Verbeck House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Verbeck House
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East elevation and south profile, 2008
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 Location in New York
Location in the United States
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| Location | Ballston Spa, New York |
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| Nearest city | Saratoga Springs |
| Built | 1889 |
| Architect | Marcus F. Cummings |
| Architectural style | Queen Anne |
| NRHP reference No. | 83001790 |
| Added to NRHP | 1983 |
The Verbeck House is a historic building in Ballston Spa, New York. It is located on Church Street, which is also known as NY 50. This house was built in the late 1800s.
A famous architect named Marcus F. Cummings designed it. This was one of his last projects before he retired. The house is special because it shows the Queen Anne design. This style was not common in his other works. The inside of the house still has many of its original fancy decorations.
In 1983, the Verbeck House was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it is an important historical building. For a while, it was home to the National Bottle Museum. The museum even received money to help fix up the house. Later, the museum moved to a bigger place. Today, the Verbeck House is used for business offices.
Contents
What Does the Verbeck House Look Like?
The Verbeck House stands on a small piece of land. It is on the west side of Church Street. Tall trees partly shade the house. There is a parking lot next to it for the offices. The area around the house is mostly homes.
Outside Features of the House
This house has two and a half stories. It is built on a strong stone foundation. Most of the outside is covered with narrow wooden boards called clapboard. These boards have special patterns. The roof is made of slate. It has a decorative edge called a cornice.
There are parts of the house that stick out on the south and east sides. These parts are two stories tall. The main entrance on the east side has a raised porch. This porch has a decorative railing. The windows have fancy tops called lintels. A brick chimney rises on the south side.
Inside the Verbeck House
The main door has six panels and pretty stained glass windows on the sides and above. When you enter, you step into a central hallway. This hallway has special Art Nouveau style wallpaper. The wallpaper has a raised flower pattern.
The hallway leads to other rooms. These rooms have walls covered in cherry wood. A beautiful walnut staircase goes up to the second floor. It has decorative wooden railings. At the end of both hallways, doors also have stained glass. These designs match the wallpaper.
The floor in the house is original. It is made of oak wood in a parquet pattern. The house also has rare chandeliers. These lights could use either gas or electricity. It also has working steam radiators for heat. The original butler's pantry is still there too. The house never had any other buildings on its property.
Who Lived in the Verbeck House?
The Verbeck House was built for James Verbeck. He was a well-known lawyer in the area. The architect, Marcus F. Cummings, designed this house. He was famous for his business buildings in Troy. Most of his earlier houses were built before 1869. Those houses were in different styles, like Italianate and Second Empire. The Queen Anne style of the Verbeck House was very different for him.
How the House Changed Over Time
James Verbeck's family owned the house until 1978. They kept it and its furniture almost exactly as they were. The next year, the family gave the house to a group called the Federation of Historical Bottle Clubs. The house was then changed to become the National Bottle Museum.
In 1989, the museum received money to fix up the house. They repainted it in its original colors. They found these colors by studying old paint chips. The museum celebrated its ten-year anniversary in the house. They also celebrated the house's 100th birthday. There were special events, including a gathering for bottle collectors.
A few years later, the museum had to move out. This happened because of a disagreement between the federation and the museum. The original gift of the house said that if it was not used as a museum, it would go back to the Verbeck family. But because of the money received for repairs, this rule was changed. The house had to stay a museum for at least 23 years. The federation then put the house up for sale. Today, it is used by an insurance company and a financial business.
