Historical Plattsburgh Homes

A visit to some of the historical houses in Plattsburgh

Story and photos by Jennifer Stiles

Winston Churchill once said, “We build our buildings, then our buildings shape our lives.” This stands true for the city of Plattsburgh, NY. Throughout the 19th century, the town of Plattsburgh went through many great and significant changes. The Battle of Plattsburgh and the early development of the people began to divide, purchase, and settle into this beautiful valley are the more important examples. Currently, the city has a little over two dozen houses that are recorded on the National Registry of Historical Houses. Many of these surviving homes not only provide historical architecture but stories of war and this change.

The Mooers House

“The house holds a secret. There's an arch way in the basement filled with concrete which may be an entrance to a tunnel,” says Jina Baker. Baker has lived at 100 Bridge for the majority of her life and is proud to show off every little hidden secret of the home. The famous cannonball that flew in the front archway, through a supporting wall and lodged itself in the original back brick wall is one of the few relics of the Battle of Plattsburgh. So far, records show that the house was built in 1797 by General Moore. Convinced that the house is older, Baker says,“I'm still searching for records for an earlier date.”

Sitting on the main stairwell inside the home, Baker begins to tell and show (through her sons 8th grade project) the importance that her house played during the Battle of Plattsburgh. Close to the time of battle, in 1814, Moore was kicked out by General Alexander Macomb. Macomb used the spacious house for the American headquarters.

Before the battle, the Moore house was just a small yellow wooden house (just the corner room). “We don't have any dates on when the additions were put on,” says Tracey Giroux, Bakers mother who still lives in the six apartment building. “We do know that Benjamin Moore built the right wing. He was wounded some how, we don't know when. Gang green set in his infected arm. He sat in a chair in that room and had his arm cut off. The arm was then placed in a mini casket and placed in the cellar. When he died they put the small one on the big one and buried the two together,” says Giroux. The last addition was the back rooms where Giroux lives.

The house is still somewhat broken apart into sections. From the attic and the basement one can see exactly where the additions were made. “There is two chimney's that join at the top,” explains Giroux. In the attic one can see the two chimneys form together, as well as the original roof of the small yellow house.

*Located at 100 Bridge Street.

The Kent-Delord House

The British are coming! Prior to the Battle of Plattsburgh, Betsey Delord was at home when she heard of British soldiers coming. Quickly she took her most prised possession, her silver china to the back yard. She buried her china and fled to her family's home in Peru NY. After a long two months the soldiers had left and Betsey Delord was having her first daughter, Frances Henriette Delord. In 1814, the British Soldiers raided the house for a second time, this time they turned it into their headquarters. When the British realized that they had no chance in winning, they retreated, leaving their mess chest, containing silver tableware.

Walking into the Kent-Delord House today is almost identical to walking into it during the 19th century. The home still contains all original furnishings and décor from the Delord family and servants. Walking throughout the home, it's not hard to imagine a time where swords, a kettle of tea on the fire, and painted portraits were the style of living an upper class lifestyle. The Kent-Delord house is currently a historical landmark in Plattsburgh. Not moving too much around, the house has been turned into a museum. Along with the original wooded structure, the house contains over one hundred historical relics. Among these relics is the popular mess chest that was left by the British as well as the silver china set that Mrs. Delord had unburied after the British retreat.

*Located at 17 Cumberland Ave Plattsburgh.

Dunham House

Little is known about the history of the Dunham house, built by George W. Dodd. It wasn't until 1812, when the British invaded the property, when it became a historical landmark in the city. In the time of battle, they took over the large basement and used it as a hospital for the sick and injured. When the British fled, they left many of their wounded there to fend for themselves.

Since the Battle, the house has served many purposes. Records show that the Dodd's sold the house to Walter Carroll. Walter used the home as a funeral home, which he left to Ronald Blixt. Blixt added the back wheel chair accessible ramp and began the addition of the right wing. He then sold the property to a lawfirm owned by the Fitzpatrick's. In 1992, the home was offered as a free space to hold and run the Clinton County Historical Museum. “We were rent free for twelve years and then we sold it to Jay Heald and moved to Cumberland Ave,” says Kenneth Wray, a representative who has been with the museum for 18 years now. “I wanted to keep in homey,” says Mr. Jay Heald. Today the house is back to a funeral home and the only historical relics that currently remain are the fireplace and the trimmings along the ceilings. The basement is currently the garage, where the hearse is stored.

