be removed simply

because they reflect a later style. However, the replacement

of original elements or features appropriate to the style and

age of a building is normally encouraged, when those

features have been replaced with clearly unsuitable

substitutes.

Porches remain one of the most visible house elements

and play a significant role in its appearance and that of

the streetscape. They can act as an extension of a home

providing a welcoming feeling for visitors.

Unfortunately porches today are often one of the most

altered components of a building frequently because

they are not properly maintained or they are viewed as

potentially enclosable space. Because of the importance

porches play in the perception of historic buildings and

streetscapes, original materials and details should be

preserved as long as possible. Typically areas covered by a

porch roof tend to require less maintenance; however,

steps, railings, and roofs are usually exposed to the

weather and might require additional maintenance. One of

the best ways to preserve wood porch features is regular

painting. If a component is deteriorating, repair or

replacement in kind is recommended as part of the porch's

regular maintenance. There are very well designed and

proportioned porch materials in modern, decay resistant

materials now on the market. These would be appropriate

for new construction such as replacing a missing porch, or

replacing a highly deteriorated porch in entirety.

Porches were meant to be open exterior spaces. Enclosing

a front porch is a radical change to the building and its

visual perception from the streetscape. Enclosing an

existing porch so as to destroy its intended appearance is

generally inappropriate and thus strongly discouraged.

See page 16 for additional guidelines on porch enclosure.

It is important that documentation be found when replacing

a missing porch. This can be physical evidence that a porch

was present or documentation that shows or describes a

porch. Look for shadows on the wall or trim from roofs,

posts or railings. Look for evidence of nailing patterns on

siding or repairs to masonry walls. Look for historic photos

generally identified by low pitched side-gabled roofs with

broad cornices, often with half windows facing front, though

some in the village have gable fronts.

The earliest of these houses are exemplified by the

George Taylor house on Partition Street in the village and the

Bristol Plat house in Malden. The purest examples of the

Quarryman's Cottage are found in the High Woods hamlet --

along the Glasco Turnpike and down Fite Road opposite

Opus 40. They were built

in the period memorialized

and well documented by

Harvey Fite in his

Quarryman's Museum

collection at Opus 40. Opus

40 was designated a

landmark of the Town of

Saugerties on September

26th, 2006.

The mansion houses of

the wealthy built during this

period were completely the

opposite from the

quarryman's cottage. These

structures were built in the

best settings, that is, where

there were the views so

treasured by the Hudson

River School painters. Few

of these mansions survived the curse of their unique sites --

as the original large houses were so often razed and even

larger, newer styled ones were put up in their place. The

exceptions that survive show that they did in fact influence

the look of the "updated" Saugerties quarryman's cottages,

and include the Field House on Lighthouse Drive, the Beach

House on Beckley Street, Trinity Church, what is now the


Porches, verandas and sunrooms nested into historical viewshed locationin Saugerties’ Historic Industrial zoning overlay district in view from harbor

(Beach House) Informational texton descriptive illustration

The Field House is an 1830’s expansion of an 18thcentury stone house viewed from Saugerties’ Hudson shore

Constructed at the same time as the first mills in thelate 1820’s, this Greek revival style house has a

colonnaded porch overlooking the Hudson River.

or drawings. Compare porches on neighboring buildings of

similar type, design, style and date of construction. Look in

attics, basements, garage or storage areas for original

components. Look for evidence of former porch piers or

foundations in landscape. Ask long-term neighbors or prior

residents if they remember a porch on the house.

Guidelines for Fire Exits and Handicapped Access

Adaptive Reuse of historic structures for commercial

applications or for multiple living spaces requires

compliance to safety codes and accessibility laws. Entries

and access points related to the conditions of such use

should not detract from public's view of the architecturally

significant features of the building. The most appropriate

positioning of handicap access ramps is where the new

features do not impact the primary elevation(s) of the

structure. The appropriate position for fire exits and

separate second floor entries is to the rear away from

primary elevations. Where access ramps must be added to

visible sides of a historic structure, they should be made as

discrete as possible by reflecting characteristic details of

the main building. Often such ramps can be constructed as

landscape terraces to further mitigate the visual impact on

the architectural massing of the main structure. Such

features should reflect the period and general streetscape of

the neighborhood.

In all additions to historic structures that provide for a

separate living space, plans should provide an interior exit

appropriately positioned for present or future handicap

access that conforms to the general guidelines for the

historic property.


Outdoor leisure activities centered on porches, verandas

and balconies have precedence for historic preservation

and new construction because Saugerties' growth period in

the 19th century overlapped the growth of the Hudson

River School of painting's focus on the same scenery that is

available throughout Saugerties. Because of this

precedence there were few designs and locations of

architecturally significant houses that are not today

endowed with sufficient outdoor gathering facilities for

any contemporary need. At the end of this period houses

were often surrounded on all sides with verandas,

particularly those built at locations with distinctly different

views in all directions. This concept of architectural

function is encouraged for continuing the tradition of a

house's conspicuous display of an appreciation for the

natural environment.

If traditional outdoor entertaining features are found to

have been removed from the publically visible facade of the

house it is highly appropriate to rebuild them in a style

matching that of what is missing. More contemporary decks

added to homes with historically significant styles should

be placed at the rear with any part that could be visually

related to the period structure from the front screened by

hedges or appropriate trellising.

In general, residential terraces and patios that are at grade

are appropriate landscaping elements. Deck additions

should be limited to the first floor and should be located

Knights of Columbus hall, the John Kearny house and the

Jeremiah Russell house. These are all classic examples of the

Greek Revival style.

Prior to 1824 and before Barclay's arrival, nearly

everything in Saugerties was constructed of either frame or

stone. Barclay, the brick structure of his mills, and skilled

masons changed that. Brick structures that can be dated to

the last half of the 1820's are: the 1827 Reformed Church on

Livingston Street, the

Lutheran Church on the

Turnpike, and the Russell

and McCarthy

store (Village

Apothecary) on

Market Street. As

the decade of the

20's drew to an

end, town houses,

multi-residence houses and the first stores of brick began to

appear along Main Street. Nearly all of these show their

early style as side gabled, two story designs.

Some rare

brick structures of

an earlier date, but

difficult to

confirm, include

the Cockburn

mansion house

referenced as

existing in an

1813 will and

thought to have

been built before

the Revolution.

There is also documentation of a brick store built in Malden

in 1814. Considering that the brick courses are laid in the

Dutch style on the Russell

and McCarthy store on


1850’s Greek Revival influenced Blue Mountain Road farmhousewith 1890’s Queen Anne style wrapping porch and balcony

Verandas of the 1870’s G. W. Washburn farmhouse in a famous1967 Holiday Magazine photo of the Saugerties artists colony, Group 212

Classic wrapped Victorian porch onItalianate-featured cross form Kaatsbaan farm house

out of public view. Any deck being considered

should be visually integrated with the main

building. Partial roof coverings as well as railing

design can help with the visual integration of the

deck and main building. Framed latticework

around the under deck area will help tie the deck

to the building as well as give visual support.

Guidelines for Fences and Landscape Walls

The 19th century was a period in which great

value was placed in ownership of the land and its

resources. Early private property delineations

made up of wall, fence and ditch lines with both public and

private road courses following them are still evident in the

rural landscape. As landmarks these have a special

significance to Saugerties. Often they can be used to locate

age old activities and dwellings referenced in ancient

surveys, deeds and contracts and are the only physical

evidence remaining of the earliest uses and ownership of

the land. An appreciation of our cultural heritage requires

that these sentinels of the past remain blended naturally

into the landscape. It is inappropriate to bury, excavate,

divert or rebuild stone walls, drainage ditches and related

access road surfaces.

Where stone walls and boundary fences are site

enhancements built during the same period as a dwelling of

period significance, their careful maintenance as straight,

well painted and structurally intact historical assets is

strongly recommended. During the majority of the 19th

century in Saugerties farms, industrial sites and major

commercial and transportation interests coexisted, sharing

the same landscape, often separated only by the most

practical of physical barriers. Where a house relates to this

period the architectural elements of the landscape should

reference this level of relationship with fencing that defines

road separation, plantings that define lane courses and

walls that relate to fields or ridge lines. Barriers that

restrict land-form visibility and ornate estate-style

entryways are inappropriate for the period. Existing walls

and fences should be preserved wherever possible.

Restoration of existing historic fences and walls is always

preferred to replacement. Where stone walls are reset or

built new, they should follow the traditional drywall

techniques used in original construction.

Simple picket fences were common in the later 19th century

in the close built hamlets and village side streets. New

fences should follow local traditions appropriate to the

period of the property and immediate neighborhood. New

fences should not exceed 3 feet in height in any front yard

and 6 feet in height on back side and back yards. High

masonry walls, barricade fences, and other large imposing

fence like structures are discouraged because they are not

characteristic of any period of Saugerties' history. Chain

link fences are appropriate in industrial situations and not

in residential and commercial retail areas. Vinyl fences are

discouraged. Planting for screening is only appropriate

when needed to obstruct the otherwise unavoidable public

view of an inappropriate structure. Stockade fencing is

inappropriate for this purpose.

Market Street, this also could

have been built prior to 1820.

In the 1840's a fusion of

the late Federal, Greek

Revival, and early Italianate

styles began to emerge as the

common style that is familiar

along our streets and country

roads to this day. The genesis

of this stylistic fusion can be

seen in the Jeremiah Russell

house where, unlike earlier

Federal stone houses (e.g. the

Kiersted House discussed

previously), the gable and not

the eaves faced out to the

street. This unique blend of

the stylistic trends of the

mansions and quarryman's

cottages can be seen as the

hallmark of nearly the entire nineteenth century period's

stock of Saugerties' historic houses. It is a style, unique to

Saugerties, and owes its origins largely to the introduction of

certain formal elements specific to brick construction into

the look of residential structures. This followed brick's

expansive use in the building of local mills.

The look of the vernacular stone and frame house was

based on the fact that openings were not in need of a frame.

It took only three courses of stone to bridge a normal

opening with a corbel. Likewise in local frame houses, the

internal post support of the roof left wall openings with no

need to supply a support function. But to support a wall

above an opening in a brick wall a heavy design element had

to be added such as a brick arch, a stone lintel or a carved

hood. This introduced the opening as a design element.

The second design element from brick construction that

influences this style is found in the roof's eave line. The

massive stone ledge of a stone house was a surface that a

roof could simply sit on. A frame house was constructed with

the joists of the ceiling mortised a few feet down from the

roof ledge to solidify the wall. In both cases the roof's eaves


The Sheffield book and envelope manufacturing buildings in a period illustration reprinted for the 1911 Town bicentennial

The west wall of “The Mill” with three floorsof 21 arches each in their original 1887 condition


Outbuildings have a consistent presence throughout every

period of preservation interest in Saugerties. Whether as a

summer kitchen, a barn, a stable or a garage they share

with each period site their own form of symbiotic

significance.

General guidelines for care, maintenance and replacement

of outbuildings is covered on page 18.

It should be recognized that sites of functional buildings

often preserve valuable evidence of daily life lost to their

residential companions. Changes in style and living

conditions would befall the residence while the stable

retained its same use decade after decade. Whenever it is

necessary to replace or adaptively reuse the site or former

site of an outbuilding, or any early building for that matter,

care should be taken to remove and preserve any artifacts

related to human activities there over its long use.

Guidelines for Walks, Roads and Parking Areas

General guidelines for walks, roads and parking areas are

found on pages 18 and 19.

More specifically, the period under consideration here is

the period of Saugerties involvement with bluestone and

this material not only related to sidewalks and roadways in

Saugerties but in nearly every city of this period in the

country. Bluestone did not become a broadly recognized

paving material until the late 1830's but Saugerties was

already showing off bluestone sidewalks, crosswalks and

curbstones by 1834. It has some of the earliest applications

of bluestone paving that can be documented.

It is inappropriate to remove historic bluestone sidewalks

or entry walkways from any frontage within the Town or

Village of Saugerties.

It is inappropriate to permit bluestone pavers to remain un-

set or heaved to the point of being a danger to the public or

at risk of cracking.

It is typically never appropriate to replace bluestone slabs

with patio stones, concrete pavers, formed cement or brick.

In the rare case that replacement is necessary care must be

taken to assure that the same quality and color as

predominates in the neighborhood is used. Always use

craft-quarried local material whenever possible when a

match is required. Saugerties has virtually no examples of

non-local bluestone in its streets and residences except for

unfortunate installations permitted under misinformed

renewal project contracts.

Until 1873 there were two types of roadway in Saugerties:

those maintained as continuous-surfaced 2 rod wide beds

privately owned as turnpikes; and, the 12 foot wide

commons exemptions maintained by the property owners of

the land they crossed as rights of way. Saugerties' turnpikes

were used extensively for the heavy hauling of bluestone

and were improved as tram roads by applying rails

commonly called Belgium Bridges to prevent rutting. After

1873 when municipalities became responsible for commons

roads, bluestone wagon traffic was limited to these

improved turnpike roads.

The early roads of Saugerties are the most publically

accessible remains of our heritage. They are also where

were made fairly flush with the walls because the roof sat on

the top ledge of the wall. But a brick structure's roof needed

an element called a frieze board that capped the wall's top

edge to keep the weight of the roof from pressing the wall

outward.

Thus brick construction imposed a new awareness of the

window and door

openings and the

weight of the roof's

edge as stylistic

elements throughout

the community. These

elements are heavy

lintels, stepped brick

arches, or decorative

pediments over

window and door

openings, together

with broad frieze

boards framing the

gable and eave sides

with heavy scroll

brackets under deep

overhangs where

broad-faced box

gutters are supported.

This generally defines

the "feel" of the functional components of the common

Saugerties style.

The symmetry and form of the door and window

openings also linked the homes of this period to the look of

the massive mill buildings of the day. The earliest

photographs of these lost mill structures confirm details


The managers’ homes lined the edge of Barclay’s Heights allowing viewslevel with the stylish office tower of the new mill building below

The repetition of the windows continuing into thecourtyard entry of the Sheffield envelope factory

The amount of light in the Sheffield building madeworking conditions state-of-the-art for the period

found among the many

residential examples

remaining from the same

time. "The Mill" on East

Bridge Street, the only

surviving example of the

early mills, was rehabilitated

in 1999. It used best building

practice approaches while re-

purposing its original 1887

shell, as a federally supported

senior housing project within

the Overlay Historic

Industrial District. The fabric

of the original 1887 building

has been faithfully preserved

as a highly visible point of

comparison.

Saugerties' second

lighthouse was built in 1869

at the height of this fusion

style's development. Its

multiple gables utilizing

massive roof edging and its

windows with massive brick

arched and quoined hoods

make it a good example of

the design found in the post

Civil War masonry and frame

building boom in Saugerties,

and a fitting marker as our

river gateway.


The Saugerties Lighthouse is designed with all thebest features of the Saugerties Italianate style

The box cornice that crowns the lighthouse’s wallsis a typical feature found throughout Saugerties

The hood-looking arch lintels above paired, common-silled windows are Italianate features

Modified 5 bay facade of the west-facing side lookslike a typical post Civil War Saugerties residence

educational materials are most commonly found in the form

of State historical markers. It is inappropriate for any

agency or individual to adjust the course of an historic

road or pathway as defined by its inclusion in the Beers

Atlas of Ulster County of 1875 without performing an

historic engineering survey and documenting any

remaining historic material for the record.

Saugerties has a unique thread of title with much of its land

ownership originated with deeds issued from one source

with common wording. Exempt rights to trespass were

made to memorialize the common access even at times of

private ownership. New owners delineated these exempt

routes and they became known as Kingston Commons

Roads. By title right it is impossible to land-lock or make

private property legally inaccessible in any region of

Saugerties originally part of a class of the Kingston

Commons. As a guideline for appropriate stewardship of

these rights and/or legal obligations, established commons

roads should never be built upon, utilized for any purpose

that may block passage or increased in their original

course to a width beyond the 12 foot right of the exemption

to utilize them beyond their ancient intent. It is a

responsibility of surveyors, lawyers and sellers to document

any information they have on the location of these routes

for prospective purchasers.


In past years billboard signs were prevalent on Saugerties'

rural roadsides. A famous local irony was the attractive

nuisance status of the billboard on Route 212 that everyone

parked under and climbed for photographing from its top

the beauty of the Overlook and Plattekill mountain front.

Everyone sensed it was inappropriate to block such views

but it took Ladybird Johnson and Highway Beautification

to give that sense of appropriate behavior the status of law.

Local zoning ordinances now make it inappropriate to

display oversized and distracting signs that block the

ability to appreciate the commonplace attractions of our

roadsides with advertisement in a natural setting. Setbacks

and size limits are the restrictive details in the law that

address this consideration.

The typical roadside display of individuality is the rural

mailbox. These serve a duel purpose by also marking the

address of the home they serve. The appropriate manner of

choosing the size and style of a mailbox or driveway

marker is to match the local choice for road sign lettering.

The appropriate use of temporary signs such as location

markers for real estate offerings and campaign signs

during election periods is to have an assigned sales person

or political volunteer periodically maintain the placement

and straightness of the sign.


Lights celebrate. Seasonal lights welcome visitors to the

warmth of a home. Pride in a home is displayed in the way

internal and external lighting shows off its form in a night

time setting. As with signs, with lighting, less is more. Glare

can annoy motorists and neighbors. Light pollution is when

light is aimed into the distance or at the sky. Appropriate

use of lighting requires conscientious control over fixtures

to replace broken diffusers and misdirected beams.

GUIDELINES FOR THE MAIN/PARTITION MODELGuidelines addressing the Village of Saugerties Main-Partition Streets National Register Historic District relate to the architectural significance and preservation imperatives of not only these commercial buildings but also the homes of the 1850's to early 20th century era in the Town and Village of Saugerties. This was a period of extensive expansion in the business district and streets surrounding the village's center and around the river, railroad, and automobile transportation routes that together played a part in making Saugerties a thriving mercantile community.

The period is represented roughly by structures from the pre-Civil War, Second Empire style William Russell residence on Market Street, the Whitaker Block on Main Street and the J. O. Winston Mansion/Saugerties Farm complex completed in the early 1920's. Mostly, this section of the guidelines relates to the broadly popular late-Victorian ornamented appearance that is the hallmark of the Historic Business District's brick and iron front stores that attract commerce and tourism to present-day Saugerties.


Preservation guidelines for the historic village business district commercial buildings deals with the facades, or street-facing walls. These facades have three major components:

!storefront - the first story;

!upper facade - the second story and above;

!cornice - the decorative feature typical of the top or roof line.

Each of these elements is important to the character of the individual building as well as the historic district and should be maintained in accordance with these guidelines. In addition, any new construction added or existing building restored within the historic district should have these three elements as distinct design components compatible with neighboring historic structures.

The residential buildings of the period generally have the same stylistic divisions, mainly the porch entry level, the decorative window framing of the story above, and the ornate edging of the gables and roof line in general. The guidelines for these components are essentially the same as those that govern the business district's buildings.

The materials of the walls of the business district range from iron to brick and include a number of early wood-faced examples. In general the character of the commercial district's individual walls is made up of a sidewalk-level pattern of storefronts featuring glass and recessed door. The entire district is unified by an overall impression of individual but contiguous buildings forming a silhouette of decorative cornices and pediments at their tops.

The storefront level is a continuous pattern of entries consisting of display-glass window-wall fronts above low bulkheads immediately against broad bluestone sidewalks. A small number of storefronts are products of mid 20th century updates but most retain original details from the last quarter of the 19th century.

This continuous line of sidewalk-facing building fronts defines the streetscape of the Village and creates a "street wall". This relationship must be maintained in any replacement of a storefront or construction of a new building. Extension beyond the plane of fronts, or setback from this "wall", are both inappropriate. This applies to levels above the entry as well.

The primary retail entrance is historically a recess that narrows in width from a broad opening between flanking display windows to either single or double doors. Stores of the turn of the century had single doors with large glass panes. The recess differentiates the commercial entry from


Transom windows

Signboard (fascia)

Pilaster

Upper story columns

Recess windowsRecess double doors

Date Pediment

Cornice

Parapet

Frieze panel

Major display pane

Lower window panel

Window sash

Window sill

Window hood (lintel)

Preservation of Saugerties Mercantile Period

niquely

separate from Uthe preservation

themes of the greater part of

the Village and Town are

those of the buildings that

defined Saugerties as an

important 19th and early

20th century mercantile

center.

Following the Civil War the village business district

became a thematic attraction for photographers and as a result

we are fortunate to have their legacy to inform us. From these

photographs we can follow the village's transition from a mix

of residential structures and early multi-story commercial

buildings into the streetscape known today as the Main-

Partition Streets Historic District.

