Guilderland
Historical
Society
- Guilderland properties listed in the
National Register of Historic Places - Knower House
The Knower House viewed from the south (August 2024).
Photos of the Knower House in the 1982 NRHP nomination document (2-6
marked July 1980)
click on an image to obtain full size view
1. Knower House viewed from the southeast
2. detail of newel post in central hall
3.
detail of hardware on front door
4. detail of archway in central
hall
5. fireplace in the first story east parlor
6. detail of carved decoration on mantel in the east parlor
Text information from NRHP nomination of 1982
Knower House entered on the NRHP 10 November 1982
Application file # 29; National Register Guilderland Multiple
Resource Area # 6.
This house is located in what was the center of the village along
the Schoharie plank road and is located next to the Crounse Inn.
Features: This two-story Georgian colonial house is five bays
wide with center entrance with Palladian window above. Although
presently sided with asbestos shingles, the owner is starting to
remove the shingles and restore the original clapboards; the
interior retains much of the original features including hand-carved
decorations on mantels, large central hall with elliptical arch and
carved newel post, raised paneled doors with original strap hinges.
Although the exterior has been covered with asbestos shingles, many
significant architectural details remain intact. A central, second
story tripartate window, cornice returns, a carved newel post on the
interior staircase, and delicate interior mouldings contribute to
the character of the building. The structure survives amidst modern
suburban development and is particularly significant relative to
these surroundings.
Date of initial construction: ca. 1800.
Historical and Architectural importance: This house was
constructed for Benjamin Knower, a prominent businessman and banker
for whom the village was named after his death. (Knowersville became
Altamont in 1887 when the Post Office requested the change to avoid
confusion with another town). Knower was a hatter by trade and
developed a waterproofing method for his beaver-skin hats. It is
believed that the room in the western side of the second floor was
used as a display room because of the unusual barrel vaulted ceiling
and handcrafted peg boards around the entire room. William L. Marcy,
who later became governor of the State and U.S. Secretary of State,
married Cornelia Knower in the grand hall of this house in 1824.
Knower House
NRHP nomination document (12MB pdf)
map location from NRHP document (#29 Knower
House) site map with building location from 1979 tax map
Google Earth kml
file
Guilderland NRHP properties
Guilderland Historian
Guilderland Historical Society