Irving Langmuir House, National Historic Landmark residence in Schenectady, New York
The Irving Langmuir House is a Colonial Revival residence with terra cotta tiles on its hipped roof and two symmetrical dormer windows above a Palladian-style entrance. This two-and-a-half-story structure retains its original central-hall floor plan and columned front porch.
The house was built in 1900 and physicist-chemist Irving Langmuir moved in during 1919, residing there until his death in 1957. Its occupation by this distinguished scientist marked its transformation from a typical executive residence into a notable landmark.
The house sits within a residential neighborhood developed specifically for executives at the nearby General Electric Research Laboratory. This community shows how major companies once created their own neighborhoods for top employees.
The house is located in Schenectady on Stratford Road and can be viewed from the street, with its Colonial Revival features clearly visible. Visitors should keep in mind it remains a private residence, so maintaining respectful distance is important.
Irving Langmuir was the first industrial scientist to receive the Nobel Prize in Chemistry, earning it in 1932 for his surface chemistry research. This honor makes the house a rare example of a Nobel laureate's home in industrial research.
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