The buildings of the village center's earliest growth period

have been, as in every area of prime commercial real estate in

America, largely replaced or modified in cycles that reflected

examples of business growth and changes in architectural

taste. Thus few commercial businesses from the pre-1875

period remain in Saugerties; some that are in those 1875

photographs are gone a decade later. But

from these photographs a glimpse

of an earlier Main

Street is

preserved;

an era of

shops with

townhouse-style

entries, two steps up, to

massive bluestone platforms

surrounded by decorative iron

railings. We can infer that a more

South side of Main Street from the second issue of The Pearl, February, 1875.

secondary building entries that accesses the upper floors, which were made to be architecturally flush with the front wall.

Various forms of pilasters and moldings relate the street-level to the upper story architectural elements, in the same general style. This defines the stylistic period and age of the building. In general, the storefront level should retain the architectural character of the building above. Those that have this remaining should keep it in good repair. Those that are replacing previous un-historic updates are encouraged to restore their storefront to conform to the period of their building. Never "early up" a storefront with such elements as "lumberyard colonial" detailing like pedimented frontispiece entrances, coach lanterns, pent roof overhangs, wood shakes, non-operable shutters, and small-paned windows. These did not exist historically in the historic business district. Photographic or other documentation must be uses to guide any storefront restoration work.

Avoid use of materials that were unavailable when the storefront was constructed; this includes vinyl and aluminum siding, anodized aluminum, mirrored or tinted glass, artificial stone, and brick veneer. In general, do not coat or cover surfaces that have never been painted or "protected".

The walls of mercantile buildings that face the buying public were built to show off the quality of the establishment as well as the goods inside. Generally, the Saugerties business district was built with the best materials available for the period. Individual buildings were made to last. They are an average century and a quarter old and for well over half that time were kept in top shape by their original owners. When kept-up and in good repair, using appropriate materials and techniques, these sentinels of our past will last another century or more. For routine masonry repair and maintenance see page 11. For cleaning and restoring period masonry see page 22. Replacing and repair of brick should be done in accordance with methods and materials covered in previous sections of these guidelines.

The most challenging situation that a historic commercial building can find itself in usually stems from the demands business promotion and modern services place on their walls. Electric, phone and cable wire hangers, projecting sign supports and meter boxes all find ways to stress facade materials and decorative features that were designed for an era before these existed. In general, it is inappropriate to place fasteners in bricks. They should be set into mortar joints and the openings (not the brick surrounding them) sealed against moisture entry. If fasteners must be at areas of ornamentation they should only be placed into seams or joints and never into carved or molded faces. Unfortunately, these actions are mainly those of service contractors and done without the knowledge of building owners or the appropriate authorities. It is important that once damage is discovered from such abuses, it be corrected immediately.


The period of significance for Saugerties' historic commercial district saw the introduction of metal elements

personal place of

business, more like a

parlor, was the norm

from the Main-Partition

district's beginnings in

the 1830's to just before

the period of these

photographs.

It appears from these

photographs that the

commercial store fronts

of this early period used

bluestone extensively. It

is found not just in steps

and platforms but in the massive columns and spanning

lintels and sills of their facades. This form not only used

local materials but also showcased the locally merged Greek

Revival and Italianate styles of storefront in the period.

In 1875 photos,

notably of a building

shown on Partition

Street's east side just one

lot from the corner of

Main, and in another two

lots east of the Main and

James Street corner, we

see commercial buildings

in Saugerties village

showing off the native

bluestone material. The

only remaining example

of this is in the Bigelow Bluestone office building in Malden

where the column forms of this style that stand out in an

1880's photograph remain after its mid 20th century

adaptation for residential use.

Within the Village historic business district there are 84

separate landmark designations Over three quarters of these

were documented photographically between the 1875

publication of "The Pearl" and the 1905 publication of the

Saugerties portion of "Picturesque Ulster". These

publications plus numerous post cards and unpublished

.


Newspaper cut from 1890’s of Merritt store as seen in detailin The Pearl photo shown in previous page streetscape

East side of Partition Street from the third issue of The Pearl, March, 1875.

for both structural and applied architectural ornament. Saugerties Village has some significant metal-front buildings in the business district. The houses along the immediate side streets also have many metal features as part of their facades. The following guidelines for these metal features apply most specifically to their preservation. (For trim and decorative components crafted of wood see page 26):

!Do not move or remove architectural features that define the historic character or integrity of a building. Common metal architectural features include windowhoods, doors, stairways, railings, cornices, roof cresting, finials, columns, lanterns, canopy hoods, and fences.

!Sanding, priming, and painting should be used to address small patches of deterioration. More extensive damage may require limited replacement to match exactly.

!Replace only those portions of metal features that exhibit significant deterioration. All sound portions should be left intact. Replacement should be patched, spliced, or reinforced using an accepted preservation method. If in-kind replacement is not available, a visually and physically compatible substitute may be used.

!Do not remove deteriorated metal features and replace them with elements that do not have the same visual characteristics. Do not remove or replace sound historic features.

!Do not expose (remove coatings such as paint, etc.) from metal features that require protection from the elements. Conversely, do not apply paint coatings to metals that were historically meant to be exposed, such as copper, bronze or stainless steel.

!Corrosion of metal reinforcements in concrete, as well as displaced masonry in buildings with internal metal lintels over doors and windows is a sign of water infiltration and should be remediated and repaired promptly by a trained professional.

!The reconstruction of any missing metal feature should be based on historical, pictorial, or physical evidence. If no evidence is available, features should be a compatible new design, rather than a falsely-historical reconstruction.

!Any new metal features, if appropriate, should be compatible in size, scale, material, and color with the historic building.

!Do not place incompatible metals together without a protective barrier, as this can result in galvanic corrosion. For example, copper can corrode cast iron, steel, tin, or aluminum.

!Photographically document architectural features that are slated for reconstruction prior to the removal of any historic fabric.

!Clean metal features only where such cleaning will not damage historic color, texture, or patina. Any cleaning treatment should use the gentlest means possible and first be tested in an inconspicuous location to determine any possible adverse effects.

!Clean soft metals (tin, lead, copper, zinc) using appropriate chemical methods. Blasting methods will damage and pit their surfaces.

!Clean hard metals (cast iron, wrought iron, steel) by scraping with a wire brush to remove corrosion and paint buildup. If additional cleaning is required, low-pressure grit blasting may be used.

,

photographs are our

principal references for

understanding the

developmental history

of the landmark district.

This photographic

record preserves a way

of life and a record of

the district remarkably

different from that

represented in today's

built environment. Most

striking are buildings that were once within the footprint of

the existing historic business district a century ago but that

are not there today. At the extreme south end of the Partition

Street side of the district the Maxwell House hotel is gone

and at the Market Street corner of Main the Russell Block

building is gone. Across from the Russell Block was the

Maxwell Opera House, which was completely remodeled

when the building was converted into a bank. These three

buildings were the center of Saugerties at that time

representing the tradition of housing guests in style and

entertaining them with scenic outdoor pursuits and evening

cultural gatherings that had matured a half century before.

The original role of the village as a cultural center is not

the theme of the National Register Historic District. Rather,

it is the physical representation of a process that gave us the

buildings as they exist today. As such, it is fortunate that we

have the photographic record to fill in this lost phase of the

village's life.

The oldest

structure still

standing in the

historic district

is on Partition

Street.

Originally a

residence

thought to be

the same one


The Seamon Bros. building of 1882 is typical of the greatarchitect-designed buildings of the Historic District

From the 1911 Saugerties Centennial program

!Reapply an appropriate paint or other coating system to previously painted metal after cleaning. Failure to do so will result in accelerated corrosion of the metal or alloys.

!Each type of metal requires specialized treatment. Have metal on historic buildings identified by a qualified material conservator or metal contractor to ensure the appropriate cleaning treatment is followed. Use only those cleaning treatments that are appropriate to the type of metal being cleaned.

The most distinctive ornamental features characteristic of the historic business district are found in the pattern of parapets and pediments that mark its skyline (see Roof Element Form). In most of the buildings of the historic business district these and the window and door trims are the only non masonry elements.


Foundations can present archaeological clues to the origins of a structure. In most buildings of the post-Civil War era lower levels were still utilized as occupied space and their foundations were exposed to the height of the required windows. Both residential and commercial buildings of this period had raised entries with porches to get above the foundation and access the main floor. The basement was typically occupied for support functions such as cooking, laundry and some light manufacturing, and often as living space for support employees. There are period advertisements for businesses that occupied basement spaces in this era.

By the late 19th century the introduction of modern utilities from under the street caused basements to become associated with the mechanical functions of the building. The paving of streets and the parallel raising of sidewalks also covered foundation details of many of the older buildings. For many buildings the division feature between the basement and walls, the water table, became the ground level and entries became sidewalk-level or one step up.

Any remaining exposure of a foundation in the historic district, especially if solely or partially of stone, should show their materials and should not be covered with stucco or parge layers.


In the age before central heating the chimney was a symbol of comfort. Homes displayed the affluence of their owners with the numbers of, and quality craftsmanship of, chimneys. The mercantile period of Saugerties' growth saw ornate chimney brickwork blossom. The patterns, inlays and caps as well as the pipes that mount the chimney top were all made of the most durable materials of their day and should be retained.

Keeping a chimney in good shape is simply a matter of keeping the immediate masonry at the roof line sound. The roof at the chimney must remain structurally sound and not be allowed to settle. The flashing at the chimney and roof drainage where a chimney is at an edge must divert runoff away from masonry.

Chimneys should never be removed from, have their location moved, or be newly added to period structures. They are an historical design feature. Chimneys should be maintained in their original height, form and design. If a chimney is reconstructed, it should match the period chimneys of the house in style and material where it is exposed above the roof line. Non-masonry chimney stacks should not be used. The removal of inappropriate metal and

shown as belonging to

George Taylor on the

Kiersted map of 1825, it

was first reliably recorded

as being there when its shed

was purchased in 1834 for

housing the ladder unit of the fire

company (image on page 20).th

The newest structures relative to the late 19 century

period recorded in these photographs are two that flank the

ends of the south side of Main Street; one at the Partition

Street corner and the other at the James Street corner. A

centennial publication from 1911 documents the prominence

of these recent additions. Another prominent structure in

that publication was the Orpheum theater (1909), also in the

district.

Only a few locations in the historic district had non-

contributing structures at the time of the National Register th

listing: two 19 century residential buildings with mid 20th

century brick store front additions, two (now converted) gas

stations, a lot with a utility building, and a mid 20th century

commercial building. Since these buildings are within the

designated district these non-contributing structures are


1875

1900

1911

19-teen’s

1920’s

Main Street looking eastMain-Partition StreetsNational Register Historic District,Saugerties New York

cinder block external chimneys previously placed on houses of architectural significance is highly encouraged.

Guidelines for Roof and Roof Element Form

Typically, mid- to late-nineteenth century commercial buildings have flat to gently sloping roofs that are not visible as a stylistic feature. However, the transition elements that define the pediment or parapet face of the roof and the accompanying dormer and cupola forms of this period are of great interest (see Dormers). Due to the early adoption of the ornamental roof line in Saugerties, these forms are valued as a defining feature of the historic business district as a whole.

One of the earliest commercial buildings, the Whitaker Block, possesses a pediment that echoes the style of residential houses of the period. Dormers became framed window elements on nearly vertical mansard roof-line transitions beginning in the late 1840's and this commercial building has one of the most intact examples of this style. The Whitaker block and several of the more elaborate houses on close-by side streets show that this style was popular before the third quarter of the 19th century.

The roof element is a signifier for the social structure of the mercantile period of Saugerties. In this period the space

under the roof, or the garret of the building replaced the basement as living space for the support employees of the household. The building design choices of the affluent displayed multiple elaborate gables and dormers to provide light and air to these spaces as well as serve as decorative features. As times changed, many of the residences that sported these features lost them to renovation.

The principle visual element of the roof line of the mid-century to fin-de-siecle period in Saugerties is the pattern of ornate trim seen forming a single architectural band capping the building. This begins in the 1850's with the shape of a slate shingled mansard face. It transitions after the Civil War to a punctuation of the design and placement of dormer or gable faces surrounding the roof. The final form is in the pedimented front of the commercial building's parapet of the late Victorian era showing off the name of the proprietor. Every element of this cap is designed for one complete effect. From the

early Second Empire look to the later Victorian this look emphasizes the drama of the roof; the crowning and completing of the building. Details such as metal rails and finials, sills and gutter spouts and slate patterns need to be preserved to maintain the integrity of this effect. The cap or pediment level of the Whitaker Block building supplies a highly visible catalog of components for achieving this result.


Maintenance of the roof surface is the most important task of the conscientious building owner. Though not seen by the public, the condition of parapet walls behind the pediments and the top surfaces of corniced overhangs is integral to the preservation of these historic features. The same can be said of the decorative roof edge features of almost every home in Saugerties from this period. Keeping these

subject to the same review as contributing buildings if any

changes or rehabilitations are proposed. The goal is not to

make them look as if they are historic, but rather to ensure

that any alterations to them do not negatively impact the

historic district.

Since designation in 1984, there have been only a few

losses in the district. One listed structure, a carriage barn has

been dismantled and removed, leaving a parking lot, and one

was destroyed by fire, replaced by a shed addition and

surface parking. It is noteworthy and instructive, though, that

a building at the north corner of Jane at Partition was rebuilt

to its historic two story form identifiable from 1875 photos

after losing its early 20th century third floor addition to fire

in the early 1990's.

The National Register Listing

ome of the historic district's character comes from

existing historic iron storefronts, period markers Sthat were once the last word in style for

progressive shops of the 1880's. Unfortunately, a number of

other such elements were lost in downtown redevelopment

and urban renewal schemes.


intricate layers of built-up molded and carved wood, metal, and other materials from dampness-caused rot, rust and peeling depends on roofs inspected annually and appropriately repaired by professionals.


Dormers and cupolas are found on the few early Georgian and Federal-styled houses of

thSaugerties and in later19th and early 20 century of the Colonial Revival era and additions to authentic colonial structures that followed this trend. Their materials and stylistic details are highly visible architectural elements, especially with Federal-style fan windows.

Newly built homes of this historic period either had turrets, towers or cupolas as architectural components or had dormers integrated into their designs. The fashion of late 19th century architecture was to have an asymmetrical roof form decorated or shingled in a unique pattern to show off the individualistic character of the home and its owner.

As these are roof surface elements they are susceptible to weathering more than other parts of the structure. Preservation requires particular attention to the valleys where surfaces and roof lines meet the main roof. Due to exposure, trim and moldings around edges and window frames require more attention than similar components on main walls of the house. Where decorative materials have been applied such as slates and shingles or where decorative iron castings, grills, or crowns are set in masonry, care must be taken to make sure these remain securely fastened into the main architectural surface.

The character of all the buildings of this period in Saugerties mirrors the character of the historic business district and just as the signature element of the commercial rows of buildings is their ornate caps, the houses of the business owners also have their comparable rooftop attractiveness. The two of these together in one village setting gives the full effect of a sidewalk to skyline experience for visitor and resident alike and should be maintained at a high level as a sign of community pride.


The village of Saugerties was planned in conjunction with the engineering that brought it water powered mills and population in the 1830's. The residential water supply and sewer infrastructure were well defined by the time the earliest commercial buildings were being designed and thus, the majority of the village began with internal and external drainage functions linked to a common underground support system. Development logically followed the streets that carried this infrastructure. Only homes along the old side streets to the south and the post civil war streets to the north retained the more rural cistern and gravity tank systems that took advantage of rainwater runoff. The buildings have roof to ground gutter-downspout systems.

Understanding the function of roof-to-street drainage systems is one of the most important homeowner duties and one of the primary concerns in preservation of a period house or building. The original slopes, drainage channels and downspout plumbing of a structure should be maintained as it was originally designed in systems that

The listing's statement

of significance notes the

building on the corner of

Partition and Jane Streets;

this building has retained

its original balcony iron

work and original store

front glass and entry. The

current condition is

virtually identical to its

1875 photo in The Pearl.

The significance statement also notes the district's range

of craftsmanship and style, pointing out dated metal

pediments and ornate cornices of brick buildings in the

Victorian style, and compares these to the "Dutch course"

brickwork and oval pediment-framed window of the early

century Greek Revival style store of what was then Lamb's

Hardware on Market Street (now the Village Apothecary -

image on page 27).

Also

highlighted in the

statement are the

brick livery stable

behind the Grand

Hotel, a similar

brick building

west of Partition,

a brick carriage

structure

(possibly the

1842 fire house)

on Jane Street

and the frame

carriage barn

(now gone)

behind Lamb's.

These show the

importance of the

transportation

heritage of the village and its early connections with the

countryside and river boat landings.


1882 Seamon Bros. Building corner Main and James streets

Jane Street at Partition, March issue of The Pearl, 1875

originally emptied into storm sewers. In rural systems where previous cistern-based systems now link to sewer drains, the sealing of the old features must also be checked frequently. Backup-caused internal wall and foundation dampness due to malfunction or code-based adaption can be the cause of hidden deterioration.

Where downspouts meet the ground, deterioration of the foundation as well as basement flooding can occur if the outlet is not diverted. The discharge areas for down spouts should be a minimum of six feet from a foundation wall. Compact soils and grass should slope away from the foundation and extend to a point lower then the basement floor level if possible. If not possible, use of a sump or creation of a catch basin to make a low point is an acceptable alternative.


The dominant street-level feature of the historic business district is the large plate glass display windows and full glass panel doors found on the storefronts. Historically, this expanse of glass began to be technically possible in the earliest period this section of the guidelines addresses; the 1850's. Large window openings in residences filled with 2 over 2 windows (the same configurations being used on the upper floors above storefronts), are representative of this period. In residences, paired windows allowing large amounts of light into the house added a distinct design element to the street-facing facade of the Italianate style.

The stores of Main and Partition Streets show off some of the earliest application of internal iron for supporting the broad openings for newly available larger size of glass. The oldest buildings with this form of construction are from the immediate post-Civil War years. The windows in photographs of the early 1870's Russell Block building (lost to fire) are proportioned to twice the height of a man, span five feet and support three stories above. The most extreme example of this introductory era of glass is represented by the support that allows the curved window at the corner of Main and Partition.

Correct window and door forms and guidelines for repair and appropriate replacement of residential doors, windows and shutters is found on pages 14 and 15. A discussion of the benefits of retaining original door and window frame components is found on page 26 and 27.

Relative to commercial settings, doors in the historic district should be consistent in design with the general period of the district. Generally, this calls for a single plate glass panel above a kick panel dimensioned to match the common 19 inch bulkhead base of the display window(s). Appropriate replacement doors, when needed, should match this glass-to-frame proportion. Earlier recessed doorways contained double doors of this proportion and the later more massive single doors typically maintained this same proportion of glass. Narrower doors for secondary entrances followed the same design. It is highly important to maintain original doors as they can be costly to replace even with contemporary materials.

Upper story windows are an important element in the rhythm of architectural details that makes the business district interesting and picturesque. The mid-century form of the Davis block filling the south east corner of Main and Partition streets and the Exchange Hotel diagonally opposite, contrast to the taller buildings of the post Civil war period in the size and spacing of their upper story windows. The massive brick construction with often

In general the National Register significance statement

recognized the range of architectural styles and community-

related uses of the designations in the listing as

representative of the historic character of the district. But

even those outside the overall period of significance, i.e.

updated storefronts on the otherwise fine examples of these

preserved buildings, add a different level of historical

interest. Those renewal-period changes blend in with the

number of well preserved classic Mesker-style iron fronts,

continuing the general sidewalk-level streetscape of plate

glass conformity. This "feel" of the business district,

common to all the downtown development schemes of the

20th century, is recorded as an evolutionary process starting

with the first application of plate glass in the 1850's in

Saugerties' Main-Partition Historic District.

Some highly notable examples of Italianate and Victorian

storefronts, some retained, others restored, match the periods

of their building's architecture exactly. The Village has a

revolving loan fund to encourage rehabilitations like these,

and tax incentives on both the local, state, and national

levels can be utilized at designated properties that carry out

this level of appropriate improvement. However, it is the

broad range of building styles and types transitioning over a

long period of continuous commercial use that is the theme

of this 84-designation district National Register listing.

Because special consideration was paid to this long use

relative to the history of the village and town as the business

district's significant contribution, the preservation priority for

the district is retention and restoration of each individual

structure's historic identity. This character is considered in

discussions of criteria and standards applied when reviewing

the appropriateness of any change being planned.


1954 aerial photo of historic district area with all historic fabric intact

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overstated iron-front support pilasters allowed large open spaces filled with windows in the upper stories. The history of our reach for verticality is seen in the variety of window spacing found in the Historic District.

