Buildings in Amenia listed on the National Register of Historic Places include:
Beth David Synagogue
In the early 20th century, people of Jewish faith who had emigrated from Eastern Europe to the Lower East Side in New York City began moving upstate to pursue country life and agricultural practices. The proximity of the Harlem Valley railroad made Amenia a desirable location to settle. In 1929, the Beth David Synagogue, located on East Main Street, was constructed to serve the 12 to 15 Russian Jewish families who had settled in the area. Although the congregation fluctuated over the years, dwindling to only 12 members in the 1970s, it remains a significant representation of Eastern European Jewish architecture and a place of worship.
Indian Rock Schoolhouse
Constructed around 1850 along Mygatt Road, the Indian Rock Schoolhouse educated children in Amenia until about 1927. Having remained intact to the present, unlike the other 11 one-room schoolhouses in the area, it is architecturally significant as it exhibits the Gothic Revival style implemented in many 19th century schoolhouses. It is also a representation of the educational movement that took place across New York State during the mid 1800s, particularly in a rural farming community.
Lewis Mumford House
In the small hamlet of Leedsville sits the home of renowned writer and humanist, the late Lewis Mumford. Mumford is best known for his books and essays on urban design, architecture, and culture. He was presented with numerous awards including the National Book Award (1961), the National Medal for Literature (1972), and the Smithsonian Institution’s Hodgkins Gold Medal. Mumford received other honors such as the Presidential Medal of Freedom (1964), and was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 1975. After visiting friends in Amenia and being drawn to the country life, Lewis Mumford and his wife Sofia purchased a summer home in the area in 1929. By 1936, the couple moved into the home permanently and lived there until their deaths in the 1990s. Although several renovations were made over the years and some modern homes have been constructed nearby, this property retains its historical integrity and architectural significance as a mid 19th century house.
Maxon Mills Feed Elevator
The Maxon Mills Grain Elevator, located in the center of Wassaic Hamlet, was added to the New York State Register of Historic Places in 2006. It is one of the last remaining studded wood crib elevators in the United States. The grain elevator, which is at the crossroads of the historic agricultural industrial area, was an integral part of the railroad corridor. However, the loss of railroad freight service has made the milling of grain in this area no longer feasible.
St. Thomas Episcopal Church
St. Thomas’ Episcopal Church, located in Amenia Union on Leedsville Road, is a sophisticated, stylistically advanced church constructed between 1849 and 1851. It was designed by renowned architect Richard Upjohn and remains a prime example of Gothic Revival ecclesiastical architecture in Dutchess County. Its presence in this small, rural community can be attributed to the influence of Reverend Homer Wheaton, a prominent minister of the Episcopal Church in Columbia and Dutchess Counties. His connection with the New York Diocese introduced him to Richard Upjohn. St. Thomas’ Episcopal Church has been noted by scholars to be one of the best American representations of the rural English Gothic church.