Niven House Restoration

Thornton MacNess Niven (1806-1895) designed and occupied the home at 201 Montgomery Street in the City of Newburgh, NY. Newburgh’s first native architect and a master stonecutter, Niven was also the great-grandfather of famed playwright and novelist Thornton Niven Wilder. Built in 1839, the house remains virtually unchanged except for the south side’s apse, believed to be added by architect Frederick Withers when he occupied the house in the 1860s. Niven was the architect of several significant public buildings, including the Newburgh and Goshen Courthouses. Various restoration and preservation projects, including the stairs, front porch/veranda, and stucco, will be executed in 2008 and 2009.