The single most inappropriate activity that can take place in the historic business district is the blocking of a display window. The business district is a three-dimensional setting. It is defined as much by the inside of the buildings reading as a void as it is the facades, sidewalk and street. A storefront window's function is to show off the inside. The door is recessed to provide additional show space as well as provide some protection for an entering patron. If in the pattern of stores that line a commercial streetscape, one window is covered; papered over or curtained; all the attractiveness of the setting is lost. The transparency of the main panes of the storefronts are the soul of the commercial experience. In no instance should a storefront be permanently in filled.


A detail common to the storefronts of nearly all buildings of all periods in the historic business district is the lower cornice immediately over the storefront. This simple element is responsible for the harmony of the sidewalk-level of the commercial streetscape. It sets the scale for the storefront at sidewalk level, creating a sense of proportion for the stroller.

Often the lower cornice's base is the mounting point of an awning. Awnings are a traditional entry element for the storefront and add color and diversity to the streetscape. Only traditional awnings made of cotton or canvas and in traditional colors and the patterns found on period photos are appropriate. Whenever possible the awning color should be coordinated with the color of the building, storefront or the major signage. Contemporary curved or "Marquee" awnings are inappropriate for the theme of the historic business district. Awnings above the entryway on the upper facade and on residential structures of historic significance are appropriate only if based on precedent.

For the residential home this is the period of the porch. When guidelines dealt with the porch in the previous sections they addressed later, non-original porch additions made to homes. Many times these porches were used as an "update" to the house's original style, and may have been a replacement to an earlier, sometimes smaller porch or a new feature altogether. Pages 27 and 28 carry the general guidelines for caring for these porches. These guidelines will look at the porches built to be integral to the structure and design of the house.

Because of the importance porches play in the perception of historic buildings and streetscapes, the original materials should be preserved as long as possible. Typically areas covered by a porch roof tend to require less maintenance; however, steps and railings are usually exposed to the weather and might require additional maintenance. Regular painting is generally the best means of preservation.

Should components of the porch be missing or so deteriorated that replacement is necessary, it is always appropriate to match detail, if not material, when repairing or replacing. Wood putty materials capable of being sculpted and/or paintable moldings of synthetic materials are options. It is, today, possible to find synthetic materials to replace a detail originally made of old growth wood. However, it is always more logical to repair details carved of old growth wood because nothing will prove more

Preserving our grand estate and village

homes

he business district's

showcasing of TSaugerties' late 19th

century mercantile strength is

reflected in the expressions of

individuality that its wealthier

residents brought to the stylistic

choices for their homes. The

gilded era's preference that the

wealthy have a country seat on

the banks of the Hudson

River brought the already-

arrived and the up-and-

coming that gathered around

them to Saugerties. House

building starting in the

1890's through the 1920's

surrounding Saugerties'

business district and on

estate lands along its river

edge became a competition

to show off the best in

refined taste for those on, or

wishing to be on, the social

calendar.

In the last half of the 19th

century the generation that

founded the industries that

provided the native wealth of

Saugerties had passed on.

Their heirs and those

attracted to the

extravagance their

inheritances permitted

brought a new order to

the village and

countryside. The iron

mill's smoky and loud


The Judge Davis house on John Street, built around 1882, remained in the family until sold to the American Legion in the 1950’s. Inside were the original architect’s drawings (top) and photographs of the house as it changed over the years.

durable.

The hallmark of the porch is decorative detail. Cornice-work scrolls, turned railings and intricate angle and finials may be a painter's nightmare but are the "class" part of the house.

The porch of the period was generally integrated into the house design by defining the angles and entrances of its ground level. Sometimes it was made to look as if it buttressed the walls and visually supported the variety of volumes designed into the roofline's many dormers and cross gables. The porch and roof together gave the designer or builder the opportunity to make the house an individual expression. The homes that have retained this individuality intact are architectural treasures.

See page 16 for guidelines that address porch enclosure.


In the Historic District the issue of decks and terraces relates to deep set-backs and open lots. There are currently two outdoor eating areas in the historic district in such lots and, if you count up all the open lots and side carriageway-sized alleys, there's a potential of half a dozen more. While it is preferred that open space be used for infill construction matching the continuous sidewalk-fronting storefront pattern of the historic district's theme, interim use of open space for commercial enterprise is encouraged provided it matches zoning and planning codes.

An appropriate use of open space will frame and scale any set-back primary or auxiliary structure on the lot or, if none exists, then the viewshed that the lot's use opens to the sidewalk or streetscape. The business occupying the open space has the same responsibilities as other businesses that have historic buildings to maintain. It is the responsibility of the developer of the space to assure that the view featured by the use of their space as a commercial setting is appropriate for all the patrons of the historic district to view. It is inappropriate to either block or ignore a backdrop setting that is open to view from the historic district.

Since businesses utilizing open spaces are generally seasonal, the appropriate way for the business to maintain its premises off-season is to remove all indications that there is a business; furniture, signs, etc. Any sense of abandonment of the property or another use such as visible storage is inappropriate. An appropriate preparation of the lot for its seasonal use will consider the way it looks off season to the other historic district businesses and visitors.

The function of an outdoor eating or display area requires a level surface. Bluestone slabs provide the most appropriate surfacing as this continues the theme of the sidewalk into the establishment. While other paving systems may be used such as brick and patio pavers, it is never appropriate to use asphalt or plain concrete. Regardless of the material used, the addition of bluestone as an accent material in edging, wall or entry walkway is encouraged.

This use in the historic district follows a well defined use of terraces as verandas nested into garden schemes that arrived in this period alongside the popularity of landscaping. Most larger houses had formal gardens with accompanying sitting areas for enjoying the views. These, in the back yards of the Village, and stepping down the slopes of the country estates, often have to have their materials periodically resurrected from their slow sinking into the earth. Often, after years of neglect, they have to be totally rediscovered and excavated. This is well worth the effort. The saving of a sunken stone pathway or a sod-

reputation

had been

lost to

Pittsburgh

but its

reputation

for making Saugerties

a place of profitable

investments had lost

none of its glow. In

this age a place with a

railroad and steamboat

connection close to the

grand estates on the

Hudson was a good

place to invest an

architect's skill and a

trend begun among the

entrepreneurs of New

York City to

seasonally socialize in

Saugerties.

Not surprisingly,

many of these new

part-time residents had

amassed their wealth

from mechanical and

manufacturing-related

enterprises and intellectual properties related to

technological pursuits. The clustering of these like-minded

entrepreneurs that had its origins in the pursuits of Henry

Barclay continued a strong attraction to the parlors of

Saugerties.

An example of the way this attraction played out in one

specific set of events is instructive. This begins in the

greenhouse of the village mansion of G. W. Washburn, the

second largest operator of tug boats on the Hudson from

solely hauling the bricks of the Washburn Brothers brick

yards. His interest in scientific plant breeding sparked an

interest in cattle breeding for which he consolidated dozens


Bright Bank remained intact as an estate throughout the proprietorship of Henry Barclay, Blaise Lorrilard, John Sheffield, Robert Main and finally Edwin Jan Van Etten before a short period as Dale’s Sanitarium. Now the grounds and manor house are being restored by the Hensons.

covered patio is archeology well worth undertaking. What can be pried up with a crowbar is far more valuable than what may have come to mind to place over it, and likely valued at three times the price if it could be bought. It is not only appropriate, but practical, to dig up and re-set the bluestone slabs that surround every house of the area.

Guidelines for Fences and Landscape Walls

There are general recommendations for fences that are historic as well as those that may be proposed. The Town has a zoning code addressing the height and location of a fence and these guidelines for historic precedents guide appropriate material and form to fit with an historic setting. Whenever the stricter rule applies, that rules. Fences are territorial symbols and carry that baggage. However, as a rule, it is appropriate to keep fences neighborly.

In the case of the Historic Business District, the Village does not appear to have a zoning code covering fences so the guidelines that will be appropriate within Town code will be for district application overall. In the historic business district "stockade", split rail, chain link and rough sawn slab fencing are generally not appropriate for use in any setting that is visible from the sidewalks of Main, Partition, James, Jane, First, or the stretches of John, Market or Livingston streets that are in district bounds.

The period of significance for the historic business district is also the period for which we have the earliest photographic documentation. From this it is recognized that fencing was commonly used along side streets to separate lawns from sidewalks and streets. The common picket fence in all its varieties lends charm to the period streetscapes of these early photos. Therefore, it is not only practical, but historical, that lots with set-back structures or that are currently parking lots would blend into the historic district by having a picket fence in line with the other building storefronts of the street. A single curb-cut should be defined for each parking lot and the remainder of its frontage appropriately fenced. All fences must be in good repair, upright, straight and painted; maintained just as if they were the storefront on the next sidewalk frontage.

For screening objects from view, or when permitted for privacy, a trellis with or without plantings is the only appropriate structure allowable over three feet in height.


More than in all the previous eras, auxiliary buildings were common in the late nineteenth century. These ranged from the immense ice houses on the river and warehouses along the railroad lines to the egg and dairy production structures of the country side. As the area passed into the age of the automobile, the back yard utility shed took on the appearance of the estate's carriage house and the carriage house on the estate sprouted greenhouses and breeding barns as well as garages. Many of these have since fallen to fire or decay or have been converted into dwellings. The few that remain intact are a source of great interest.

As with all buildings of the period, these are built of old growth lumber and wherever this is repairable, it should never be replaced. Seldom are these structures built on more than stone piers. If the ground does not build up over the piers and the sills remain ventilated, and if the roof is kept intact to keep moisture from the interior, the walls should remain structurally sound. In some cases, as in railroad stations, these structures are built solidly enough to have been moved intact. Some were built as containers

of properties in

the 1880's to

create the 300

acre Shagbark

Farm in Pine

Grove.

A generation

later his heirs

sold the farm to

Edwin Cadwell, a leverage buyout kingpin of his day, who

auctioned the prize breeders. The best were purchased by J.

O. Winston, a principal contractor for the construction of the

Ashokan reservoir, the water supply for New York City just

to our south, for his own scientific breeding interests on his

thousand-acre Saugerties Farm (ca.1920). By 1922 Winston's

large architect-designed bluestone mansion and farm

building complex was an intellectual center. Meanwhile, the

Shagbark farm was developed into a retreat and colony by

the guru of positive thinking and friend to every successful

entrepreneur of the Gilded Age, Napoleon Hill, as a place for

ideas to find receptive and nurturing company.

This same progression of events was being repeated on

land along the river, on other ancient farms along the base of

the mountains and in most places that had not had their

quality disrupted by bluestone quarrying or brick making.

Many of the mansions built on the large estates of this

period are gone. However, there are remnants of this period's

influence everywhere in the character and identity of

Saugerties. The Augusta Savage Studio and House is one,

and is listed on the National Register. The house and school

of the artist Abraham Champanier was designated a

landmark of the Town in 2009. The mansion house and

grounds of the Winston Farm are National Register Eligible

and their significance is extensively documented by the

Historic Preservation Commission. The Anchorage Farm,

,


Kingsmead is the 1920’s manor house of J. O. Winston. It was made into acountry club hall in 1951 and has been unoccupied since 1958.

and are as strong as a sealed box.

The garages in the village and the livery stables behind the original hotels are examples of the historic fabric of the town.

Guidelines for Streetscapes

The walks, roads, and parking areas of this section are mainly those found in the historic business district and adjacent streets and sidewalks. Their guidelines reflect activities of not just the private property or business owner but the village, county and state interests in the road systems that lead to and pass through the district.

A priority of these guidelines is the preservation of Saugerties' relationship with bluestone, bluestone's use in sidewalks in Saugerties, and the understanding of how that history makes bluestone a significant physical identifier of Saugerties' heritage. Bluestone did not become a broadly recognized paving material until the late 1840's but Saugerties was already showing off bluestone sidewalks, crosswalks and curbstones by 1834, some of the earliest such applications of bluestone that can be documented. Thus, it is highly inappropriate to remove historic bluestone sidewalks or entry walkways or platforms from any frontage within the Town or Village of Saugerties. It is also inappropriate to permit bluestone sidewalk slabs to remain un-set or heaved to the point of being a danger to the public or at risk of cracking. And it is never appropriate to replace vintage quarried local bluestone slabs with concrete or asphalt. In the rare case that replacement is necessary care must be taken to assure that the same quality and color as predominates in the neighborhood is used. Always use craft-quarried local material when a match is required.

Parallel to the preservation of our bluestone heritage is the preservation of the village historic district's general streetscape as a historic transportation hub. It is a unique representative of a period of historic progressions spanning

river and turnpike to railroad and automobile-improved roads and, as a consequence, it is still the site of the convergence of two federal highways and two state highways whose traffic directly effects the historic district.

As far as experiencing the streetscape as it exists, side spaces between buildings should be clear and clean. Any visible off-sidewalk landscaping, such as retaining and barrier walls, should be constructed of traditional materials; brick or stone and not railroad ties. Plant material should be obviously planned and maintained if visible from the street. In the historic business district trees should be located and/or maintained so they do not directly block store signage.

"Street furniture" is encouraged, provided such items are compatible with the character of the district. All such furniture should be either "period" or simple, modern in

design, constructed for long term outside use and be safe.

designated as a landmark of the Town, has recorded as part

of its significance

that it served as a

gathering place for

learning.

But every side

street in the village

of Saugerties

shows a house that

is obviously

influenced by the

period of

gentrification

between the 1890's

and the 1920's.

Preservation of

these unique

structures is key to

preserving the

character and

history of this

period of

Saugerties.


The Pre-Civil War brick Whitaker Block is the predecessor to the Russell Block on the corner of Market street and other wide front, multi business buildings and department stores of the Golden Age of merchandising.

With architect-designed “Blocks” attracting customers from the newer styled estate and townhouses, by the turn of the century shopkeepers began to place cast iron Mesker and less expensive press tin facades on buildings that hid the massive iron framing needed for full glass street level show windows.


Signs are more regulated in local zoning law than they are in preservation law. In the main, the zoning deals with specifics of size, placement, visibility and permanency; measurable and enforceable through fines. No one should plan, or contract with a sign maker, to make a new or replacement sign without getting a sign application approved from the Building Department of the municipality where the sign will be erected. The sections of the Village and Town zoning codes on signs are included in the Appendix.

The Building Inspector deals with the measurable side of a sign application; the particulars of supports, coverage of walls and windows, illumination and the mechanics, glare or number of neon signs; all firmly stated in the zoning laws. The Village Building Inspector is responsible for this both within the historic business district and in all other districts in the Village. The Town Building Inspector is responsible for them in the Town.

In the districts of the Village zoned "historic" a separate application for a Certificate of Appropriateness (CofA)is required from the Historic District Review Board. This is for approval of the aesthetic elements of a sign. A decision is made based on the appropriateness of the sign's colors, scale, style and graphic representation. The CofA decision deals more with the subject of the sign. It is required ahead of the Building Department's review for all sign applications within the historic districts. The professionals that sit on the Historic Review Board often advise the applicant on issues related to the Building Department's interest in order to expedite that review.

The specific need for a Certificate of Appropriateness for signs within the historic business district of the Village has over the years made these signs a perfect subject for guidelines that support the overall fabric of graphic signage in the whole town and village. Appropriately designed signage helps attract business. The historic character of Saugerties is one thing that sets it apart from countless other places. The historic business district is the business center of "Historic Saugerties". Especially here, a sign for an establishment is part of the total promotion of the "Historic Saugerties" image that attracts business patrons to all of Saugerties. What is appropriate here is appropriate for signage in general.

The period theme of the historic business district is broadly placed. Between the 1870's and the 1920's there is ample photographic documentation of businesses in the buildings of Saugerties Village and in the country in general. Any type, design or image style common to this span of time is a good source of inspiration for a sign. Regardless of the theme of the business, graphics invoking earlier periods such as would be used in Nantucket or Plymouth would be inappropriate as would something totally contemporary.

Samples and descriptions of a proposed sign's colors and method of application that shows how the design meets the size and material restrictions of the sign code, is what must be submitted to the Review Board for a CofA to be discussed. If possible a photo montage showing the scale of the sign to the building itself should be submitted. All commercial sign makers provide such a computer image to their customers now.

For the review board the following general instructions apply to signs:

!The horizontal signboard on the fascia below the lower cornice of the historic storefront should always be


used for the sign if it is part of the architecture. Wall signs not placed in this area cannot be placed where they obscure any architectural element or window.

!Projected signs should be similarly styled and proportionate to neighboring signs. Their height, maximum dimension and distance from the street is governed by the zoning code for signs (see Appendix)

!If just a symbol is used to represent the business; a large scissors for a barber or a large boot for a shoe store; or a permanent sidewalk display of a traditional

symbolic item; an Indian to signify a tobacco store or a barber pole for that business; this is considered part of the signage area and is appropriate so long as the scale meets the restrictions of the sign code and the object is compatible with the theme of the district in the opinion of the Historic Review Board.

!The respective zoning codes should be consulted for the different allowable signage requirements in the different zoned districts of the Town and Village.

!For the historic districts the calculation is that for every linear foot of individual frontage of a store a total sign area of one and a half square feet is allowed. That means ten feet in width allows fifteen square feet in sign space.

!The proprietor of a store seeking a CofA must make certain that there is area left over in this calculation for minor signs that may be needed later. Also, lettering on awnings and window appliqués count as sign area. The signage for an average store applying for a CofA will fill an allowable 30 square feet with a hanging sign of 12 sq. ft., a window graphic on the main pane of 10 sq. ft., and a door number and awning valance band of 5 sq. ft.

!The only areas of the awning appropriate for lettering are the valance side flaps and banner front. The name of the business, street number or business slogan are commonly found in these areas. This lettering counts toward the allowable square footage of signage for the store frontage.

!Glass-applied window graphics in white stand out against a store interior and attract attention to the interior display. A window-applied sign should be no larger than 25% of the total pane size. It is important to recognize the purpose of the display window and design the sign to be airy enough to not distract from the merchandise within.

!Window signs that are not permanently affixed are regulated by the zoning law. The Review Board prefers that visibility through windows in the business district be as clear and open as possible. Beyond a permanent window graphic no more than 15% of any single pane of glass should be blocked. No more than two temporary signs are recommended per door or window and no more than two for the whole business.

!A sandwich board is a temporary sign that does not count toward the allowable square footage for signs. The maximum allowable sandwich board by code, however, is 9 sq. ft. and its maximum height is four feet. Sandwich boards must be placed inside when the store is closed.

!The sandwich board message must be permanently applied


There are eighty five structures listed in the Main and Partition Streets National Register historic district and each is, in addition to a period structure, a store front, with some buildings having multiple businesses. The signs on the preceding page and this one each had to receive a Certificate of Appropriateness from the Village of Saugerties Historic District Review Board before it could be added to a designated historic landmark in the business district.

to a durable surface and its design approved and have a CofA. Blackboard paint in an approved border that includes a permanent message header is an appropriate device for menus or special promotions. Tack spaces and taped paper are inappropriate uses of sandwich boards.

!Temporary signs and banners used for special, short term promotions and only displayed during the business day are appropriate in the town in general provided they match zoning restrictions, and in the business district if they do not interfere with pedestrian or vehicular traffic, do not obstruct the permanent signage for the business or its neighbors and do not cover the historic fabric of the store or its neighbor.

!Free standing signs are only appropriate for stores in the business district with a set back. In most other sign applications around the town free standing signs are restricted by zoning in size and height. It is recommended they match the period of the structure they are supporting and be as sensitive as possible to the overall historical theme of the Town.

!Boards containing directories of multiple businesses in the same building; as in upper floor offices or in divisions of a mall; should be placed as close to eye level as possible and match the same size, height and placement restrictions as similar areas of signage for the zone they are in.

!The area of signage for upper floor business directories visible from the street counts toward the overall allowable signage area of the building.

!The faded signs on the sides of buildings that are in some cases over a hundred years old are landmark signs. It is inappropriate to either remove, obscure, or restore these landmark signs. It is inappropriate to place a new sign directly on the side or material of a building, regardless of the size or purpose.

The following guidelines can help in designing an appropriate sign for the historic district:

!In the design the name of the establishment is the principle size element of the sign. Business logos should equal no more than 25% of the name element's size. All the identity graphics together should occupy no more than 60% of the sign board. An outline or edging of the signboard or decorative framing or corner work is encouraged in all designs.

!The sign lettering appropriate for the historic business district is a serif style. A good designer can work within this style and still create a unique business signature.

!It is considered good design sense to limit a sign to three colors. In the historic business district the colors should be chosen to coordinate with other signs on the street and with the paint scheme of the building the sign is on.

!Dark color backgrounds with light color lettering and accents are recommended to make the sign stand out from the ornateness of the long line of building fronts on the street

!Metal leaf is appropriate for signs in the historic district. Fluorescent colors and colors that "glow" are inappropriate. Lighting should illuminate the total sign form and not accent or spotlight a single area.

