ALBANY – Four new nominations have been advanced for State and National Registers of Historic Places, including three in Ulster County and one in Sullivan County.
Hillig Castle, Sullivan County – Located atop Washington Mountain near the Village of Liberty, this European-style stone “castle” was completed in 1937 by Otto Hillig, a German immigrant who had gained wealth and national prominence as a photographer of Catskills landscapes from small planes. Known as the “flying photographer,” he became internationally famous in 1931 as the sole passenger on a transatlantic airplane flight from the United States to Europe by a Danish barnstorming aviator. The castle fell into disrepair after Hillig’s death in 1954 but is now being restored.
Kingston Gas & Electric Co. Building, Ulster County – Constructed in 1911, the former utility headquarters directed the city’s adoption of gas and electricity during the early 20th century. It also functioned for a time as a retail seller of gas and electrical appliances in a bid to convince wary consumers to switch from reliance on coal. The building is currently used for retail and residential purposes.
Domestic Dwelling in Kingston, Ulster County – Built in 1890 and added to through 1914, this Colonial Revival home includes elements of the Queen Anne style and reflects a neighborhood occupied by the Kingston’s 19th century elite. It was originally built for local banker Charles D. Bruyn.
Asbury Historic District, Ulster County – Located at the northern edge of the Town of Saugerties, this 250-acre area is composed of four 18th-century farm properties that retain original buildings and agricultural lands dating to the time of settlement by a Palatine German family in the 1730s. All feature limestone houses in the Dutch Colonial or Early Republic style.
