ALBANY- Two local landmarks have been nominated by the New York State Board for Historic Preservation to be added to the State and National Registers of Historic Places.
St. Joseph’s Parish Complex in Kingston is an ecclesiastical campus erected over the course of more than a century that showcases a rich variety of architectural styles and buildings designed by prominent architects. The oldest building in the complex, the church, was completed in the early 1830s for the Dutch Reformed Church. In the 1850s, it served as a concert and lecture hall—hosting Susan B. Anthony among other noted speakers—and during the Civil War it was converted into a drill hall and armory for Kingston’s Ulster Guard.
Wallace Company Department Store in Poughkeepsie was also nominated to join the registry. Located on Main Street in downtown Poughkeepsie, the Wallace Company Department Store was constructed for a different retail establishment in 1875. In 1906 it was purchased by the Wallace Company and was expanded in the 1930s. Today, the building remains a distinctive intact example of a nineteenth-century department store that was modernized in keeping with the new architectural trends that emerged in the 1930s.
Speaking to the nominations, Governor Kathy Hochul said, “New York is defined by its diverse culture and history, and we are continuing efforts to preserve and protect our state’s inspiring stories.”