!All lighting should be concealed in molding or within a hood. Sign illumination sources must not spill light to


Village featured on lower right corner of Tilson and Brink 1853 map of Ulster county

Village featured preeminently on center of left side of French’s1858 map of Ulster county

Village map engraved nearly this same size by Leon Barritt for the final issue of The Pearl, 1875

he middle of these three rare maps lists all the T

business operations within the Village of Saugerties when these maps were made. In the third quarter of the nineteenth century Saugerties Village was the largest population center and the highest capitalized community in the region. These maps herald in the era that built the historic buildings of the village.

336.988

X

8223

Main St.9227

Main St.

10237

Main St.11243

Main St.12249

Main St.13251-257

Main St.

14250-261

Main St.

15265

Main St.

1627

Market St.

1731

Market St.

1831

Market St.

1948-50

Market St.

2038

Market St.

2124

Market St.

2218

Market St.

2312

Market St.

24317

Main St.

25319

Main St.

26321

Main St.

271

W. Bridge St.

28310-312

Main St.

29294

Main St.

30282

Main St.

31284

Main St.

35258-260

Main St.34262

Main St.33264

Main St.32268-272

Main St.

36252

Main St.

37248-250

Main St.

38244

Main St.

39236-240

Main St.

40232-234

Main St.

41228

Main St.

42220

Main St.

43216

Main St.

1173

Main St.

2191

Main St.

4195

Main St.

5211

Main St.

6215

Main St.

7217

Main St.

3John St.

4480-86

Partition St.

4588-90

Partition St.

4692

Partition St.

5298

Partition St.47

9

Jane St.4811

Jane St.

5015

Jane St.

49

Main Street (Rt. 3

2)

Main Street (R

t. 9W)

Division Str

eet

Myn

derse

Street

Ma

lde

n A

ven

ue

(Rt. 9

W)

Main Street

Main Street

Livingston Street

Ulster Avenue (Rt. 32 & Rt. 212)

Lafayette Street

Brinnier Street

Virginia Avenue

Brin

nie

r C

ourt

Irving Place

John Stre

et

Jane Street

Russell S

treet

Post Street

Dock Street

Latham Circle

Lighth

ouse

Drive

Lighthouse Drive

McD

ona

ld Stre

et

Alle

n Stre

et

Clermont Street

Saw

yer La

ne

Montgomery Street

Montross Street

Hilton Place

Partiti

on

Stre

et (R

T. 3

2 &

Rt. 9

W)

An

n S

tre

et (C

an

al S

t.)

Ann S

tre

et

Rip

ley

Stre

et

Beach

Stre

et

Valle

y St

reet

Burt S

treet

The

od

ore

Pla

ce

Beckley Street

Underw

ood Stre

et

East Bridge Street

Ferry Street

Barclay Street

Barclay Street (RT. 32 & Rt. 9W)

Trinity Place

Meadow Court

Overbaugh Street

Sim

mons

Stre

etBurt S

treet (R

T. 3

2 &

Rt. 9

W)

Churc

h S

treet (R

T. 3

2 &

Rt. 9

W)

Hill Street (RT. 32 & Rt. 9W)

Mill Stre

et

Washburn Terra

ce

Esopus Drive

Oa

kle

dg

e B

oule

vard

Oakled

ge Pa

rk

Re

ed

Pla

ce

Ma

rke

t St

ree

t (R

t. 3

2)

Ma

rke

t St

ree

t

Jam

es

Stre

et

West

Brid

ge S

treet

Firs

t St

reet

Cro

ss S

tre

et

Tee

tse

l Stre

et

Cole

Pla

ce

Myer Lane

No

rth S

tre

et

Hig

h S

tre

et

Eliza

beth St

reet

Elm

Stre

et

Second

Street

Partitio

n Stre

et (R

t. 32 &

9W

)

Partitio

n Stre

et

Treis Te

rrac

e

Robinson Street

Prospect Street

Finger Street

Finger Street

Sawyerkill Terrace

Dawes Street

Wa

shin

gto

n A

venue

Ced

ar Stre

et

Cente

r Street

Willia

ms Stre

etWa

rren Pla

ce

Mill La

ne

Mill Lane Extension

Bennett A

venue

Gurth

Lane

Willow Lane

Wa

shin

gto

n A

venue

51

53102

Partition St.

54104-106

Partition St.

55 56110-114

Partition St.

57116-122

Partition St.

58124

Partition St.

59130

Partition St.

60138

Partition St.

61150

Partition St.

62156

Partition St.

63160

Partition St.

64139

Partition St.

65Russell St.

66133

Partition St.

67131

Partition St.

68129

Partition St.

69117

Partition St.

70115

Partition St.

71103

Partition St.

72103

Partition St.

73101

Partition St.

7497

Partition St.

7592

Partition St.

7683

Partition St.

7781

Partition St.

7865

Partition St.

7965

Partition St.

80200

Main St.

81196

Main St.

82190

Main St.

83184

Main St.

Kiersted 1858 Street SurveyMeales & Hayes set point190’ from corner of Janesouth along W. Bridge street

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National Register Historic Business District

other parts of the building or site or produces a distracting glare to motorists and pedestrians.

!Back lit signs are prohibited in the historic business district. Neon is limited to window displays only, must be no larger then 2 square feet in area and must be off when the business is closed. No blinking or marquee motion signs are permitted in the business district. Establishments with liquor licenses may have one approved neon display of a maximum 2 square feet per each main pane of its storefront.

!Plastic signboards and vacuum form signs are inappropriate. Faux-carved signs are inappropriate. Formed or cast letters are appropriate provided they do not extend more than six inches from the signboard. Signboards must be of a durable grade marine quality plywood or of a similar weather resistant material.

!Metal framing and hangers for signs and hardware are best painted or anodized a matte black color or be of a natural black material.


The theme of a business district and village setting assumes lighting and light fixtures. Saugerties had electricity at an early period but it appears there was little need for lighting up the night. The street photos from the 1905 "picturesque Ulster" show only three lamp posts in all the pictures and they appear to be still using gas. Many outdoor light fixtures are available designed for this appearance or for the large globe bulbs common for giving the early electrification look.

Correct use of outdoor lighting requires spacing lights to give an even coverage of a street or residential landscape setting by illuminating the ground only as far as the next area of light and spreading the light no higher than what is necessary for ground-level visibility. Light that reaches higher by direction or reflection has an inappropriate glare.

It is neighborly to extinguish outdoor lighting when not in use. Only exterior lighting designed specifically for night time safety and security of pedestrians, on public streets, should be always lit. It is inappropriate for a business property that is closed to have its signage and window displays lit.


Drawing of Clovelea that first appeared in the New York World in 1889

Digital reconstruction of Clovelea by architect Scott Harrison

Clovelea is a locally designated

landmark of the Village of Saugerties

GUIDELINES FOR THE OPUS 40 MODEL(for a glossary of terms go to the end of this section.)

These guidelines for preservation of historic landscapes are concerned with the "eye-level" character of Saugerties visible from its heritage byways. They use as a reference the National Register site Opus 40 and the many historic dry laid stone elements and quarry settings of the town. The goal is to establish the physical and scenic integrity of historic stone features, and the adaptive reuse of bluestone that are visible from the roads, village streets and waterside of Saugerties.

Views, plantings, furnishings (fences, lamp posts, refuge containers, mailboxes, postings, etc.), walkway orientation, and other landscape topics along with bluestone's architectural uses have been covered in the guidelines in each of the previous three sections. This section's guidelines have the specific purpose of reinforcing the broad concept of heritage landscape identity rather than being concerned with issues of individual period property preservation.

Guidelines for recognizing the historic significance of land

In order to raise the awareness and respect for the local historic landscape, it is important that our educators and public employees be knowledgeable about it. Fortunately, targeted overviews of local culture, history, and environment statements are part of public improvement projects, planning initiatives or academic curriculums. Thus every publicly financed activity can use this community benefit as its justification.

The following guidelines put these basic understandings of the historic landscape in perspective for the public and for public servants and outsiders that may be contracted to perform work upon the historic landscape of Saugerties.

Guidelines for Waterfronts

Local preservation of both the historically significant viewshed of the Hudson River and the Saugerties waterfront is important to the region, state, and nation. All of the Saugerties shoreline is designated and is contained within the boundaries of the Ulster North and the northern extent of the Estate District Scenic Areas of Statewide Significance (SASS). This 1993 designated area extends a mile and a half on average inland along ten miles of the west shore and from the high water mark on the west shore to about a mile inland on the east side of the River.

The Saugerties' landscape is a focal point when viewed from Clermont, Montgomery Place, the Amtrak passenger line, and from boats on the river. While an ever expanding kayak and small craft boating public take advantage of the Saugerties waterfront and shoreline, attractions such as the Glunt Nature Preserve leading to the Saugerties Lighthouse offer overland access to these views. The nature trail between Glasco and Barclay Heights on the Dominican Sister's property, public access sites for boaters at Glasco and Malden mini waterfront parks, and the village waterfront park, as well as undeveloped State park grounds at Bristol Beach, Eves Point and Turkey Point, all give visual as well as physical access to the Hudson River. Additionally,

he three previous sections covered designed and

vernacular buildings from the colonial, early Tindustrial and mercantile periods. Their guidelines

related to preserving the style and material integrity of

architectural elements that remind us of the significant

periods of Saugerties history. The settings of these structures,

as part of the visual history of the town and village, dealt

with elements that contribute to the preservable landscape

characteristics of those particular periods. However, there is

much in the village and rural landscape of Saugerties that is

not architectural in form that equally conveys the message of

our significant heritage.

Saugerties is rich in the durable remains of water powered

mills, large stock farms, river front and railroad side

commerce, recreational and resort attractions, and its

ubiquitous bluestone quarries. These catch the eye as curious

ruins and unusual landforms in the rural landscape and are

echoed by similar curiosities embed in the streets and

forgotten corners of the urban

village. It is just as much due to the

individual respect and care for the

retention of these historic landscape

elements as it is to the preserved

period homes and business

structures, that we owe our common

pride in this community's heritage.

Saugerties is actually one large

archaeological site. A keen eye can


The Barclay Pond with the Hudson River in the background in the 1950’s before the open farmland of Barclay Heights was made into residential subdivisions and while the mills were still in operation.

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The Historic Landscape of Saugerties

The open fields of the Winston Farm were cultivated as an Indian plantation before 1684 and remained as open in 1994 for the 25th Anniversary of the Woodstock Festival as in this 1954 aerial photo, and look the same to this day.

access to the Esopus Creek via the Barclay Pond Village beach gives kayakers a level, wide, and placid three mile long inland waterway with scenery that actually attracted interest far before the Hudson River School of painters famously took note of the rest of our scenic wonders.

Policy 24 guidelines of the Federal Coastal Management Act that are specific to scenic resources apply to this entire waterfront area. These guidelines state, among other considerations, that: 1. Dredging, filling or bulkheading in the tidal waters of the Hudson River is restricted; 2. new highways, power lines, and signs cannot be placed within the view shed; 3. existing patterns of vegetation must be planned to screen new construction and that development must be clustered to fit into the screened area; 4. visible elements of the cultural landscape must remain and be kept in their original scale in proportion to the natural landscape; 5. removal or clear cutting vegetation that screens otherwise discordant features from view is inappropriate; and 6. blocking a view of either the river or mountains from a public thoroughfare in the scenic corridor with a structure or plantings is discouraged.

While preserving the beauty of this scenery is our responsibility so also are the historical structures within these settings, which perhaps are of greater importance because of their identification with our past. It is highly recommended that any ruin or ancient pilings, docks or anchorage be retained, maintained, and kept

visible. Features pointed out as significant in the SASS designation such as open grounds of estate properties, the pattern and scale of hamlet houses, and the wall of industrial ruins along the Esopus should be kept groomed and clear of screening. Landmarks such as chimneys and wharves that appear on navigation charts need special attention.

It is important that not only the public but particularly real estate developers recognize the effects dissonant elements would have on our scenic viewshed. The discordant nature of the sewage treatment plant and the storage buildings at Glasco that sit directly on the river bank are the only ones mentioned negatively in the SASS designation for over ten miles of

coastal area boundary.

Prospective property developers should plan accordingly so that no modification or damage is done to the geological forms, vegetation or structures that are significant to the scenic quality of this designated resource. Fortunately, no impairment of a view in this Significant Area of Statewide Significance is permitted under law.

Guidelines for Settings

Saugerties is within the Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area (NHA). Be it private landscapes as they are viewed from public vantage points, or public spaces, whether parks or the village streets, these are our venues for experiencing the "sense of place" of Saugerties. Landmarks such as stone walls are the boundary demarcation elements of this long settled landscape and are highly emblematic of its development. Likewise, the backdrop of highly visible quarries, water routes, and overland transportation roads are milieus identifiable with its economic heritage. Preservation of these significant settings conveys the impression of a community proud of its heritage and is the purpose of this section of guidelines.

The geometry of a landscape is a pattern of open spaces and the enclosures that divide them. The guidelines in previous sections of this manual have encouraged the retention and maintenance of perimeter markers such as traditional fences, like wrought iron for townhouses and pickets for dooryard gardens of cottages, and stone walls in rural settings. Where such boundary enclosures over time become lined with trees they become natural landscape features that should be maintained but not allowed to become

make out signs of man's past relationship to the land when

viewing the alterations in the present landscape be they:

roadbeds; building foundations; boundary walls; wharves;

dams; or, burial grounds. Centuries-old survey maps show

landmarks of that time that today are just seen as

“disturbances” in the land casually passed by every day, their

origins unknown, but just for that reason gaining our

attention.

History catches the eye along our roadsides because nearly

every road in Saugerties is historic, from the Kings Highway

of 1703, to the more recent

“Catskill Thruway” of 1951.

Our ancient roads and

streets were our

community's commercial

circulatory system along

which our historic

homesteads and clustered

service areas were built. All

our roads served as major

transport routes for the

products of colonial saw mills, nineteenth century quarries,

and the visitors to our turn-of-the-century – up through the

1940's – resorts, boarding houses, and art colonies. They've

seen a lot and reveal a lot.

The road courses themselves reveal Saugerties history. They

follow a characteristic pattern of stone walls that mark a

survey of lot lines laid out as right angle rectangles and

squares of twenty-four and sixty-six degree orientation. The

roads are vestiges of right-of-ways built into the deeds of

these hundreds of Kingston Commons lots. Kingston

Commons lots make up the entire western half of Saugerties


The rock cut gate of Barclay’s canal at Jane Street was pictured inside a gate house in the Cultural Resources Survey for the East Bridge Street Force Main study in 1979. The house had been lost and the site covered in refuse for this 2008 photo. Today the gates too are gone and this 1825 early Industrial Revolution landmark is filled with quarry rubble.

overgrown or spread. An open space foreground bounded by mature vegetation to the side defines a view's perspective on distant scenery and is an attractive roadside setting that can be marred by an imbalance of overgrowth. We suggest that if the frontage on a road is tree lined and there is a distant view, a well maintained low fence wall, cropped vegetation and boughs trimmed to no less than normal eye level is appropriate for roadsides.

Because we place a high value on open space and vistas as contributing to our sense of place, it is our position that the screening of them, using either dense shrubbery or tall fencing, is highly inappropriate. Privacy screening placed within view of a roadway or street should only be in the distant back of properties where privacy is appropriate. For concealing refuse containers or utility boxes that must be accessible, the use of planned plantings is encouraged.

The two heritage public spaces of Saugerties were located for their views: Seamon Park for its high promontory; Cantine Field for the sense of wide open space that comes from its original farming use. Their use echoed the function of their setting: Seamon Park for views and most recently for gardens and paths through shady and open elevations; Cantine Field for accommodating crowds of spectators. Preservation of the feel of their original settings allows their history to be part of the contemporary experience.

In Saugerties, these flats that define Cantine Field extended from the Gat all the way to the Great Vly, flanked by the route 9W ridge and Canoe Hill and was open farmland throughout the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. The high school, the Kiwanis arena, HITS, and nearby minor housing developments over the past half century have impacted the openness of Cantine Field. These discordant elements might have been mitigated by allowing the built environment to scale itself to the line-of-sight expanses expected for these open flats. While we cannot mandate correcting prior development, future structures over one story in the park's viewshed are out of context with its traditional open setting and should not be approved. This same "open feel" applies to the viewshed from the Winston Farm's fields. The quality it possesses as a potential event venue should be considered in reviewing the design and scale of commercial development along Routes 212 and 32.

Seamon Park's distinction as the highest point on the banks of the Hudson River has lost the advantage of its views due to the maturing of trees that have grown about its slopes. Since its primary purpose was the attractions of that promontory, historic preservation for this public space would emphasize a return to its open views. As a noted tourist attraction Seamon Park might be an ideal location to introduce the concept of the historic landscape of Saugerties through a promotion of the cultural history of Seamon Park relative to its river viewshed.

The newest public park has one of the most significant historical settings. The Waterfront Park at the foot of East Bridge Street is a grassy embankment of earth spread over the remains of the demolished waterfront mills that once drove the economy of Saugerties. It is surrounded by a zoned historic overlay and is the centerpiece of a waterfront revitalization district that follows the SASS Esopus Creek subunit coastal area

and their boundary demarcations are all made of stone cleared

from each lot of land. These walls and roads mark a spacial

organization and character of a landscape planned as a grid in

the first decade of the nineteenth century that can be seen from

nearly every road and walking trail in Saugerties today.

Because of this old network of roads, transportation has

played a central role in the growth of Saugerties and it is from

the vistas of its roads that one can trace its historic

development all the way from the period when they connected

to sail and steam on the river, onward to railroad and interstate

highways. Each advancement has brought growth to the

enterprises of Saugerties and their stature in the context of the

broader history of the region and state. Indeed, it would not be

a stretch to say that the features that appear in the rural historic

landscape of the roadside and waterfront of Saugerties tell the

story of the growth of this nation.

Every road and street, and even the remnant roads in the

countryside, and nearly the whole of Saugerties' shoreline on

the Hudson river had their earliest improvements follow the

transport of bluestone. Bluestone quarrying provided the

largest livelihood of Saugerties for nearly a century. There are

signs of bluestone everywhere in

the landscape of Saugerties. Its

wharfs, foundations, retaining

and boundary walls and its

tombstones are bluestone. There

are quarries with natural looking

but manmade hills made of


Seamon Park had begun to be overgrown in this 1964 aerial photograph as farm lands became residential subdivisions and the Schoonmaker house Dutch Barn was removed to place a gas station.

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The open flats of the historic Sawyerkill Patent area of the town in a late 1940’s areial photo where Cantine Field continues the same public access for recreation that went back to the post Civil War era.

boundary. Its viewshed has a restored 1888 mill building, the intact ruins on the original site of the 1826 Barclay paper mill, two of the only remaining 19th century steamboat warehouses left on the Hudson River, and the waters of a picturesque industrial harbor that has been documented, photographed and painted for close to two centuries. While views from the water are governed by the Policy 24 Coastal Management Act guidelines (referenced under "Waterfronts"), the public's awareness from land requires special attention. Historically this is an area developed for parallel docking and used as a turning point at the end of the Esopus shipping channel. It is recommended that the waterfront locations of heritage stone yards, ferry, steamboat and barge moorings identifiable in the many period photographs and other visuals be maintained. Recent expansion of moorage and floating docks with multiple berths extending into the viewshed is not historic to this setting. The demolition and removal of waterfront historical structures documented in the district surveys and the use of the resultant open space for parking of machinery and storage of unused and derelict watercraft is inappropriate under all existing guidelines.

Guidelines for Burial Grounds

Burial grounds, as elements of the rural historic landscape, are often the only remaining marker of a settlement,

community or ancient homestead. They attract, for example, visitors interested in tracing genealogy or wanting to experience the "environment" of old cemeteries. In Saugerties, a community that has headstones that date to Palatine arrivals of 1710-11 and which represent names that have become common in the greater population of the United States, local burial grounds have become destinations. By law, family members have a right to access the resting place of their ancestors and care for the grounds. Any deed to the land upon which a

burial ground exists excludes that earth and right-of-way to it from the normal property rights of the owner.

Large burial grounds are recognized as a "commons" of the community. Cemeteries that developed around churches and municipalities often were planned as contemplative landscapes and as such are often places visited by more than just the relatives of the deceased. Smaller burying grounds adjacent to roadsides are a part of the historic feel of the countryside and are available to be visited by those curious about history. Because of this easy public availability, the traditional function of maintenance and care of burial grounds speaks to the fundamental character of a community. It is appropriate to handle vandalism, litter, and overgrowth in burial grounds on private property, the same as if the cemetery grounds were public parks. They should be groomed as parks and policed as parks. This should be a routine maintenance and protection responsibility under the management of the respective departments of the Village and the Town of Saugerties.

