A Historic Pine Plains Farmhouse Gets a Second Chance

For more than a century, travelers entering Pine Plains from the south on what is now Route 82 were greeted by an imposing Colonial-style farmhouse, the Pilch Crest Dairy. Those who saw it knew they were entering a thriving town.

That was then. By the early 2000s, the once-elegant structure had fallen into disrepair. Today, the large barn and silo are gone, and the spot they stood on at 7702-7714 South Main St. is occupied by a Stewart’s Shops. Only the farmhouse remains.

Until recently, shoppers at Stewart’s and visitors to the post office, if they looked at the farmhouse next door at all, likely averted their eyes. With its boarded up windows, crumbling foundation, and sagging front door, it presented a sorry spectacle.  

This week, however, the Pilch farmhouse, which dates to the late 19th century, has a new lease on life. The building’s owner, Dale Mitchell, has begun a full restoration, ensuring it can last another 100 years.

The story of the Pilch Dairy Farm is in many ways the story of Pine Plains and surrounding communities. It’s a story of hardworking immigrants. A young couple, John and Clara Pilch, arrived from England in the mid-1800s to better their fortunes, and through hard work built what would eventually become a thriving dairy operation. 

In the manner of New England farmers of that time, the Pilches added on to their building as their business prospered. “The house grew with the needs of the family,” said Mitchell. “The rear wing was added as lodging for the dairy’s staff.”

Mitchell, a property developer, said he bought the farm in the 1970s from the Pilch’s grandson, Edwin, who then retired to Florida.  

For a while, Mitchell operated his lumber company from the house but when he sold the company in the early 2000s, it stood empty and gradually fell into disrepair. Time has not been kind to the old farmhouse. Over the next two decades, it slipped from a state of worn elegance to outright decay.

“I am perfectly aware the farmhouse has been an eyesore in town, as was the Stissing House before I restored it,” said Mitchell, referring to the historic building on the corner of South Main and Church streets that he previously owned.

Mitchell kept the Pilch homestead structurally sound in hopes a buyer would materialize. “Five years ago we secured the foundation and stabilized the roof that was leaking,” he said. “I always wanted to restore it but could only do so now when cash flow permitted.”

Mitchell hired Travis Jameson of Hidden Valley Custom Cabins and Sheds in Argyle, N.Y., to conserve the farmhouse. “The house looked pretty sad when we first saw it,” said Jameson. 

The restoration will be in two phases. The first, completed this week, involved exterior preservation — lifting a corner of the house with two 20-ton jacks to repair the cracked foundation, installing new windows, replacing a rotten sill beam and other decaying woodwork. The next phase, to be completed in early 2026, calls for restoration of the interior, new insulation and wiring, and other work necessary to make the farmhouse habitable.

Every old house has its secrets and the Pilch farmhouse is no exception. “When we opened the walls, we discovered at the core of the farmhouse an older structure — the original farmhouse,” said Jameson. That cabin was roughly 20-by-30 feet with a wide fireplace and a hand-hewn frame. This original structure will be preserved and remain visible, said Mitchell.

Another surprise awaited. Jameson found remnants of a two-story porch, similar to the one that graces the older Stissing House. “We will put that porch back on so the house remains true to the original design,” said Mitchell.

Jameson, who is assisted on the job by his son and nephew, said he’s been working for more than 30 years with Mitchell: “We drive two hours each way to get to this job. I’m doing it for Dale.”

Once the conservation is complete, Mitchell intends to either rent or sell the farmhouse, which is well-situated between the two busiest destinations in town — Stewart’s and the post office.

“It’ll be nice to have a part of our historic farming past greeting visitors as they enter the town,” said Dyan Wapnick, president of the Little Nine Partners Historical Society.  

In Mitchell’s vision, the farmhouse will be used for commercial purposes that honor its historic beauty — ideally, an antique store — that would serve as an anchor for other shops. Mitchell also hopes to develop low-to-middle-income townhouses behind the farmhouse on a 35-acre meadow, which he also owns.

“I hope this restoration gives other owners an incentive to restore historic structures that are vacant in the center of Pine Plains,” said Mitchell. “The look of an abandoned house is a problem for a town. But once you restore them, they really do become the pillars of the community. Look at Stissing House.” 

Asked if the restoration so far has been trouble-free, Mitchell laughed. “Nobody, but nobody, wants to restore a historic house,” he said. “Nobody but me.”