National Register of Historic Places

Duke, James B., Mansion

New York, New York County, New York
Listed
November 10, 1977
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
77000956

About this property

The James B. Duke House is a mansion at 1 East 78th Street, on the northeast corner of Fifth Avenue, on the Upper East Side of Manhattan in New York City. The building was designed by Horace Trumbauer, who drew heavily upon the design of Château Labottière in Bordeaux. Constructed between 1909 and 1912 as a private residence for businessman James Buchanan Duke and his family, the building has housed the New York University (NYU)'s Institute of Fine Arts since 1959. The house has a limestone facade and was designed to look like a two-story structure from the street. An attic story is placed behind the balustrade on roof level. The house generally contains long windows and high ceilings and has a portico in the middle of the 78th Street facade. The interior of the first floor is designed in the French Classical style and consists of four large corner rooms, used as classrooms, which surround a main entrance hall. The second floor originally contained eight bedrooms while the third floor had servants' quarters; these later served respectively as a library and offices. The basement had service rooms, later converted into laboratories. The James B. Duke House replaced the 1880s-era Henry H. Cook mansion. When Duke died in 1925, his wife Nanaline and daughter Doris continued to live in the house until 1958, when they donated the house to NYU. The New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission designated 1 East 78th Street as an official landmark in 1970, and it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1977.

Location

1 E. 78th St.
New York, New York County, New York
40.77650, -73.96377

Categories

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National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Nearby Historic Sites

Sinclair, Harry F., House
Industrial
0 mi
Rogers, John S., House
Industrial
0.1 mi
Sidewalk Clock at 1501 3rd Avenue, Manhattan
Colonial
0.2 mi
Duke Residence
Industrial
0.2 mi
Metropolitan Museum of Art
Industrial
0.2 mi

Nearby Battles

New York Slave Revolt (1712)
1712Colonial
0.6 mi
Capture of Turtle Bay Depot
1775Revolutionary War
1.7 mi
Battle of Kip's Bay (Manhattan)
1776Revolutionary War
2.2 mi
Peach Tree War (1655)
1655Colonial
2.3 mi
Battle of Kip's Bay
1776Revolutionary War
2.3 mi

Questions about this property

When was Duke, James B., Mansion listed on the National Register?

Duke, James B., Mansion was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on November 10, 1977.

What type of historic resource is Duke, James B., Mansion?

Duke, James B., Mansion is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Duke, James B., Mansion?

The period of significance for Duke, James B., Mansion is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Duke, James B., Mansion?

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