*Located at 48 Court Street.

Lowells House

During the Battle of Plattsburgh, Samuel Lowell's wife was held captive by British soldiers at their headquarters, the Boynton Farm. During her time with the solders, she was forced to work as their personal cook. “Rumor has it that Mrs. Lowell, during her forced-labor, hid a keg of British payroll gold in a nearby water-well,” explains John McKenna, current owner of the house. After the British left Plattsburgh and Mrs. Lowell was let go. She and her husband dug up the gold and with it moved to the other side of the city where they built this beautiful brick federal style establishment.

In 1825, Mr. Lowell decided to add the two story addition on the east side. It wasn't for about another 20 years, when the house was passed on to the Lowells only daughter. In 1863, she sold the lot to S.P. Brown who literally doubled the size, adding the West wing as well as the Stair tower, the painted murals on the walls and ceiling, and changed the outside appearance to fit the popular “Italianate” style.

Six owners later, architect John McKenna bought the home in 1981. He turned it into an apartment home and is currently restoring the whole thing. The original pieces are being revived and the pieces that cannot be are being replicated. “Being an architect, I like buildings and this house is an unique example of Victorian architecture for the city of Plattsburgh. It's worth being restored,” says McKenna.

*Located at 22 Macomb Street.

Hayes Homestead

One of the most beautiful looking houses in Plattsburgh, the Hayes Homestead can be easily recognized by its unique style, beautifully colored stain glass windows, and rusted “No Parking” sign that has been sitting in the driveway since Sheriff Ducatte's ownership.

Although not definitively known, the house was built sometime between 1889-92 by L.W. Hayes, a successful and wealthy business man of the city.“He had the first gas buggy in Plattsburgh,” says Francessa Hartnett, current owner of the home. When Hayes passed away from a sudden heart attack in 1914, the house was deeded to his wife Ida M. Thomas Hayes.

Mrs. Hayes was a very honorable women who was dedicated to her community. She was a member of the Red cross as well as the Daughters of the American Revolution, Saranac chapter. When she passed away in 1920, the house was then deeded to Mr. Hayes's sister-in-law Margaret Hayes and three of Mr. Hayes's nephews.

That following July, the house was bought by Dr. Jefferson G. McKinney. From his purchase in 1922 until his death in 1936, McKinney owned and ran the house as a type of rehab hospital. During his residency, he added the hardwood floors in the dining room and all of the marble sinks, which can still be found in every bedroom of the second floor. From 1836 to 1964, his son, Louis A. McKinney, was finally deeded the property. Throughout these years, the house became a disaster however, it was finally taken care of again by it's next owners, Sheriff Emmett and wife Beryl Ducatte.

“Mrs. Ducatte was very into interior decorating,” says Hartnett. She began to tear down and build new walls, windows, and even a stairwell to the basement throughout the house. “If you look on the side of the house you can see some windows she covered (while renovated the house),” says Hartnett.

In 1968, Beryl and Emmett divorced and the house was sold to William Edward and wife Francessa Hartnett. Restoring some of the walls torn down by Beryl was one of the several renovations that the Hartnett's did to the house. However, there are still memorable and historical relics scattered throughout the house.

Originally tan, brown, and beige the house now appears to have a more weathered gray look. “Notice the stain glass on the windows, each window has a different color scheme,” explains Mrs Hartnett. The original stain glass is still placed in the windows. The original five chimney's still stand throughout the house, as well as many cabinets, a laundry shoot, a medicine cabinet, and a few desks. The New York Gothic mansard roof, where the roof top slants inward, is still used so that the rain water can drain through a pipe which ends up in the city sewer system.

*Located at 59 Brinkerhoff.

The Kate Cleveland Smith House

When Charles Platt and his two brothers came and founded Plattsburgh, they were each given “gift lots.” Charles balloted 61 acres of land, which lays from the lake shore to D'Youville academy to Cornelia street. Although the exact date of when the building was built is unknown, proof of a deed of part of the land was sold to John Palmer and the house was built sometime in the 1840's. Upon the death of Palmer, the house was deeded to a Roxanne Sawyer who sold the property to a Savina Cane in 1868.

