North of the City, Two Mid-19th Century Houses Charm With an Abundance of Historic Detail

These two mid-19th century houses are notable for their bounty of historic detail — one even won a preservation award.

by Susan De Vries

01/13/2017 4 minute 0

These two mid-19th century houses on the market north of New York City are notable for their bounty of historic detail — one even won a preservation award. While houses of that time period are pretty common upstate, examples with this level of detail don’t pop up in listings very often.

One is a Greek Revival-style home and the other is not much later in date, with some Italianate details and topped with a Second Empire-style mansard roof. Both are enough to make an old-house lover’s heart go pitter-patter.

The Italianate-style home has an abundance of charm and curb appeal. Located just north of the city at 35 Overton Road in Scarsdale, the house is within walking distance to the Scarsdale Train Station where you can grab a Metro-North train for a trip back into the city.

A lovely Doric-columned side porch looks out onto the yard, and the adjoining bay window provides a view from the parlor. Both are festooned with nice little Italianate-style brackets.

The plentiful photos show a first floor brimming with original details like a marble mantel, hardwood floors, and window and door trim.

The 1.5-story house has three bedrooms, one full bathroom upstairs and a powder room on the first floor.

The baths and kitchen have been renovated, but without looking too glaringly modern in the otherwise 19th century house.

The slope of the mansard roof lends some character to the upstairs bedrooms.

The walk-out basement has a family room with a wet bar as well as an exercise room and wine cellar. The photogenic house is listed for $1.195 million by Lynn Joyce of Houlihan Lawrence.

Located a bit further north is a Greek Revival stunner in Kingston at 122 Saint James Street, just a short walk from the historic downtown.

The restoration of the exterior of the 2.5-story house won a 2012 Preservation Award from the Friends of Historic Kingston. The house is on a corner lot, and this one too has a Doric-columned side porch from which to enjoy the yard.

The front entrance is particularly lovely, flanked by Doric columns with sidelights. The bracketed cornice of the portico seems to show a bit of Italianate influence. The portico, porch and rounded windows in the gable were perhaps later alterations, speculates Friends of Historic Kingston.

The house has three bedrooms, three full baths and one half bath.

The photos seem to show that the floors have been replaced and some details have been lost on the upper floors but the original character is evident on the first floor with mantels, a set of pocket doors, and ear moldings surrounding the doors and windows.