Guidelines for Roads, Streets and Trails

In 1835, James Eights, fresh from a geological study of the Erie Canal in 1829 and the first scientific expedition of discovery organized by the U. S. government in 1831, did a groundbreaking geological study that followed a line from the Catskill peaks through the Glenerie breaks and on to the Hudson River below Glasco. He speculated from his observations that a catastrophic break and flood happened at Glenerie, draining what he called "Lake Albany" and that the resulting ancient, dry clay bed of the lake represented an ideal transportation corridor through Saugerties. His speculation was confirmed by railroads in the 1880's and, in the 1940's, the building in Saugerties of one of the first sections of the longest superhighway of its day; the New York State Thruway.

Saugerties has three east-west roads that date to the age of turnpikes and three north-south roads that all have interstate histories; the earliest of the three interstate roads, the Kings Highway, being the oldest in the United States and the New York State Thruway our youngest. Each of the six roads have regional,

bluestone as well as elegant sculptural environments made of

bluestone. Saugerties is world famous for the bluestone that

is here and that it shipped across the country.

Bluestone is in the abutments of long-gone covered bridges

we see when we cross our many waterways. Culverts of

bluestone still carry water under our roads. It covers wells

and drainage channels. It is our sidewalks and basement

floors. Bluestone forms the len

gth of the historic 1878 Long

Dock out into the Hudson

River and builds out the

shoreline occupied by the

many giant ice houses of a

century ago.

Bluestone’s association with

Saugerties’ roads begins in

1831 when it was transported

from Centerville to the banks

of the Esopus and made into

the supports for the first bridge

there. From that time on, it has

changed landforms both here

and abroad.

Bluestone is in nearly every

historic house that lines

Saugerties roads. Pieces of

bluestone not large enough to

be marketed as a sidewalk

slab, window or door lintel,

step or porch platform or curb or tram stone became the

finely crafted walls of foundations and boundary and

retaining walls. Bluestone was the most easily accessed local


The land form of Saugerties is what designers call an elegant solution. With routes through the Catskill escarpment just eight miles from tide water at the Hudson River and all the water resources of the mountains draining toward perfect mill sites it had everything needed to be a center of nineteenth century innovation and enterprise.

State or National historic significance either because of the precedents their creation set or the record created by their use over time.

The post-WWII building of the eight mile Thruway section between Saugerties Village and just south of Catskill was a "first" for many design, civil engineering, and landscape architectural innovations that became standard for all 480 miles of the Thruway and all interstate highways that followed. In just the four miles that this early section traversed within the Town of Saugerties, there are five overpass bridges, two interchanges, three waterway diversions. In addition, the paving process set the pace and methods of construction that are all now historic. It is important to remember that these accomplishments date back to the late 1940's. This section, which opened to traffic July 4, 1951, meets the age criteria for landmark status.

As much as the Thruway in Saugerties represents speed, the counterpoint on the rest of our roads is the retention of the pace associated with their long historic use. The curvilinear courses of the paved rural roads of Saugerties echo the many pathways that crisscrossed the countryside a century ago and are still marked on many maps as roads never improved for automobile traffic. Many of these are fragments used as private lanes and drives while others have been incorporated into residential developments. The latter's meandering feel probably influenced the design of the newer streets -- controlling the pace and circulation of traffic and making the placement of house settings feel more rural. It is because these new roads have limited sight distances, they necessitate slow speed limits, thus unintentionally calling attention to the historic landscape elements whether driving, cycling or walking past them. Our recommendation is that the berms of primary, secondary, and sub-development roadways be made broader when and where there are historic features that can attract attention.

Highway Department attention to the topography of road berms is encouraged. Close guardrails and sharp cuts into embankments are discouraged as is indiscriminate removal of trees in favor of utility lines. Roadside access ways are historically significant components of rural road use. Roadside landscape features such as plantings and stone retaining walls that convey the rural experience are encouraged to be retained or duplicated when new road projects are undertaken.

An awareness of the historic significance of road fragments and their backgrounds and the historic structural elements that remain is encouraged. When ancient road beds are used for drives or lanes a sympathetic approach to improvement through the use of traditional materials as well as hewing to the original course is encouraged. A century of use in the pre-automobile era may have required structures such as culverts, incline and slope retaining walls, and even early forms of paving such as tramway surfacing, many of which are now hidden in the natural landscape. These archaeological artifacts might be disturbed, covered over or replaced in current usage and as such we would highly recommend that there be consideration to either reclaiming or reconditioning them in lieu of replacement -- particularly where they are subjected to light residential traffic. For work done to the heritage routes of the Town, and to the streets of the Village, the Highway Departments are encouraged to consider preservation issues and provide basic civil archeology training for their personnel.

Additionally, recognition and recording of subterranean features that may be unearthed doing road work adds to our understanding of local history. The use of historic documents such as sewer, water and fire cistern maps is encouraged for any project undertaken in the streets of the village. Retention of heritage civil engineering is not always possible when updating or repairing infrastructure but the Commission and Review Board can help in evaluating, surveying, and recording any archaeological elements, especially when removal and replacement involves environmental impact issues in federally funded projects.

Guidelines for Sidewalks. Curbs and Tree Lawns

Sidewalks, curbs, and tree lawns are a part of the real estate of an individually owned village parcel but are viewed as common areas

building material. The dimensional “waste” stone abundant

at the quarries and free for the taking, was continually being

transported along the roads of Saugerties to be used for

every construction

purpose imaginable.

Everyone for over five

generations knew how

to build with bluestone.

The source of this

bluestone left true

landmarks; hundred foot high quarry walls and rubble

mounds that can be clearly identified on Google birds eye

aerial views. These form a vertical strip from the bottom to

the top of the town's

center on to the face of

the Catskill Mountains.

It is no mistake that the

orientation of the

Kingston Commons lots

and the roads they

birthed follows the

topography of bluestone

ledges to this rise of the Catskill escarpment at Saugerties.

Our archaeological remains from the period of bluestone

quarrying and transport are as permanent as the stone itself.

No matter how long ago the bridge was replaced or the wood

parts of the building fell down or the stone fenced farm field

or the quarry returned to forest, what was built from or

quarried into the stone remains. And every place these

curious forms of stone are visible, they draw the imagination

toward the history of Saugerties. Often Opus 40 is the image

that begins this evocation.

Opus 40 is the reason stone landscape elements attract


1930’s era diversion wall for the quarry drains at the Centerville cut, south side of Rt. 212.

West abutment for old Saugerties and Woodstock turnpike covered bridge over Plattekill, north side of Rt. 212

and, as such are shared with the public. Their proper care is not a municipal responsibility but it is generally subject to a use and upkeep ordinance.

Regarding Curbstones and sidewalks, they should never be made of, or be replaced by, modern, non-traditional materials. Saugerties has used native bluestone materials throughout its entire history, with village records of 1832 documenting the earliest application of specifications for bluestone sidewalks, curbing, and crosswalks for any municipality in the country. If a tree roots have lifted slabs, they must be mortised back or the slabs reoriented. For safety, sidewalks should be reset when any meeting of one slab to another is lifted more than a half inch. When resetting, the slab should be lifted toward, and vertically supported at, its curb side, and the new bed material sloped toward the curb so when it fans as the slab is lowered a drainage slope is maintained. Proper drainage prevents frost intrusion and slab movement. Sidewalk slabs should never cross drive or parking lot entries. Where sidewalks do cross a vehicular entry, brick should be used as a replacement and laid to the same level as the sidewalk. Vehicles should never be driven onto sidewalk slabs and the sidewalk slabs should always be separated from vehicular disturbance by a standard height curb. Most importantly, try to retain all historic bluestone sidewalks. If replacement is necessary, replace in-kind, utilizing local materials similar in appearance and composition to what is replaced.

Regarding curbs: The curbing along Saugerties streets has been pressed to below its standard height from years of automobile overrides. Since many of these ancient curbstones predated automobiles by a half century or more, local planners never anticipated this "abuse". As these stones have their tops pressed closer to street level, salt etches their fine seams and in some cases they have flaked. The integrity of the stone is normally good and so the curbing can be easily reset. To correct, we advise digging to the base of the first stone of a property frontage and prying it up to expose the base edge of the next length, and so on to the last, to remove the curbing. The base of the clean-edged trough left is then filled to the desired level with crushed stone and the curbing is then snugly returned to its previous place. Never use pebbles or run-of-bank material for fill as these products have a chemistry when wet that prevents bluestone from drying. This curb maintenance chore is the responsibility of every parcel owner in the village.

Side streets are historically designed with "tree lawns" for shade tree planting between the street curb and the pedestrian walkway. Additionally, the village's commercial district had tree lawns on which sign posts were also placed until streets were widened in the 1940's. Trees should not be taken down for the convenience of utilities or because they are a bother to the property owner. Keeping old trees in good health, planting replacement trees, and keeping tree lawns green is encouraged. As an important part of the historic land and streetscape, shade trees and trimmed tree

lawns are encouraged.

Guidelines for Historic Stone Structures

Stone walls are traditional boundary markers, and not, as most people think, containment structures. A stone wall is rarely over thigh high, thus any large scale stone structures are likely the remnant of a long forgotten function and should be identified and cataloged by the Commission or Review Board.

Stone walls are obvious enough to stand out on aerial photograph. Many are recorded on USGS topographic maps. The local stone walls that are a pastoral form of boundary marker should be recorded particularly if they delineate ancient boundary lines such as the lot divisions of the Kingston Commons. Ones that are old markers of property lines are likely the same ones in a deed or survey map of a hundred years ago, so should never be removed or moved. New stone walls placed along the edge of a designed landscape create a

logical, poetic and picturesque element and, as a separation from a neighbor in a residential setting, are traditionally respectful. As such, they are encouraged as a new structure that emulates an

attention in Saugerties. What Opus 40 has accomplished

with bluestone makes every other built stone form as iconic

of Saugerties as a “hex sign” is of the Amish region of

Pennsylvania.

Opus 40 is internationally recognized as a work of art and is

the model for heritage art, culture, and landscape

appreciation for all that aspire to this artistry in and out of

Saugerties. Whereas this popular acclaim culminated in its

1998 designation as a State and National Historic landmark,

rare for a modern landscape artwork, locally, Opus 40 is

celebrated as part of a tradition. Its creator, the sculptor

Harvey Fite, also built his studio house, and a museum

building to hold his collection of tools and household

artifacts of the quarrying era, out of native materials -- just

as many of his High Woods neighbors had. The location of

Opus 40 is central to where a half dozen roads converge in a

community that was a center of rural life when Fite arrived

in the 1930's. The entrance to Opus 40 retains the same

narrow road width it had

when it continued on to

service dozens more quarry

sites still operated by his

neighbors in these waning

years of the bluestone era.

Studies have been done

concerning the care of Opus

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53Honoring The Past and Looking to the Future: Guidelines for Identification and Preservation in Saugerties, New York

The ruins of the mill pictured in the 1880’s on page 21 has the stone walls of the original mill of 1826 with their drive wheel sluiceway openings intact. This abandoned site is an archaeological treasure of the early Industrial Revolution.

At the site of nearly every quarry the forest has reclaimed can be found wind shelter hunting blinds of stacked rubble left from over a hundred years ago.

historic function. An old stone boundary wall with sections that have settled should be repaired by rebuilding. First, digitally record the faces, then disassembling the section, reform the foundation layer and finally replace the original stone restored as close as possible to the pattern, color and texture to what was digitally recorded. Structures that have been subjected to shatters from tree-falls or other collusions or are broken for underground utility installations should strive to be returned to the same texture, color and pattern as before the damage. Structures subjected to backfill or a buildup of natural litter over time should either have the earth and/or litter hoed back and removed or, if the intrusion has changed the entire level of the land for the full length of the wall, be systematically rebuilt using the same procedure as if the whole wall had settled. The stone color, texture and pattern of a heritage wall are qualities that should be retained. Never add to the height of an ancient wall with new material, use new material for face repair, or repair a dry laid wall with mortar.

Whether a heritage stone structure (as distinct from a stone wall) is in a ruin or is still supporting a road or culvert its placement and purpose is of great historic significance. Ruins are often the center of a scenic attraction. The ruins of the mills and waterworks of past centuries and the structures of bridge supports, road bank supports, and culverts all applied bluestone for their construction even before there was a quarrying industry. Their protection permits an invaluable window into the past and their visibility along road and water routes emphasizes and encourages the value curiosity plays in community identity.

Historic stone structures laid for retaining or support are often architectural or engineering artifacts and were built to specifications well documented during their construction. These "old" methods of construction and the type of material to be used are broadly available and if followed today assure a longer life and continued functionality of the structure then a similar application of a more contemporary material and construction techniques offer. When large trees are integrated into the scenery close to the wall of a ruin the pressure from roots may cause bulging of the wall but in all probability they've been growing long enough to already be directed away from the mass of the wall. Trees just beginning to grow out of the wall or near its edge should be removed. No tree should be allowed to develop a firm footing within six feet of a presently functional earth supporting stone structure. No stone structure related to such an identifiable historic function as suggested by this guideline should be demolished, disassembled for reuse of its building materials or intruded upon by modern development.

As important as the historic stone walls or stone structures, are the bluestone quarries. They serve as a form of interpretive landscape demonstrating how operating quarries were workplaces where products were prepared for an international market for over a century. Maintaining a safe way to encounter these historic industrial and civil engineering archaeological sites is in the public interest. Likewise, the mounds and backfills of heritage quarries all vary in the quality of material they offer and this material should not be considered as mined when applied constructively. These mounds are being recycled and the building potential of this material should never be degraded by industrially processing it into chips as a form of recycling. Additionally the use of it as land fill is highly discouraged. There are standards for the quality of bluestone that cover its color, density, structure and chemical resistance as a historic material and local business activity for selecting material that meets these standards is encouraged. Quarrying, however, is recognized as a regulated activity and is not a subject of these guidelines. This guideline only references the local stockpile of rubble and its local use.

Tribute or heritage homage landscape environments featuring a new wall should apply only material from a local rubble source. If practical, weather-exposed stone from the surface of rubble mounds should be selected for wall faces. Random size stones add interest and an authentic character, as does irregular face, shape, and gap of the stone. Square-cut cap stones should be avoided unless the setting

40 that reference, for want of a

comparable example, the

protected man made environments

of ruins, scenic settings, and

public parks which include

roadway design and care of open

spaces. These studies all have

implications for the Saugerties’

environment of mountain trails and vistas, river kayaking

and shoreline vistas, winding motor routes and private

roadside places, and these studies form the basis of our

guidelines for preserving the rich archaeological

environment of Saugerties.

There are, of course, other lasting landscape elements of

stone that are not bluestone. Though bluestone predominated

once quarries opened after the 1830's, a hundred and fifty

years of building in landscape

settings took place before

that. An example of the

linkage of road, land form,

and community that is central

to the historic landscape of

Saugerties is the large level


Harvey Fite’s Opus 40 began as a sculpture park. I toward Fite’s traditional art. In the end the park became the art and the internal views and entire six acre environment ( bottom) became the work of art. The quarry bed and walls exposed on the lower right side of the aerial photograph are what the quarry beds look like throughout the town.

(top) ts original design guided views

middle and

A wall at a pool in the Washburn Creek visible from Rt. 212 created by the author as part of a three-quarter acre sculptural reclaiming of an 1840s quarry reusing the rubble mounds that previously filled this stream.

emulates an estate character. Larger stones unevenly spaced are common as tops for native stone walls. These better survive the frost. A wall that is too tightly spaced and has too sheer a vertical face not only looks contrived but often heaves or slips from frost more noticeably then a looser laid wall.

Guidelines for Quarry Sculptures

Because of the influence of Opus 40, abandoned quarries that attract artistic interest are one of Saugerties' greatest cultural assets. John Beardsley, the preeminent scholar on contemporary land art, stated that Opus 40 "manifests... the desire to participate in the creative reclamation of landscape." These guidelines, based on studying Opus 40, address creative projects in heritage quarries and "backyard" aesthetic dry laid stone structures. Both fall under the general definition of the National Park Service as "cultural landscapes" based on their emulation of Opus 40. In Opus 40, one sees the subtractive process that has left a quarry with its own aesthetic and the additive process, where the sculptor returns material from that quarry to make the site a work of art. The Secretary's Standards for Rehabilitation, in a free interpretation of quarry sculptures as "additions necessary to the development of a compatible new use", ensure that the historic character of these properties is maintained. By that position, the Secretary's Standards recognize all bluestone quarry sites as local 19th century cultural assets and we treat them as such in these guidelines.

These guidelines for use of heritage quarries provides no encouragement to use quarry faces as surfaces for painting or carving but highly encourages sculptors to use the techniques of dry laid construction, for example by the Dry Stone Walling Association and other craft preservation organizations, to create durable structures that reuse historic materials residing on their property.

Basic to these recommendations are: clearing to a bedrock base before beginning any construction; using rubble material laid in the full volume of all constructions and not dump-filled between laid up faces; not using "blast" or waste hard pan as construction or fill material; eliminating trees and shrubs and the earth that supports them as well as discouraging all invasive growth from inclusion within dry laid forms; avoiding "facing" of a bedrock quarry wall with a façade of laid stone; and, never applying mortar.

In Saugerties a view of the original bedrock strata is always encouraged. This supplies an "interpretive geology" relationship to the art.

Recommendations:

1. Documentation of design, site preparation and work toward the finished sculpture should be kept as interpretative material useful for supporting future analysis and maintenance. In addition, the National Park Service recommends repeat photography to "interpret the nature, rate, and direction of change in a cultural landscape, to evaluate the cause(s) of perceived change, and to establish new photographic records for future analysis of change." This includes aerial photographs when possible. The archives of the Town of Saugerties Historic Preservation Commission are offered as a repository for this material.

2. The continuous observation of the natural, outdoor environment of quarry sculptures is recommended as a function of site management. Invasive growth, litter and damage associated with visitors should be annually assessed and mitigated.

3. It is recommended that copies of an annually updated management log and photo record (possibly created by the Historic Preservation Commission for designated land-art landmarks) be submitted.

4. Because Opus 40 and Harvey Fite, its creator, are the motivational forces for a school of quarry sculpture art, we would hope that all material that documents the sculptor's life, plans and the involvement of others while building Opus 40 should be archived and available for research. Further, as an example of best practices the Board of Opus 40, Inc. is encouraged to be an open and available source of information for future quarry sculptors by making available, for example, its various forms that assess its standardized maintenance procedures, maintenance plans, emergency plans, inspection processes, and professional advisors,

outcrop of limestone on the Kings Highway that the settlers

of the Palatine immigration chose as a central meeting place.

This was called the Kaatsbaan because it resembled a large

ball court (it has been told that the Indians actually used it

for their ball games). It is here that the first structure to be

only used for religious worship was built in Saugerties and

the large farming community that grew around it hosted the

first meeting of the town in this rural community setting

when it was formed in 1811.

Pre-European archaeological interest in rural historic farm

field and shoreline landscapes has uncovered stone of a

different sort. Tools and arrowheads show that a sizable

number of watercourses and natural meadows were hunted,

fished and cultivated here as far back as 14,000 BCE. These

ancient sites often occupied the same landscape as the

drainage canals made when vlys, or bogs, were converted

from grazing to cropping fields in the late 19th century and

account for the collections of prehistoric artifacts and

popular stories their discovery inspired then.

Most notable historically for the engineering interest they

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Record of damage to sculpture under construction, August, 2011; restored in 2012. from Tropical Storm Irene

Record of damage to National Register historic sculpture Opus 40 in 2012; restoration projected for 2015

as well as sharing its experience with incorporation and other related issues.

We close this section by stressing that historical features or heritage landscapes located in the Town and Village of Saugerties that are visible from a public byway, whether it be the river, a town road or a village street, should be treated as a part of our historic identity and maintained with pride and care.

