Howard–Odmin–Sherman Farmstead
historic home and farm located at Pittstown, Rensselaer County, New York
Howard–Odmin–Sherman Farmstead, also known as the Hidden Pond Farm, is a historic home and farm located at Pittstown, Rensselaer County, New York. The farmhouse was built about 1860, and consists of a two-story, three-bay, frame dwelling with a one-story rear ell in a transitional Greek Revival / Italianate style. Also on the property are the contributing carriage barn (c. 1840-1860), outbuilding (c. 1840-1860), grain house (c. 1840-1860), main barn (c. 1870), henhouse (c. 1940s), turkey coop (c. 1930), small outbuilding (c. 1900), and two pole barns (c.
The public source identifies “Howard–Odmin–Sherman Farmstead” as historic home and farm located at Pittstown, Rensselaer County, New York. This brief keeps that definition visible, then builds a research path around Howard, Odmin and Sherman.
Why this record matters
A short description can identify a subject without explaining its stakes. For “Howard–Odmin–Sherman Farmstead”, the useful work is to connect “historic home and farm located at Pittstown, Rensselaer County, New York” to the records capable of establishing context and consequence.
The strongest evidence will usually combine a dated visual record with documents produced by the authority responsible for the place. The source revision retrieved here is dated Sep 5, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q22022708. Authority coordinates are 42.864, -73.515. 1 of 2 selected statements include explicit references; 1 carry qualifiers and 0 use preferred rank. The first chronological checks are 1860, 1840, 1870 and 1930.
Architectural summaries often privilege surviving fabric and can understate demolished phases, contested use or displaced communities. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Treat names, boundaries and functions as historically changeable. Maps, plans, inventories and administrative records can clarify what the place meant at different dates.
- Historic place names
- Jurisdictional context
- Routes into maps and plans
Contemporary maps, plans, listed-building records, estate papers and the responsible local or national archive.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Howard–Odmin–Sherman Farmstead”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Howard–Odmin–Sherman Farmstead primary sources, Howard–Odmin–Sherman Farmstead archive and Howard research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Howard–Odmin–Sherman Farmstead”?
- Which authority defined the place, boundary or structure at the relevant date?
- Which earlier names or jurisdictions may reveal additional records?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Howard–Odmin–Sherman Farmstead” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.