In 1893, Mrs. Smith bought the house from Cane. Smith restored and did extensive repairs to the home and resided their until her death in 1934. Smith was very involved in the Saranac chapter of Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR). She deeded the home to the organization and since then the house has been the home of the chapter.

Today, the chapter still meets once a month in the large rooms of the first floor of this original brick building. Over the years, the organization has received many gifts that give the house an original 1800's look. Gifts have including but are not limited to a beautiful piano, couches, day beds, china, and even a cannonball from the Battle of Plattsburgh. Most, if not all, of the architecture including the fireplace, stain glass windows, front door, stairwell banister, and chandelier fixtures are original. The house stands today as a great example of a very popular style of Plattsburgh architecture of the 1800's.

*Located at 56 Cornelia Street.

The Regina Maria Retreat House

Located in the heart of downtown Plattsburgh, is a home that can't be missed. Built between 1868 and 1870, by William Wallace Hartwell, stands the Regina Maria Retreat House. As one of the few mansions in the city, the retreat house has a lot of mystery to it. “My mother and I bought the house together in 2006 from The Daughters of Heart of Mary. The history of our home is very limited,” explains Cynthya Spencer. Cynthya, husband Rob, and daughter are current residence of the 19 room home. An article from the local Press Republican is one of the only historical written documents of the home. The article from 2006, explains the life of William Wallace Hartwell.

Originally from Vermont, William Wallace Hartwell was a wealthy entrepreneur who invested widely in real estate. He purchased the block in1850. He had the mansion built as his family home. The whole lot includes the main building,with a mansard roof, purple and gray polychrome hexagonal slates, and raised basement; as well as a carriage house and keeper's cottage. The mansion has been passed on from William to his wife Maria, and ended with daughter Chastine. In 1921, she sold the home, all furnishings included to John and Mary Whyte. The Whyte's lived in it no longer than a year until they sold it to the Sisters of Mercy who sold the home to The Daughter's of the Heart of Mary in 1959.

When the Spencers purchased the home, the nun's took along with them the original contents of the home. “We bought all of the futniture from antique and thrift shops (pointing to a couch which sits in the front room) I found this one in the garbage and got it reupholstered,” explains Cynthya.

Currently, the Spencers have re-tiled some floors, painted some walls, and ran electricity through the rooms they could. “You see the flower print on the walls here (in the ballroom), I want to uncover it and do all gold-leaf. It will be my next winter project,” Cynthya says with a smile.

Heading up stairs, not all of the rooms have fully been restored and of the rooms that are lies original bordered trimming, fireplaces, and ceiling décor. Also, climbing higher, the floors become shorter. The first floor stands twelve feet tall, the second is eleven feet, and the third is ten. The mansard tower is a small tan room with scattered colorful birds and flowers painted on the sides. The tower has four main windows that look out over the whole city.

*Located at 77 Brinkerhoff.

Bailey William House

Known as “lovers lane” to many of the older friends of the community, it's hard not to feel peaceful and protected by the rows of trees that align the way to the Bailey William House.

“The driveway is definitely one of the more unique features. It gives you the feeling that your not in the city,” says Kim Maglione.

Built in 1795, the house has served as the home to William Bailey. Bailey was a business man who married the daughter of the Nathaniel Platt, founder of Plattsburgh. In 1822, the Bailey William House caught on fire and later on was rebuilt into it's current stone house. From the many previous owners, the house has been renovated and added to. However, there are still a few original pieces that are displayed and currently used.

“The house is heated from the original radiators,” explains Kim Maglione, current resident of the home. Although each person who has lived in the home has added their own touch, the front exterior, inside fireplace, hot-water radiators, some light fixtures, molding in the dining room, and front door have not been replaced. The house still has the original Red fords bulls-eye glass in the front and side windows and very popular Georgian colonial style stone pillars and eyebrow shutters. Entering the back door, the first thing to notice is the original back stone wall of the house. It is now a wall that divides the mud room to the rest of the home.

Kim explains since she and her husband Tony moved in four years ago, they have “given the house the TLC that it needed.” Wanting to keep and help the house restore to more of it's original look, Kim and Tony have added an identical replica of the wall molding to the front “library.” They have also restored the front porch and try to always keep two white lawn chairs in the front yard, similarly to photos of earlier years.

*Located at 176 Cornelia Street.

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