Glossary of local landscape terms

bank - A natural deposit of material, as in a clay bank or a sand bank; sometimes used in association with ownership, as in Cole Bank

berg - A hill or rise (Plantasie Berg, Hoogeberg)

binnewater - an oxbow of a kill left isolated after a closure but retaining the same water table as the main stream, remaining filled with water

bluffs - level rises of farm fields running parallel to the river forming as a glacial plateau (Saugerties Bluffs; Glasco Bluffs)

clove - A break in a ridge or the face of the mountain usually associated with a watercourse (Plattekill Clove; Kaaterskill Clove) and traditionally used for a road's incline to a higher level

cut - A quarry or a road directly through or inclined or stepped up a barrier ridge (Centerville cut)

drain - A ditch used to release trapped water in a depressed area such as a tidal marsh, a quarry zone, a sunken meadow or a vly (Quarryville drains)

flat - A shallow in the river that surfaces at low tide and is surrounded by deep channels (Green Flats; Middle Flats) or a level stretch of farmland between ridges (Saxton Flats)

gat - a valley or land lower then a surrounding level; a ravine (the Gat is the lower Partition street section of the village, often misspoken as "the gut")

kill - A steadily flowing stream or small river; the smallest kills are killitjes

long dock - Extension of a road from the shore to the channel of the river to facilitate ferry or deep watercraft access to land transportation

meadow - A low marshy area along the shoreline of the river or a woodland opening where bedrock is close to the surface, useful mainly for cattle grazing

mound - Waste material from quarrying deposited behind a quarry cut or at the base of a quarried ridge

parclo B2 - Designation for duel partial cloverleaf interchanges with two individual loop ramps used for entry and directional ramps used for exit

quay - A stone retaining wall adjacent the deep water at an estuary or river side used for parallel docking of large water craft

rack - A straight line-of-sight course for navigation on the river; also called a reach (Lang Rack, Bristol Reach); called a streak on land

reeks - Natural cliff falls or mounded rubble from quarrying

ridge - Small cliffs running parallel to the mountain face and river that direct the course of streams and roads and are the location of quarries

rift - Bedrock base in a stream channel that is a firm crossing place for a ford

streak - A straight line-of-sight road with no obstructions; called a reach or rack on the river

wall - A dry-laid stone boundary delineation or foundation; the "Great Wall of Maniteau" is the escarpment to the Catskill Mountains imagined as a wall

valletje - A filled oxbow or flood plain of a stream with high banks

vly - A natural spring-fed meadow where water is trapped between rock strata; a bog or swamp; many are called "great vly" (Myers Great Vly; The Great Vly)

garner are the built landforms of the waterworks, platforms

and wharfs made for the mills of Saugerties. All the

functional land changes for the mills of the 1820's entail

stone structures. Until 1858, when the stone dam across the

Esopus washed away, refrigerator-size blocks of cut stone,

still visible at the raceway wall, defined every location that

water was retained or directed for use by the mills. This

industrial archeology landscape is among the earliest

significant tidewater clusters of Early Industrial Revolution

landmarks in the entire mid Hudson region.

The focus of the mills on Saugerties' riverfront location

nearly two centuries ago is what attracted the present

intersection of three major state and federal highways, a

railroad and the New York State Thruway to be concentrated

in one small village and its immediate environs. All of these

roads followed the courses of ancient pathways turned

carriage roads and then made into some of the earliest

improved automobile routes. Every modern road in

Saugerties follows the courses of ancient pathways turned

carriage roads and then made into some of the earliest

improved automobile routes. Today's patterns of traffic

through the village follow the same courses that were

determined by fords and ferrying points used when the first

stone houses were built here in 1725. These roads and streets

and the miles of remnant roads in the countryside are all sites

of historic landscape archaeological interest.

Durable landscape environments that are publicly visible or

accessible offer the means for promoting heritage pride.

Every owner of one of these historical landforms in the town

and village of Saugerties plays a part in transmitting their

own particular view of history. With the use of responsible

preservation guidelines they lead by example thereby putting

our community's best foot forward.


Stone reservoir dam of Barclay’s 1825 waterworks visible in The Mill parking lot.

VILLAGE OF SAUGERTIES HISTORIC PRESERVATION SECTION OF THE ZONING LAW

§ 210-20. Historic districts. [Amended 10-20-1986 by L.L. No. 5-1986; 3-16-1987 by L.L. No. 2-1987]A. Purpose. It is hereby declared as a matter of public policy that the protection, enhancement and preservation of buildings of historic, architectural, and cultural value is necessary to promote the economic, cultural, educational, and general welfare of the public. Inasmuch as the identity of a people is founded on its past, and inasmuch as the Village of Saugerties has many significant historic, architectural, and cultural resources which constitute its heritage, this section is intended to:

(1) Protect and enhance the landmarks and historic districts which represent distinctive elements of Saugerties' historic, architectural, and cultural heritage;(2) Focus attention on and foster civic pride in the Village's historic resources;(3) Stabilize and improve property values in designated historic districts;(4) Protect and enhance the Village's attractiveness to visitors and the support and stimulus to the economy thereby provided; and(5) Strengthen the economy of the Village by preserving its historic assets and thereby ensure the harmonious, orderly, and efficient growth and development of the Village.

B. Historic District Review Board. (1) There is hereby created a Review Board to be known as the "Village of Saugerties Historic District Review Board."(2) Membership.

(a) The Review Board shall consist of five members to be appointed, to the extent available in the community, by the Mayor as follows:

[1] At least one shall be an architect or engineer; [2] At least one shall be an historian or member of the Saugerties Historical Society or a similar group concerned with preservation of the Village's heritage;[3] At least one person shall be a person with professional involvement in real estate or building construction or renovation; and[4] Two other residents of the Village.

(b) All members shall have a known interest in historic preservation and architectural development within the Village of Saugerties and shall take such steps as are practical to become better trained in these areas. The Mayor shall designate an appointee to fill any vacancies within 60 days of such position becoming vacant. Such appointee shall serve the balance of the unexpired term.

(3) Review Board members shall serve for a term of three years, with the exception of the initial terms which shall be one member for one year, two members for two years, and two members for three years.(4) The Chairman and Secretary of the Review Board shall be elected by and from among the members of the Review Board.(5) The powers of the Review Board shall include:

(a) Employment of staff and professional consultants as necessary to carry out the duties of the Review Board, with the prior approval of the Village Board.(b) Promulgation of rules and regulations as necessary for the conduct of business.(c) Adoption of criteria for the identification of significant historic, architectural, and cultural landmarks and for the delineation of historic districts additional to those stated in Subsection C below.(d) Conduct of surveys of significant historic, architectural, and cultural landmarks and historic districts within the Village.(e) Designation of identified structures or resources as landmarks and historic districts.(f) The making of recommendations to the Village government concerning the acquisition of facade easements or other interests in real property as necessary to carry out the purpose of this section; and with the approval of the Village Board, acceptance on behalf of the Village government of the donation of facade easements and development rights.(g) Increasing public awareness of the value of historic, cultural and architectural preservation by developing and participating in public education programs. The

n 2004, the Town Board of Saugerties passed a Historic Preservation Ordinance, Local Law No.3 of 2004; "An IOrdinance related to the establishment of landmarks or

historic districts in the Town of Saugerties". As part of the Historic Preservation Commission's Powers and Duties, Section 4A of that Law requires "Adoption of criteria for the identification of significant historic architectural, archaeological and cultural landmarks and for the delineation of historic districts."

In an effort to satisfy Section 4A, the Historic Preservation Commission has created the following document. It classifies Saugerties historical legacy into 20 categories. Each category represents a recognized and adopted criterion of Saugerties unique architectural, archeological and cultural landmarks.

ID CRITERIA 1. Roadways

The local turnpikes and public roads are rich in historic fabric. They are among the earliest and longest in use in the state. During a major improvement program of the 1930's which among other improvements straightened parts of the Malden and Saugerties & Woodstock turnpikes, and other roadbeds, there were many sections that were bypassed ,e.g., "Old 212" and "Old 32", or abandoned to be annexed to adjacent property. Those sections left Saugerties with the remains of early road construction and engineered infrastructure rarely preserved. These sections are historic because they were the earliest "tram" roads, built for transport of bluestone from the local quarries and later were the earliest macadam-surfaced roads in the state. Remains visible at the many stream crossings and drainage culverts of these ancient roads are historically significant.

2. Commercial Buildings on Roads

All our roads have historical significance as links to places where work occurred. The blacksmiths and feed stores and rest stops at crossroads and stream crossings represent some of the oldest local businesses. These businesses were responsible for the upkeep of the road and bridges that brought customers to their doors. Nearly 120 miles of roads were already in use by 1811 when the town was formed. Some stone house business locations date from as early as the middle of the eighteenth

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A P P E N D I X

members of the Board may attend programs which further the education regarding renovation and historic preservation.(h) Making recommendations to Village government concerning the utilization of state, federal or private funds to promote the preservation of landmarks and historic districts within the Village.(i) Making recommendations to the Village Board concerning the modification or deletion of existing historic districts.(j) Approval or disapproval of applications for certificates of appropriateness pursuant to this section.

(6) The Review Board shall meet monthly, but meetings may be held at any time on the written request of any two of the Review Board members or on the call of the Chairman or the Mayor. There shall be at least four meetings per year.(7) A quorum for the transaction of business shall consist of three of the Review Board's members, but not less than a majority of the full authorized membership may grant or deny a certificate of appropriateness.(8) All meetings shall be open to the public.

C. Designation of landmarks or historic districts. (1) The Review Board may designate an individual property as a landmark if it:

(a) Possesses special character or historic or aesthetic interest or value as part of the cultural, political, economic or social history of the locality, region, state or nation; or(b) Is identified with historic personages; or (c) Embodies the distinguishing characteristics of an architectural style; or (d) Is the work of a designer whose work has significantly influenced an age; or(e) Because of a unique location or singular physical characteristic, represents an established and familiar visual feature of the neighborhood.

(2) Districts.(a) The Review Board may designate a group of properties as an historic district if it:

[1] Contains properties which meet one or more of the criteria for designation of a landmark; and[2] By reason of possessing such qualities, it constitutes a distinct section of the Village, even though not all of the buildings within the proposed district meet one or more of the criteria for designation of a landmark.

(b) The boundaries of each historic district designated henceforth shall be specified in detail and shall be filed, in writing, in the Village Clerk's office for public inspection.

(3) An owner may petition the Review Board for designation of property as a landmark or for inclusion in an historic district. If the owner has not petitioned the Review Board for designation of the property as a landmark or for inclusion in an historic district, notice of a proposed designation shall be sent by certified mail, return receipt requested, to the owner as listed on the Village tax rolls of the property proposed for designation. The notice shall describe the property proposed and announce a public hearing by the Review Board to consider the designation. Once the Review Board has issued notice of a proposed designation, no building permits shall be issued by the Building Inspector until the Review Board has made its decision.(4) The Review Board shall hold a public hearing prior to designation of any landmark or historic district. The Review Board, owners, and any interested parties may present documentary evidence at the hearing which will become part of a record regarding the historic, architectural, or cultural importance of the proposed landmark or historic district. The record shall include the application and any subsequent modifications. The record may also contain staff reports, public comment, or other evidence offered outside of the hearing. If the applicant desires a stenographic transcript of the testimony taken at such hearing, it shall be the responsibility of the applicant to arrange for the presence of the stenographer and to bear the cost of such expense.(5) The Review Board shall approve, deny, or approve the designation with modification within 45 days from its receipt of the completed application. The first such public hearing on an application must be held within 45 days from the date of receipt of the completed application, in which case the

century and their owners were the leading citizens and politicians of the era.

3. Agricultural Sites on Roads

Cultivated land, ancient barns and many stone farmhouses line our roads. They are reminders of the original working character of the land. These farms, for two and one-half centuries fed the local population whether they were village businesses or later workers in the mills, the quarries and the river. Only in the past fifty years have most of those fields returned to forest, their identities as pasture or farmland noticed only in stone walls in the overgrowth.

4. Stone Walls

An 1803 survey divided the previous Kingston Commons ownership of most of the local land into a geometric grid of hundreds of lots. This document's effect is marked on the ground by hundreds of stone walls in the countryside. These define the corners and directions of that 1803 survey and are thus significant historically. Fortunately, some of these stone walls are visible along our roads and are excellent reminders of our heritage environment. They endure because not only are they shared property markers but specific provisions in the State Education law protects them from being moved or removed.

5. Estate Settings

In the beginning the largest parcels of land were owned by related families cooperatively farming. As agriculture became less profitable, the land went through division.The first divisions were for bluestone quarrying and other specialized uses on marginally tillable land. Countering subdivisions, tracts were sometimes bought and joined back together by the wealthy to establish farms as scenic environments. These late nineteenth and early twentieth century period of consolidations are historically significant because records of land transactions allow us to verify past ownership and occupancy.

6. Industrial Sites

The village of Saugerties is the site of some of the earliest Industrial Revolution manufacturing in the Hudson Valley. These industries are historical because they were the first to introduce many technologies into America, such as the first machine produced paper. These innovations attracted many entrepreneures who


Review Board shall approve, deny, or approve the permit with modifications within five days of the completion of the public hearing or hearings.(6) The Historic District Review Board shall notify the Village Clerk of any building designated as a landmark or area designated as an historic district. The Village Clerk shall then cause the Official Zoning Map to be amended to reflect such designation, as provided in § 210-10 of this chapter.

D. Certificate of appropriateness for alteration, demolition or new construction affecting landmarks or historic districts.

(1) No person shall carry out any exterior alteration, restoration, reconstruction, demolition, new construction or moving of a landmark or property within an historic district, nor shall any person make any material change in the appearance of such a property, its light fixtures, signs, sidewalks, fences, steps, paving or other exterior elements visible from a public street or alley which affect the appearance and cohesiveness of the historic district, without first obtaining a certificate of appropriateness from the Historic District Review Board.(2) The Village Building Inspector shall be responsible for administering and maintaining records of the applications for a certificate of appropriateness, whether or not they are accompanied by an application for a building permit. The Village Building Inspector shall have the same enforcement capability with respect to a certificate of appropriateness that the Inspector may exercise with respect to a building permit.

E. Criteria for approval of a certificate of appropriateness. [Amended 5-2-1988 by L.L. No. 1-1988]

(1) Criteria for approval of a certificate of appropriateness for alteration, demolition or new construction affecting landmarks or historic districts.

(a) In passing upon an application for a certificate of appropriateness, the Historic District Review Board shall not consider changes to interior spaces, unless they are open to the public, or to architectural features that are not visible from a public street or alley.(b) The Review Board's decision shall be based upon the following principles:

[1] Properties which contribute to the character of this historic district shall be retained, with their historic features altered as little as possible;[2] Any alteration of existing properties shall be compatible with its historic character, as well as with the surrounding district; and[3] New construction shall be compatible with the district in which it is located.

(c) The Review Board shall consider the following factors:

[1] The general design, character and appropriateness to the property of the proposed alteration or new construction.[2] The scale of proposed alteration or new construction in relation to the property itself, surrounding properties, and the neighborhood.[3] Texture, materials, and color and their relation to similar features of other properties in the neighborhood.[4] Visual compatibility with surrounding properties, including proportion of the property's front facade, proportion and arrangement of windows and other openings within the facade, roof shape, and the rhythm of spacing of properties on streets, including setback.[5] The importance of historic, architectural or other features to the significance of the property.[6] Any other factors relating to historical or architectural considerations deemed pertinent to the objectives of this section.

(2) Criteria for approval of a certificate of appropriateness for signs. [Amended 7-19-2010 by L.L. No. 2-2010]

(a) Any exterior sign or any interior sign intended to be visible from a public street or alley which shall be erected or replaced after the adoption of this section shall require a certificate of appropriateness. The relettering, repainting, decorating or normal maintenance of any existing sign shall be permitted. However, any sign removed for any other purpose or removed for more than one year and not replaced within that one-year period shall be deemed permanently removed and may be replaced only after

proceeded to develop local water power resources which then expanded into a multitude of small scale economic opportunities and their own cottage industries. As white lead, gunpowder, and brick manufactures applied local supplies of cider vinegar, firewood, charcoal, potash, barrels and other materials to their processes competitive business practices built an economy significantly advanced from the agrarian and craftsman base of the period. The identification and interpretation of both the sites and the occupations of this early manufacturing activity shows how Saugerties' economic development heritage incubated and thrived.

7. Bluestone Quarry Sites

Quarrying is a prime historic example of local economic opportunity at work. A local and regional demand for stone for foundation walls, curbs and sidewalks expanded into the development of a multi-million dollar flagging stone industry that impacted Saugerties for a century. Quarry cuts and their accompanying rubble mounds are abundant. They form both an historic landscape and a unique rural character. The National Register site Opus 40 exemplifies both the historic and artistic significance of quarries. Unintentionally, quarrying has left the land as an attraction that inspires imaginative artistic works, still offers economic opportunities while at the same time is recognition of its historic antecedents.

8. The Railroad

The course of the railroad and its four depots in Saugerties is historically significant. When the route was developed in 1878 as a north extension of the Wallkill Valley Railroad linking Kingston to Athens, it displaced and diverted many of the Town's traditional roadways. Remnants of the overpasses and crossings built in 1882 for these roads are along the railroads path freezing in time this ancient road transportation corridor. It is possible to trace routes and observe structures of the Kings Highway and Catskill Road by the train rail bed that otherwise were totally lost in places where the carriage road bed has been adapted to the automobile.

9. The Thruway

From 1949 until 1953 the first length of all the NYS Thruway was constructed in Saugerties. On July 4th

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the owner has secured a certificate of appropriateness in accordance with this section. Relettering, repainting, or redecorating as the result of a change in ownership and subsequent change in business name shall be deemed permanent removal of the former business sign and may be replaced only after the owner has secured a certificate of appropriateness.(b) No internal illumination or backlit sign will be permitted. Only nonilluminated or externally illuminated signs shall be permitted.(c) No external neon signs shall be permitted. Interior neon window signs promoting alcoholic beverages shall be permitted in premises serving or selling alcohol. One neon sign is allowed for each major window pane. Exception: Each place of business is allowed to have one fixed, nonblinking "open" sign not to exceed two square feet. This sign may be lit only during business hours and may either show "open" or an icon representing the type of business. Illumination may be by neon, LED or similar light source. Note that the aggregate area of all signs cannot exceed the limit in Subsection E(2)(e).(d) Sandwich boards are allowed under Chapter 165, Streets and Sidewalks, § 165-10, Display of goods, wares or merchandise for advertising purposes. Sandwich boards may not exceed nine square feet per face and may not exceed four feet in height. Since they are not permanent, the sign area does not count toward allowable area for signage. The width and placement of the boards and displays must allow five feet of unobstructed pedestrian passage on the sidewalk. They must be removed from the sidewalk during the hours on which the business is closed. Overall design of the boards must be approved by the Historic Review Board. Inflatable or other nontraditional displays are not permitted.(e) Awnings are regulated under Subsection E(1)(c)[1], [2] and [3] and Subsection E(2)(b), (e) and (f) Chapter 165, § 165-8. All awnings are reviewed for compatibility with the requirements of the Historic District. Traditional cotton or synthetic canvass in stripes or solid colors is allowed. Awnings must be of traditional shape (not curved). Awnings may have lettering which will be counted as part of the allowed total area of signage. Lettering must not be internally illuminated. Awnings shall be seven feet from the lowest part to the ground.(f) All lettering styles and color schemes shall be appropriate to the character of the historic district.(g) The aggregate area in square feet of all signs, both interior and exterior, visible as part of the facade of any one wall shall not be greater than 11/2 times the length, in feet, of such wall.(h) Where a sign consists of lettering painted directly onto glass, the size of the sign shall be considered the area between the height and width of the lettering at its maximum height and width, i.e., that area which would be created by a "rectangular frame" around the lettering.(i) Examples of appropriate sign designs are included as Appendix A. Editor's Note: Appendix A, Appropriate Signs Already in Use in the Village, is included at the end of this chapter.

F. Certificate of appropriateness application procedure.(1) Prior to the commencement of any work requiring a certificate of appropriateness, the owner shall file an application for such a certificate with the Historic District Review Board. The application shall contain:

(a) Name, address and telephone number of applicant, plus existing blue sheets, if any.(b) Location and photographs of property.(c) Elevation drawings of proposed changes, if available.(d) Perspective drawings, including relationship to adjacent properties, if available.(e) Samples of color or materials to be used. (f) Where the proposal includes signs or lettering, a scale drawing showing the type of lettering to be used, all dimensions and colors, a description of materials to be used, method of illumination and a plan showing the sign's location on the property.(g) Any other information which the Review Board may

1951 the "Catskill Turnpike" was opened from Saugerties to Catskill, and on December 16th 1953 the roadway south to Kingston from Saugerties was opened. This is historically significant because along with the construction of the Kingston Rhinecliffe Bridge in 1954, the region attracted large corporate businesses and Saugerties started to become suburbanized. Thus the decade of the 1950's brought competition that caused the decline of the century and a quarter-old employment structure which was centered on manufacturers located in the village as well the village being the center of commerce.

10. Our River Frontage

The most enduring symbols of our river front heritage are the Lighthouse and the Long Dock. These are both defined by mile long land features extending into the Hudson. The Long Dock has historic connections and identities with river, railroad and land transportation. It was built in 1878 to decrease congestion at the village wharfs and support a shorter ferry route across the river to the east shore and the NY Central railroad. Its historic significance is as a model of cooperation between business interests and the government resulting in legislation which permitted the Town to add land for this purpose. It is thus an early experiment in private-public partnership in support of economic development policy.

11. Waterfront Commercial Sites

The wharfs and warehouses along the miles of river frontage are historic workplaces. In early years all roads led to the river and everything that was transported on them was transferred to boats or barges. The shoreline is historic because agricultural produce, brick, stone, ice and locally manufactured products reached markets by river transport. Stevedoring, crewing and wharf construction and maintenance were the work of specialized laborers who made their homes by the river. Many of these homes and the river workplaces are still extant and are historically significant.

12. The “Villages”

The villages and hamlets closest to the river are unique in their land division and development history. In the first decades of the 19th century streets and lots were laid out in Glasco, Saugerties Village (nee Ulster) and Malden (nee Bristol). These plans are historically noteworthy because residential lots were located away


deem necessary in order to visualize the proposed work.(2) No building permit shall be issued for such proposed work until a certificate of appropriateness has first been issued by the Historic District Review Board. The Building Inspector shall refer any application for a building permit on property within the historic district or on landmark property to the Historic District Review Board within five days of receipt by the Building Inspector.(3) The Review Board shall approve, deny, or approve the permit with modification within 45 days from its receipt of the completed application. The Review Board may hold a public hearing on the application at which an opportunity will be provided for proponents and opponents of the application to present their views. The first such public hearing on an application must be held within 45 days from the date of receipt of the completed application, in which case the Review Board shall approve, deny, or approve the permit with modifications within five days of the completion of the public hearing or hearings.(4) All decisions of the Review Board shall be in writing. A copy shall be sent to the applicant by certified mail, return receipt requested, and a copy filed with the Village Clerk's office for public inspection. The address used for such notification shall be the address of the applicant as shown on his application for the building permit. The Review Board's decision shall state the reasons for denying or modifying any application.

G. Hardship criteria.(1) An applicant whose certificate of appropriateness has been denied may apply for relief from landmark or historic district designation on the grounds that designation is working a hardship upon him.(2) In order to prove the existence of hardship in order to permit demolition, the applicant shall establish that:

(a) The property is incapable of earning a reasonable return as a long-term capital investment, regardless of whether that return represents the most profitable return possible;(b) The property cannot be adapted, whether by the current owner or by a purchaser, for any other use which would result in a reasonable return; and(c) Diligent efforts to find a purchaser interested in acquiring the property and preserving it have failed.

(3) In order to prove the existence of hardship in order to permit alteration not in keeping with the architectural character of the district, the applicant shall establish that:

(a) The property is incapable of earning a reasonable return, regardless of whether that return represents the most profitable return possible;(b) The property cannot be adapted, in keeping with the architectural character of the district, whether by the current owner or by a purchaser, for any other use which would result in a reasonable return; and(c) Diligent efforts to find a purchaser interested in acquiring the property and preserving it have failed.

H. Hardship application procedure.(1) After receiving written notification from the Historic District Review Board of the denial of a certificate of appropriateness, an applicant may commence the hardship process. No building permit or demolition permit shall be issued unless the Review Board makes a finding that a hardship exists.(2) The Review Board may hold a public hearing on the hardship application at which an opportunity will be provided for proponents and opponents of the application to present their views.(3) The applicant shall consult in good faith with the Review Board, local preservation groups and interested parties in a diligent effort to seek an alternative that will result in preservation of the property.(4) All decisions of the Review Board shall be in writing. A copy shall be sent to the applicant by certified mail, return receipt requested, and a copy filed with the Village Clerk's office for public inspection. The Review Board's decision shall state the reasons for granting or denying the hardship application.

I. Enforcement. All work performed pursuant to a certificate of appropriateness issued under this section shall conform to any requirements included therein. It shall be the duty of the Building Inspector to inspect periodically any such work to assure compliance. In the event work is found that is not being performed

from valuable tillable land but on steep inclines that required substantial adjustments for building and street placement. These early urban planning methods like the structuring of the dwellings and design of the infrastructure for streets and utilities, demonstrate the extent to which the Saugerties community expended resources and made investments in order to create viable and valuable living environments.

13. Planned Communities

The concept of a model community has been a constant theme in local Saugerties history. Late nineteenth and early twentieth century artists colonies, bungalow colonies, and resorts brought the idea of sharing scenic views and common facilities to both land ownership and commercial development. This particular vision is bookended by the historic 1831 incorporation of the Village of Ulster (later renamed Saugerties) to manage the large population brought in by the mills on one end and the equally historic suburban housing developments of the 1960's created to manage the demands of another population explosion brought by improved transportation and large corporate employers. The designs and locations of planned community sites are documented in histories and in promotional material, e.g. Shagbark and Barclay Heights. They are historically significant for the growth they brought to the local economy and the social changes they gave rise to.

14. Planned Resource Development

Local environmental locations where there was development of the natural resources present are inseparable from the larger historical heritage. Water for drinking supply, power generation and navigation along with the clay, shale, bluestone and limestone resources of the earth, all played a significant part in local history. Planned, once active, and currently existing reservoirs, ponds, dams, raceways, canals, pits, quarries, jetties and dikes that can be viewed from public places are as much heritage viewsheds as any scenic vista and are significant for their interpretive views of the past.

15. Institutional Places

Saugerties has been a trading center since Henry Hudson's time. It is the nearest that the tide water of the Atlantic comes to the interior of the continent. Every

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in accordance with the certificate of appropriateness, or upon notification of such fact by the Historic District Review Board, the Building Inspector shall issue a stop-work order and all work shall immediately cease. No further work shall be undertaken on the project as long as a stop-work order is in effect.J. Maintenance and repair required.

(1) Nothing in this section shall be construed to prevent the ordinary maintenance and repair of any exterior architectural feature of a landmark or property within an historic district which does not involve a change in design, material, color, or outward appearance.(2) No owner or person with an interest in real property designated as a landmark or included within an historic district shall permit the property to fall into a serious state of disrepair so as to result in the deterioration of any exterior architectural feature and which would, in the judgment of the Historic District Review Board, produce a detrimental effect upon the character of the historic district as a whole or the life and character of the property itself.(3) Examples of such deterioration include but are not limited to the following:

(a) Deterioration of exterior walls or other vertical supports. (b) Deterioration of roofs or other horizontal members.(c) Deterioration of exterior chimneys.(d) Deterioration or crumbling of exterior stucco or mortar.(e) Ineffective waterproofing of exterior walls, roofs, or foundations, including broken windows or doors.(f) Deterioration of any feature so as to create a hazardous condition which could lead to the claim that demolition is necessary for the public safety.

K. Violations.(1) Failure to comply with any of the provisions of this section shall be deemed a violation and the violator shall be subject to the penalties set forth in § 210-47.(2) Any person who demolishes, alters, constructs or permits a designated property to fall into a serious state of disrepair in violation of this section shall be required to restore the property and its site to its appearance prior to the violation. Any action to enforce this subsection shall be brought by the Village Attorney. This civil remedy shall be in addition to and not in lieu of any criminal prosecution and penalty under Subsection K(1) above.

L. Appeals.(1) Any person aggrieved by a decision of the Historic District Review Board relating to hardship or a certificate or appropriateness may, within 30 days of the date of receipt of the decision, as shown on the receipt for certified mail, file a written application with the Village Board of Trustees for review of the decision.(2) The Village Board may overrule the Review Board at a regularly scheduled meeting at which an opportunity to comment on the appeal is afforded to all interested parties or any member of the public. A majority of the Village Board must be in favor of overruling the Historic District Review Board in order to overrule the Historic District Review Board. In deciding whether or not to overrule the Historic District Review Board, the Village Board shall consider the same criteria used by the Historic District Review Board and the same record of the case provided to the Historic District Review Board. Any new issues, additional information or considerations must first be referred to the Historic District Review Board for its initial determination.

(References within code)§ 210-46. EnforcementC. Legal action by enforcement officer. If an unlawful condition or use is found not to have been properly remedied or made to comply with the provisions of this chapter by the expiration of the reasonable time period granted by the enforcement officer, then the enforcement officer is empowered to immediately institute any appropriate action, charge, or proceedings in the proper legal court for the prevention, cessation, or discontinuance of any condition, use, occupancy, or act, in, on, of, or around any building, structure, or tract of land and for the prosecution of any owner, occupant, or offender.D Legal action by taxpayers. If the enforcement officer fails or refuses to proceed with any action in accordance with Subsection C within a ten-day period following written request by any taxpayer so to proceed, then any three or more taxpayers of the Village of Saugerties residing or owning property in the district

occupant here, from native to European, has engaged in the exchange of one thing for another. The reason for the earliest paths and earliest structures was trade. This history is embedded in the consignment houses', factories', private banker's and government official's involvement in every aspect of the economic life of the community. Places of barter, exchange and record keeping are historic because they institutionalize every transaction we use to qualify what we regard as historically significant today.

16. Marketplaces

The public space that is most historic is the market area of the village of Saugerties. It grew from the continuous support of a hundred years of settled population centered on the mills. Populations around other work places also developed their own commercial centers that are historically significant. All of them began as places of temporary produce stands and carts that later evolved into small clusters of buildings with their merchandise and professional merchants. Market places with early post office addresses appear on the earliest maps, in gazetteer listings and in newspaper advertisements. Many larger residences in hamlet areas were built as early front-parlor markets. These are more historically significant as local landmarks then ordinary residences because they evolved into the commercial and social fabric that defined the village and hamlets.

17. Public Houses

The front parlors of roadside residences were also often used as taverns and were often the central gathering place of a locality. Histories of the late nineteenth century contain mention of dozens of earlier taverns along with the progression of their ownership. The Articles of Confederation were signed in the Post Tavern. The charter of the Town was signed at the home of Christian Fiero, also a tavern. Town meetings were held in the Mynderse Tavern. Taverns are thus historically significant because of their associations with events in the political organization of the community. Many of the stone houses in Saugerties that are along the main roads were once taverns.

18. Public Recreational Sites

The views of the mountains and the river encouraged shared appreciation of the outdoors from the earliest times. An economy based on visitors attracted to


wherein such condition or use in violation of this chapter exists or in an adjacent district and who are jointly or severally aggrieved by such violation, may institute such appropriate action, charge, or proceeding in like manner as such enforcement officer is authorized§ 210-47. Penalties for offenses.[Amended 8-16-2010 by L.L. No. 4-2010] A violation of any provision of this chapter shall be a misdemeanor and shall be subject by a maximum fine of $1,000 or by imprisonment for not more than one year, or both. Each week of continued violation shall constitute a separate additional violation. If more than one provision is violated, each provision violated shall be considered a separate misdemeanor, each liable to maximum penalties as herein specified.§ 210-10. Official Zoning Map. The location and boundaries of the zoning districts established in § 210-9 are shown on the map entitled "Official Zoning Map of the Village of Saugerties." Said map together with everything shown thereon and all amendments thereto is hereby adopted by reference and accompanies and is declared to be an appurtenant part of this chapter. Said map indicating the latest amendments shall be kept up to date in the office of the Village Clerk for the use and benefit of the general public.

TOWN OF SAUGERTIES HISTORIC PRESERVATION ORDINANCE

Local Law #3, 2004, amended as Local Law #3, 2008, as amended, 2011Historic Preservation OrdinanceAN ORDINANCE related to the establishment of landmarks or historic districts in the Town of Saugerties; herein after, the "Town".Section 1. Legislative Intent.Pursuant to Article 5, Sec 96-a, and Article 5-K, New York General Municipal Law; Article 4, Parks, Recreation and Historical Preservation Law; and National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, it is hereby declared as a matter of public policy that the protection, enhancement and perpetuation of landmarks and historic districts are necessary to promote the cultural, economic and general welfare of the public. The Town has many significant and interrelated historic resources that constitute its heritage. These include architectural and cultural properties, archaeological sites, cemeteries as well as important land and maritime transportation routes and the remains of early industrial, commercial, agricultural, recreational and artistic sites. Inasmuch as the identity of a people is founded on its past, this article is intended to:

A. Protect, enhance and promote the landmarks and historic districts which present distinctive, informative and educational elements of the historic, architectural, archaeological and cultural heritage of the Town;B. Focus and stimulate attention on and foster civic pride in the historic accomplishments and resources in the Town;C. Protect and enhance the attractiveness of the Town to residents and visitors, thus supporting and providing stimulus to the local economy; andD. Ensure the harmonious, orderly and sensitive development of the Town.

Section 2. Commission Established.There is hereby established a commission to be known as the "Historic Preservation Commission of the Town of Saugerties," hereinafter referred to as the "Commission."Section 3. Membership; Terms of Office; Officers; Meetings; Quorum.

A. The Commission shall consist of five members who shall be appointed by the Town Board. Four (4) of the five (5) members shall be residents of the Town of Saugerties. One (1) of the five (5) members of the Commission may be a non-resident of the Town. Persons who have demonstrated significant interest in and commitment to the field of historic preservation, evidenced by involvement in a local historic preservation group, employment or volunteer activity in the field of historic preservation, or other serious interest in the field, shall be eligible for appointment as members of the Commission. The Town Historian shall be an ex officio member of the Commission.B. Commission members shall serve for a term of four years, with the exception of the initial term of one of the members which shall be one year, one which shall be two years, one which shall be three years, and two which shall be for four years. C. A Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson shall be elected by and from among the members of the Commission.

overlooks, hiking trails and related outdoor activities is embedded in local history. Recreational rowing clubs, sport fields, viewing towers, horse racing rinks, scenic paths, and swimming beaches have been supported as membership or commercial enterprises for both residents and visitors since the earliest days of industrial development. Residents of large estates, the common citizen, and the vacationer equally enjoyed horseback riding and early automobile and bicycle touring on the many public roads into the mountains. Parks for sports activities at these historic places, some now publicly supported, carry on traditions introduced over a century and a half ago. The locations of all these outdoor activities are historically significant to our heritage environment.

19. Public Gathering Places

Churches, lodges, schools, theaters, and even undeveloped land are significant as historic gathering places. For example, the large level bedrock outcrops in 1715 was the site of the Kaatsbaan's first Sabbath and a large farm field of the Winston Farm in 1994 became the site for the 25th anniversary celebration of the Woodstock Festival. Because of the relationship of the founding Dutch population to the Dutch Reformed Church, the part religious persecution played in the large Palatine immigration, and the way the cosmopolitan temperament of their skilled workers was encouraged by the first industrialists, many historically significant sites relate to worship. At one such site (Trinity Church) can be found the world renowned William Morris stained glass window. All of this is historically significant locally, regionally and even internationally.

20. Burial Grounds

Ancient burial grounds associated with a single family, a settlement, or a local church are found throughout Saugerties. Some are on roads, but many are lost in the woods on private land, only accessible by now abandoned pathways. Finding out about these "lost" burial sites occurs in strange ways. For instance, the one for the Wynkoop family is only known because of a listing by Congress as the last resting place of an officer in the Revolutionary War. All cemeteries and burial grounds are protected by law and it becomes the responsibility of the community to make sure their

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D. The Commission shall meet at least every two months but meetings may be held at any time on the written request of any two of the Commission Members or on the call of the Chairperson or the Supervisor.E. A quorum for the transaction of business shall consist of three of the Commission's members, but not less than a majority of the full authorized membership may render a decision regarding landmark status or grant or deny a Certificate of Appropriateness.

Section 4. Powers and Duties.The powers and duties of the Commission shall include:

A. Adoption of criteria for the identification of significant historic architectural, archaeological and cultural landmarks and for the delineation of historic districts;B. Conduct surveys of significant historical, architectural, archeological and cultural landmarks and historic districts within the Town;C. Designation of individual landmarks and creation of historic districts; such designation to be subject to disapproval supported by findings by the Town Board within 45 days of enactment of the designation and filed as approved if no action is taken in this time.D. Approval or disapproval of applications for Certificates of Appropriateness pursuant to this ordinance.E. Increasing public awareness of the Town's historic, cultural and architectural preservation by developing, publishing and distributing educational and promotional information and participating in public education programs;F. Promulgation of rules and regulations as necessary for the conduct of its business;G. Making recommendations to Town Board concerning the use of state, federal or private funds to provide information on and promote the preservation of landmarks and historic districts with the Town; H. Making recommendations to the Town Board regarding appropriate zoning laws protecting historic, architectural, archaeological and cultural landmarks and to the Planning Board regarding applications for site plan review or subdivisions of real property containing landmarks or within a historic district; I. Making of recommendations to the Town Board concerning acceptance of donations or the acquisition of facade easements or other interests in real property as necessary to carry out the purposes of this ordinance; J. Recommending acquisition of a landmark property by the Town Board where its preservation is essential to the purposes of this ordinance and where private preservation is not feasible;K. Employment, with Town Board approval, of staff and professional consultants as necessary to carry out the duties of the Commission;

Section 5. Designation of Landmarks and Historic Districts.A. The Commission may propose an individual property for designation as a landmark if it:

(1) Possesses special character or historic or aesthetic interest or value as part of the cultural, political, economic or social history of the locality, region, state or nation; and/or2) Is identified with historic personages; and/or3) Embodies the distinguishing characteristics of an architectural style; and/or(4) Is the work of a designer whose work has significantly influenced an age; and/or(5) Because of a unique location or singular physical characteristic, represents an established and familiar visual feature of the neighborhood; and/or(6) Is listed on the State and/or National Registers of Historic Places, or which is the subject of a pending application for listing.

B. The Commission may designate a group of properties as an historic district if it:

(1) contains properties which meet one or more of the criteria for designation as an individual landmark; and,(2) by reason of possessing such qualities, constitutes a cohesive historic area of the Town.

The boundaries of each historic district designated henceforth shall be specified in detail and shall be filed in the Town Clerk's office for public inspection.C. Requests for designation of an individual landmark or historic district may be initiated by any person or organization on forms provided by the Town Clerk.

markers and locations are preserved. A large attraction of an historic place like Saugerties is the record it preserves of its past. Genealogical visits by current generations of families that started out in Saugerties or the Hudson Valley is a common reason for a "tourists" visit.

***

In closing, it is important to keep in mind that the purpose of landmark designation in Saugerties is to honor and preserve the physical representatives of these categories. These examples are the standard of reference the Commission uses when qualifying the historic significance of buildings, remains of structures and sites being reviewed for landmark status.

Access to new, more powerful sources of information continues to place an obligation on the Commission under 4A of the Powers and Duties of the Ordinance. The examples given here attend to the currency of 4A, which is subject to periodic review and change.

The second of the Powers and Duties in the Historic Preservation Ordinance is:4B) Conduct surveys of significant historical, architectural, archaeological and cultural landmarks and historic districts within the Town.

The survey presently used by the Commission was completed March, 2005 under a Preserve New York Grant Program that was initiated in 2003 before the Historic Preservation Ordinance and the formation of the Commission. A more comprehensive survey applying the above examples to identify landmarks and districts would provide a more representative inventory for supporting the activities of the Commission under the remaining Powers and Duties in section 4 of the Ordinance.

FAQs about the Town Ordinance***

Why does Saugerties have an Historic Preservation

Ordinance?

NYS Municipal Law requires Towns to have a Master Plan to

guide the application of their Zoning Ordinance. Saugerties

enacted a Comprehensive Plan for this purpose on December 22,

1999. One main feature of the Plan, Goal #4, focused on

preservation of the unique historic character of the Town. The

history of the town was singled out as a quality-of-life asset to be


D. Notice of a proposed designation shall be sent by certified mail with return receipt requested to the owner(s) of the property or properties proposed for designation appearing on the most recent real property tax rolls of the Town. This notice shall describe the property proposed and announce a public hearing by the Commission to consider the designation. Timely notice of this public hearing shall be published in the official newspaper of the Town. The Commission shall make every effort to hold the public hearing within 12 days after the date this notice is published. Simultaneously with the mailing of such notice to the owner(s), the Commission shall cause a copy of the same to be delivered to the Building Inspector and to the Assessor for their respective review and comment. Once the Commission has issued notice of a proposed designation, the Building Inspector shall issue no building or demolition permits nor shall any material change be made to the appearance of the property until the Commission has made its decision. Notice of this restriction shall be worded in these transmittals to the Building Inspector and Assessor.E. The Commission shall hold its duly advertised public hearing on the date set forth in the notice prior to designation of any landmark. Testimony or documentary evidence at the hearing by the Commission, owner(s) and any interested parties shall become part of a record regarding the archaeological, historic, architectural or cultural importance of the proposed landmark or historic district. The Commission shall make a decision in writing within 62 days of closing of the public hearing and send by certified mail with return receipt requested a copy of its decision to the owner(s) of the property or properties and also deliver copies to be filed with the Town Clerk, with the Building Inspector and with the Town Assessor. The Commission's decision shall state the reasons for granting, modifying or denying a landmark designation.F. The Commission shall prepare and forward to the Ulster County Clerk for recording a notice of each property designated as a landmark or as part of an historic district.

Section 6. Designation of Historic and Scenic Transportation Routes.Nothing in this ordinance shall preclude the Commission's designation of roads and/or maritime transportation features of the Town which meet the criteria set forth in Section 5. Once designated, the Town Board shall solicit the Commission's advice on their proper care, landscaping and construction, which advice shall be incorporated into standards used by the Highway Department. The Commission may be delegated to act as liaison with the State, County and Federal departments during construction and maintenance of maritime routes and Town designated historic and scenic roads.Any proposed changes, other than maintenance, to privately-owned designated historic roads shall first be submitted to the commission for a Certificate of Appropriateness. The purpose of such designation is to maintain continuity with adjoining properties, alignment, unimpeded width of a minimum of 12 feet and existing surface materials.Section 7. Certificate of Appropriateness

A. No person shall carry out any exterior alteration, restoration, reconstruction, demolition, new construction or moving of a building designated as a landmark or any property within a historic district, nor shall any person make any material change in the appearance of such a property, its light fixtures, signs, sidewalks, fences, steps, paving, major landscape feature or design or other exterior elements, including exterior lighting, which affect the appearance and cohesiveness of either the landmark or of the historic district, without first obtaining a Certificate of Appropriateness from the Commission.B. The Town Building Inspector shall be responsible for administering and maintaining records of the applications for a Certificate of Appropriateness, whether or not they are accompanied by an application for a building permit. The Building Inspector shall have the same enforcement capability with respect to a Certificate of Appropriateness that the Inspector exercises with respect to a building permit.C. No fees shall be collected for a Certificate of Appropriateness application.D. Before acting on any application for a variance, special use permit, site plan, building permit, demolition permit, sign permit or subdivision the Building Inspector shall first consult a current list of all properties designated as individual

considered when assessing any future development.

Saugerties has one of the fullest ranges of history in all of New

York State. It has been the site of events ranging as far back as the

Discovery by Henry Hudson to the British fleet in the

Revolutionary War; from early manufacturing in the Industrial

Revolution to the Woodstock Festival's 25th Anniversary in the

late 20th century.

People seek to live and work in interesting places. The

Comprehensive Plan recognized that preservation of the tangible

representatives of Saugerties' past is important for attracting and

retaining both private and public investment in the town.

Goal #4.7 of the Comprehensive Plan was a recommendation that

Saugerties pursue the benefit of becoming a Certified Local

Government. This required the Town to have a survey of its

historic assets, a preservation law and a qualified commission to

designate and oversee preservation of the historic assets of the

Town of Saugerties.

In 2003 an Historic Preservation Ordinance was drafted to codify

these concepts of the Comprehensive Plan into law. This ordinance

was made a local law in 2004. This law charges a Commission

with the responsibility of evaluating the town's historic assets and

designating official landmark properties and landmark districts of

the Town.

A 2004-2005 survey funded by the Preservation League of the

State of New York documented over 180 properties eligible for

landmark status under State and National Register criteria in the

Town of Saugerties, 60 of which were stone houses. Nearly 100%

of the assets recorded in this survey were maintained by deeply

caring and responsible owners in conditions sensitive to their

historical importance to the town.

What does the Historic Preservation Commission do?

The intent of the Historic Preservation Ordinance is twofold; to

provide an educational and regulatory resource for the preservation

of historic properties in Saugerties and to provide professional

support and advice as to the proper preservation of properties to

the owners of designated landmarks. The Commission serves this

function by designating landmarks during informational public

hearings and by providing an ongoing oversight over the

preservation of designated properties through issuing Certificates

of Appropriateness for any proposed work that may be necessary.

It also serves as a resource to owners of undesignated historic

properties for preservation advice and related information.

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landmarks or as contained within historic districts to determine the requesting property's status. Requests affecting a landmarked property or any property within a historic district under this ordinance or a structure or premises listed in the National Register of Historic Places shall be referred promptly by the Building Inspector to the Commission for its recommendations in order to facilitate the review process and for a Certificate of Appropriateness, if necessary.

Section 8. Criteria for Approval of Certificate of Appropriateness.

A. This ordinance does not regulate or apply to interior spaces. A Certificate of Appropriateness is not required for interior alterations. At the request of an owner of property which has been designated as a landmark or which is located in an historic district, the Commission may consult and advise on changes to interior spaces if they are open to the public on a regular basis.B. The Commission's decisions on all applications for Certificates of Appropriateness for building exteriors shall be based upon the following principles:

(1) Historic properties shall be retained with their historic features altered as little as possible.(2) Any alteration of existing property shall be compatible with its historic character, and with the historic character of surrounding properties, if any. Changes that may have taken place in the course of time are evidence of the history and development of a building, structure or site and its environment. These changes may have acquired significance in their own right, and this significance shall be recognized and respected. Contemporary design for alterations and additions to existing properties shall not be discouraged when such alterations and additions do not destroy significant historical, architectural or cultural material and such design is compatible with the size, scale, color, material and character of the property, neighborhood or environment.(3) New construction shall be compatible with the historic character of its surroundings.

C. In determining compatibility, the Commission shall consider the following factors:

(1) The general design, character and appropriateness to the property of the proposed alteration or new construction;(2) The scale of proposed alteration or new construction in relation to the property itself, surrounding properties, and the neighborhood;(3) Texture, materials, form, massing, size, rhythm, spacing, structural elements, proportion, illumination and color and their relation to similar features of other properties in the neighborhood;(4) Visual compatibility with surrounding properties, including proportion of the property's front facade, proportion and arrangement of windows and other openings within the facade, roof shape, and the rhythm of spacing of properties on the streets, including setbacks, yards and landscaping; and(5) The importance of historic, architectural or other features to the significance of the property.

Section 9. Application Procedure for Certificate of Appropriateness.

A. Prior to the commencement of any work requiring a Certificate of Appropriateness, the owner shall file an application for such certificate with the Building Inspector. The application shall state, where appropriate:

(1) Name, address and telephone number of the applicant;(2) Location and photographs of property;(3) Detailed description of proposed changes;(4) Perspective and elevation drawings, including relationship to adjacent properties;(5) Samples of color and/or materials to be used;(6) Where the proposal includes signs or lettering, a scale drawing showing the type of lettering to be used, all dimensions and colors, a description of materials to be used, method of illumination and a plan showing the sign's location on the property; or(7) Any other information which the Commission may deem necessary in order to visualize the proposed work.

B. No building permit, demolition permit or other required permit shall be issued by the Building Inspector for such

Since there are relatively few historic houses in the town that are

in need of designation by the Commission in order to save them,

the Commission's role is more to see that the integrity of the well

maintained resources of the Town are not undermined by

unsympathetic development in their respective historic settings.

Stone houses and other early examples of architecture from past

centuries in Saugerties are generally now purchased specifically to

be either restored or preserved in their restored state. Such

properties have been good investments for their owners because

they retain their values relatively insulated from the normal

fluctuations of the real estate market. They often also command a

premium when sold.

Many of the historic assets of the town are farm-oriented. In the

past decades this farm context was often lost when there was

development of the farmland for modern housing, changing the

historic setting and the overall historic fabric of the town. It is

therefore also a responsibility of the Commission and the intent of

the ordinance to provide the oversight that will enable both

development and historic landmark to coexist in a setting sensitive

to the needs of both. The Commission works with the planning

board when a designated property or lands that relate to it are being

developed in order to guarantee that the style and orientation of the

housing is sensitive to the retention of the historic setting.

How does a property become a landmark?

Designation of a property as a landmark of the Town is both an

honor and a responsibility. Many owners who have invested much

time and expense in a restoration would like this effort to be

officially recognized through an historic designation. There is a

form available from the Town Clerk that is used to begin this

process.

In some cases a request will be made for the Commission to

designate an historic property that is in disrepair or is threatened in

some other way. In those cases, the Historic Preservation

Ordinance can be applied to prevent its loss to the Town and any

citizen of Saugerties can submit the request form. The requestor

need not own the property and the Commission need not have

permission of the property owner to proceed with hearings on a

request or to make a designation official.

A third way that a property may proceed toward designation is for

the Commission to select it from the 2004-2005 survey of the

historic buildings of the Town. The Commission does this more to

officially recognize the Town's inventory of historic structures then

to show any need for oversight.


proposed work on a landmark property or a property within an historic district until a Certificate or Appropriateness has first been issued by the Commission. The Certificate of Appropriateness required by this article shall be in addition to and not in lieu of any permits the Town may require or any other laws or regulations. The Building Inspector shall refer such permit application for a landmark property or a property within an historic district to the Commission within 10 working days of receipt or by such other deadline established by the Commission.C. The Commission shall approve, approve with modifications, or deny a Certificate of Appropriateness on such permit within 62 days from receipt of the complete application. During this time the applicant or applicant's representative may meet with the Commission to consider alternative designs if needed, advice on technologies, available restoration skills and possible financial assistance. The Commission may also hold a public hearing on the application at which an opportunity will be provided for proponents and opponents of the application to present their views.D. All decisions of the Commission shall be in writing. A copy shall be sent to the applicant by certified mail, return receipt requested, and also a copy shall be filed with the Town Clerk and the Town Building Inspector for public inspection. The address used for such notification shall be the address of the applicant as shown on the application for the building permit. The Commission's decision shall state the reasons for granting, modifying or denying any application.E. Certificates of Appropriateness shall be valid for 12 months after which time the owner must reapply if the work on the certificate has not commenced.

Section 10. Compliance with State Environmental Quality Review Act.The Historic Preservation Commission shall comply with the provisions of the State Environmental Quality Review Act under Article 8 of the Environmental Conservation Law and its implementing regulations. Section 11. Enforcement.All work performed pursuant to a Certificate or Appropriateness issued under this ordinance shall conform to any requirements included therein. It shall be the duty of the Building Inspector to inspect any such work to assure compliance. In the event work is found that is not being performed in accordance with the Certificate of Appropriateness, or upon notification of such fact by the Commission, the Building Inspector shall issue a Stop-Work Order and all work shall immediately cease. No further work shall be undertaken on the project as long as a Stop-Work Order is in effect. Any non-conforming work shall be removed unless approved by the Commission.Section 12. Maintenance and Repair Required.

A. Nothing in this ordinance shall be construed to prevent the ordinary maintenance and repair of any exterior architectural feature of a landmark, a property under consideration for landmark designation, or a property within an historic district which does not involve a change in design, material, color or outward appearance.B. No owner or occupant of real property designated as a landmark or included within a historic district shall permit the property to fall into a serious state of disrepair so as to result in the deterioration of any exterior architectural feature which would, in the judgment of the Commission, produce a detrimental effect upon the character of a landmark or a historic district as a whole or the life and character of the property itself. Examples of such deterioration include:

(1) Deterioration of exterior wall or other vertical supports.(2) Deterioration of roofs or other horizontal members.(3) Deterioration of exterior chimneys.(4) Deterioration or crumbling of exterior stucco or mortar.(5) Ineffective waterproofing of exterior walls, roofs or foundations, including broken windows or doors.(6) Deterioration of any feature so as to create a hazardous condition that could lead to the claim that demolition is necessary for the public safety.

C. The Commission shall conduct periodic surveys of buildings designated as landmarks to determine that they are not in a state of disrepair and that no alterations have been made in the features described in preceding sections of this article without the owner having first obtained a Certification

What gives this Ordinance the right to designate without

the property owner's permission?

The purpose of the Saugerties Historic Preservation Ordinance is

to maintain the historic character of the town. The Commission is

mandated by the ordinance to act to designate when the town is

threatened with the loss of an important historic asset. This may

not always be in the best interest of the property owner. Prior to the

2004-2005 survey, three of the town's important stone houses

appearing in the 1976 DAR publication, "Stone Houses of

Saugerties", disappeared without any need for even a demolition

permit. Their owners clearly felt that the location and setting of the

older structure was more suited to the new home that replaced it. It

is the spirit (and requirement) of the Historic Preservation

Ordinance of the Town of Saugerties to prevent this from ever

happening again.

The main difference between local landmark laws and the laws that

support the State and National Registers of Historic Places is this

legal right to designate an historic asset without the permission of

the current property holder. This is because it directly benefits the

needs of a local population; it is a "home rule" law. Despite this

difference the designation of a local landmark is NOT a "taking" of

property. The only change in the owner's private property status is

the Commission's oversight of any change made to the

characteristics that have been recognized as historic during the

designation process.

A local Historic Preservation Ordinance is just like any other local

maintenance law. The building department has laws to enforce the

maintaining of a property for safety. The police department has

laws to maintain order. Saugerties' Historic Preservation law is to

preserve (maintain) the historic assets of the town.

As enacted and as referenced in its preamble, the purpose and

powers of the Historic Preservation Ordinance of the Town of

Saugerties are the same as those of hundreds of other local

preservation ordinances around the United States whose

designations and oversights of historic properties have withstood

legal challenges right up to the Supreme Court.

Is age the only thing that qualifies a property for a

historic designation?

There are many centuries-old properties in Saugerties. Not all can

make the cut to qualify for designation under the criteria of the

Historic Preservation Ordinance. Saugerties has a very

comprehensive record of its history. It is fortunate to have been a

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of Appropriateness. Assistance of the Building Inspector may be requested as required in such surveys.

Section 13. Hardship Criteria for Demolition.An applicant whose Certificate of Appropriateness for a proposed demolition has been denied may apply for relief on the ground of hardship. In order to prove hardship, the applicant shall establish that:

A. the property is incapable of earning a reasonable return, regardless of whether that return represents the most profitable return possible;B. the property cannot be adapted for any other use, whether by the current owner or by a purchaser, which would result in a reasonable return; andC. efforts to find a purchaser interested in acquiring the property and preserving it have failed.

Section 14. Hardship Criteria for Alteration.An applicant whose Certificate of Appropriateness for a proposed alteration has been denied may apply for relief on the ground of hardship. In order to prove existence of hardship, the applicant shall establish that the property is incapable of earning a reasonable return, regardless of whether that return represents the most profitable return possible.Section 15. Hardship Application Procedure.

A. After receiving written notification from the Commission for the denial of a Certificate of Appropriateness, an applicant may commence the hardship process. No building permit or demolition permit shall be issued unless the Commission makes a finding that a hardship exists.B. The Commission may hold a public hearing on the hardship application at which an opportunity will be provided for proponents of the application to present their views.C. The applicant shall consult in good faith with the Commission, local preservation groups and interested parties in a diligent effort to seek an alternative that will result in preservation of the property.D. All decisions of the Commission shall be in writing. A copy shall be sent to the applicant by certified mail and a copy filed with the Town Clerk's Office for public inspection. The Commission's decision shall state the reasons for granting or denying the hardship application. If the application is granted, the Commission shall approve only such work as is necessary to alleviate the hardship.

Section 16. Appeals.Any person aggrieved by a decision of the Historic Preservation Commission related to hardship or a Certificate of Appropriateness may, within 15 days of the decision, file a written application to the Town Board for review of the decision. Reviews shall be conducted based on the same record that was before the Commission and using the same criteria.Section 17. Penalties for Offenses.

A. Failure to comply with any of the provisions of this article shall be deemed a violation, and the violator shall be liable for a fine of not less than $50 nor more than $250 for each day the violation exists.B. Any person who constructs, alters, demolishes or permits a property designated as a landmark to fall into a serious state of disrepair in violation of this article shall be required to restore the property and its site to its appearance prior to the violation. Any action to enforce this article shall be brought by the Town Attorney, who shall be entitled to recover, in addition to the fine, all costs and expenses incurred by the Town in pursuing compliance with this article.C. This civil remedy shall be in addition to and not in lieu of any criminal prosecution and penalty.

Section 18. SeparabilityShould any section, paragraph, division, phrase or provision of this ordinance be judged by any court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid or unconstitutional, such judgement shall not affect the validity of this ordinance as a whole, or any part or provision hereof other than the part so adjudged as invalid or unconstitutional.ADDENDUM TO HISTORIC PRESERVATION ORDINANCETOWN OF SAUGERTIESGLOSSARY OF TERMSALTERATION - Any act or process that changes one or more exterior or designated interior features of a landmark. ARCHITECTURALLY SIGNIFICANT STRUCTURE - An architecturally significant structure is one which represents a rare or early example of a design that has become a widely known style associated with a particular architectural period. CONSTRUCTION - Any act of erecting an addition to an existing

part of the Corporation of Kingston since 1687 and to have had the

benefit of the first 125 years of its history documented in that

body's records. In addition, the 19th century record is fully

available in the chronicles of the many industries that had their

beginnings here. Thus, a property must have played a significant

part in this record to be a landmark more relevant to the history of

the Town than any other available candidate of comparable age.

In the Historic Preservation Ordinance there are five criteria that

qualify a property to be a landmark and only one has to be met for

a designation. It must be proven conclusively that the property

meets one or more of the criteria. In the criteria the architecture,

local prominence, historic owner or State/National Register status

are the principal factors under consideration.

The Commission, by law, is made up of five volunteers, each

having demonstrated knowledge of local history, architecture, and

archaeology. In addition, the Commission has access to many

professionals in the field of preservation that it may call to testify

during the designation hearing for a property. This public hearing

also draws on the comments of the neighbors and other citizens of

the town. Only after a complete record of the evidence is collected

does the Commission make its decision to designate.

Why should a designated property be taxed differently

from any other?

The taxes on a landmark property are the same as any other

property comparable in living area and lot size.

Designated landmarks are, however, given tax relief on

improvements made to them that would typically raise their

assessed value. For any improvement for which they must come

before the Commission for a Certificate of Appropriateness there is

a 10-year phase-in of the full taxes on the related re-assessed value.

This is most important in regard to properties in need of major

restoration efforts. The investment can be substantial. This 10-year

break is a small way that the law allows the Town to thank the

owner for providing this enormous community service.

The restoration and preservation of designated historic properties

adds social and economic benefits to the community. It is rare that

the owner of any property in Saugerties is not aware of its

relationship to an historic property in its neighborhood. Every

hamlet and side road of Saugerties sports an emblem of an earlier

era that a newer dwelling is proud to share its identity with. This

proximity not only improves the value of their home but also helps

to provide a sense of place and community that can only be

possible when living in an historic setting.


structure or the erection of a new principal or accessory structure on a lot or property. CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS - A permit issued by the Saugerties Commission for Historic Preservation allowing exterior alteration, restoration, reconstruction, demolition, new construction or moving of a building designated as a landmark or any property within a historic district. A certificate of appropriateness is required before any material change is made in the appearance of a landmark property or a property within a historic district. FACADE EASEMENT - A type of preservation easement derived from the charitable donation to an organization that is exempt from tax under Internal Revenue Code Section 501 (c) (3). A legal agreement designed to protect a significant historic archaeological or cultural resource in which the historic property owner is assured that the buildings facade (front) will be maintained, protected and preserved forever. FORM - The shape and structure of a building as distinguished from the material of which it is composed. HISTORIC DISTRICT - Any area containing a significant concentration of structures, landscape features, sites or objects having historic, architectural, archaeological, cultural or aesthetic significance which are contextually united.LANDMARK - A designation which may include any structure, landscape feature, site or area having historic, architectural, archaeological, cultural or aesthetic significance.MASSING - The architectural relationship between the various masses or volumes of a building, including proportion, profile, volume relationship and contour.REPAIR - Replacement in kind or refurbishment of materials on a structure. RHYTHM - The regular recurrence of similar features in a building.SPACING - The distance between any two objects in a usually regularly arranged series.

How does an owner of a designated property know what

can and can't be done to it?

The preservation ordinance relates only to exterior architectural or

landscape aspects of a designated property that are visible from

public spaces and interior spaces of a designated property that are

open to the public. Any work requiring a building permit must, in

the case of a designated property, also have a Certificate of

Appropriateness (C of A) issued from the Commission before the

building permit can be issued. The Commission is required to do a

review of the work for the requested C of A at the next regular

meeting after the request is submitted. The building inspector will

supply the C of A forms to any applicant requesting a building

permit on a designated property. It is strongly recommended that

the applicant contact the Commission chair before submitting the

forms to discuss the project being planned. This will expedite the

review process.

There are guidelines that the Commission uses when dealing with

what is appropriate and what is not. These are applied to

architectural elements such as the roof and windows.

They also cover landscape elements such as stone walls

and tree lines that do not require a building permit to

change. Because of the variety of historic aspects of

particular properties, the Commission is responsible for

specifically enumerating those of an individual

property in its designation documentation. It is the

responsibility of the owner to maintain these designated

features and contact the Commission with any request

for change. The law gives the Commission the power to

have changes reversed if done without a C of A.

Must the property owner follow the guidelines

of the Commission?

A full seven pages of the ten page Historic Preservation

Ordinance addresses the rights of the property owner.

Should the guidelines of the Commission present a

hardship to the owner the law allows the property

owner to seek an appeal from the Town Board.

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The Town and Village clerks offer their respective applications for a Certificate of Appropriateness for properties designated local landmarks or that are within an historic district.

guidelines for identification and preservation

Documents

saugerties identity

saugerties landmarks

history of saugerties

saugerties lighthouse

citizen of saugerties

major landmarks of saugerties

historic period

historic identity safe