National Register of Historic Places listings in Ontario County, New York facts for kids
This page is a list of amazing places in Ontario County, New York that are officially recognized as important historical sites! These places are added to something called the National Register of Historic Places. Think of it like a special hall of fame for buildings, areas, and landmarks that have played a big part in history.
If you click on "Map of all coordinates" (usually at the top right of the original page), you can see where all these cool spots are located on a map. One special place, Boughton Hill, is even more important because it's also a National Historic Landmark. This means it's super significant to the history of the entire country!
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Discovering History in Ontario County
Ontario County is full of places that tell stories from the past. These sites are protected and celebrated because they help us understand how people lived, worked, and built communities long ago.
What is the National Register of Historic Places?
The National Register of Historic Places is the official list of the nation's historic places worth saving. It's managed by the United States government. When a place is added to this list, it means it's special because of its history, architecture, or what it represents. It helps protect these places and makes people more aware of their importance.
Cool Historic Spots in Ontario County
Let's explore some of the interesting places in Ontario County that are on this special list!
Homes with a Story
Many old houses in Ontario County have been preserved because of their unique history or architecture.
- Adelaide Avenue School in Canandaigua is an old school building that was recognized in 1984. Imagine all the students who learned there over the years!
- Ashcroft in Geneva is a historic home listed in 1975.
- The Levi Barden Cobblestone Farmhouse in Seneca (listed 2003) is a great example of a cobblestone house. These homes were built using rounded stones, often from nearby fields or rivers, which was a popular building style in this region long ago.
- The Thomas Barron House in Seneca (listed 1988) is another historic home.
- Benham House in Canandaigua (listed 1984) is a beautiful old house.
- The Building at 426 South Main Street in Canandaigua (listed 1984) is an old brick house from the 1880s. It's special because it's one of the few older homes left in its neighborhood.
- The Thaddeus Chapin House in Canandaigua (listed 1984) is another example of a historic home.
- The Ephraim Cleveland House in Naples (listed 1994) tells us about early settlers in the area.
- Cobblestone Manor in Canandaigua (listed 1984) is another impressive cobblestone building.
- The Jeremiah Cronkite House in Victor (listed 2002) is a historic farmhouse.
- The John and Mary Dickson House in West Bloomfield, New York (listed 2008) is a significant home from the past.
- The Felt Cobblestone General Store in Victor (listed 1992) was once a place where people bought everything they needed. It's another example of cobblestone architecture.
- The Granger Cottage and Francis Granger House in Canandaigua (both listed 1984) are connected to the Granger family, who were important in the area's history.
- The Harmon Cobblestone Farmhouse and Cobblestone Smokehouse in Phelps (listed 1992) show us how people lived and preserved food long ago.
- The Dr. John Quincy Howe House in Phelps (listed 2002) belonged to an important local doctor.
- The William Huffman Cobblestone House in Phelps (listed 2002) is yet another example of the unique cobblestone building style.
- The Marshall House in Canandaigua (listed 1984) is a historic residence.
- The Nester House in Geneva (listed 1984) is a grand house near Seneca Lake.
- The Osborne House in Victor (listed 1980) is a historic home.
- Parrott Hall in Geneva (listed 1971) is another significant historic building.
- The Watrous Peck House near West Bloomfield (listed 2017) is an old house from 1803, built in a style common in New England.
- The Rippey Cobblestone Farmhouse in Seneca (listed 1992) is another example of this special building technique.
- The Philetus Swift House in Phelps (listed 2005) is a historic home.
- The George and Addison Wheeler House in East Bloomfield (listed 2005) is a historic residence.
Important Buildings
Many public and commercial buildings are also on the list, showing how communities grew and functioned.
- Belhurst Castle in Geneva (listed 1987) is a beautiful house on Seneca Lake that is now a restaurant and inn. It looks like a real castle!
- Brigham Hall in Canandaigua (listed 1984) is a historic building.
- The Clifton Springs Sanitarium in Clifton Springs (listed 1979) was a famous health resort. People came from all over to seek cures and relaxation there.
- The Cobblestone Railroad Pumphouse in Victor (listed 1992) is a unique building made of cobblestones that was part of the railroad system.
- The Farmers and Merchants Bank in Geneva (listed 2008) is a historic bank building.
- The Geneva Armory in Geneva (listed 1995) is a building that was used by the military.
- Geneva Hall and Trinity Hall at Hobart & William Smith College in Geneva (listed 1973) are important buildings on a college campus.
- The Knights of the Maccabees Hall in Cheshire (listed 2013) was a meeting place for a fraternal organization.
- The Morgan Hook and Ladder Company in Naples (listed 1995) was a fire station.
- The Naples Memorial Town Hall in Naples (listed 1996) is the local government building.
- The Ontario and Livingston Mutual Insurance Office in West Bloomfield (listed 2008) is a historic office building.
- The Phelps Town Hall in Phelps (listed 1996) is another important local government building.
- The Saltonstall Street School in Canandaigua (listed 1984) is another historic school building.
- The Smith Observatory and Dr. William R. Brooks House in Geneva (listed 2008) includes an observatory, a place for looking at stars and planets!
- Smith's Opera House in Geneva (listed 1979) is a historic theater where many performances have taken place.
- The South Bristol Grange Hall 1107 in Bristol Springs (listed 1997) was a meeting hall for farmers.
- The U.S. Post Office-Canandaigua (listed 1988) is a beautiful building from 1910, designed to look like an ancient Greek temple! It's one of only a few post offices in New York designed by private architects.
- The U.S. Post Office-Geneva (listed 1989) is another historic post office.
- Valentown Hall in Victor (listed 1997) is a unique building with a fascinating history.
Historic Areas
Sometimes, not just one building, but a whole group of buildings or an entire neighborhood is considered historic. These are called "historic districts."
- The Canandaigua Historic District in Canandaigua (listed 1984, expanded 2016) includes many old shops and buildings in the heart of the county seat. It's like stepping back in time!
- The Canandaigua Veterans Hospital Historic District in Canandaigua (listed 2012) includes buildings from a hospital built for veterans.
- The Clifton Springs Sanitarium Historic District in Clifton Springs (listed 1990) includes the area around the famous sanitarium.
- The East Bloomfield Historic District in East Bloomfield (listed 1989) covers a significant part of the town.
- The Farmington Quaker Crossroads Historic District in Farmington (listed 2007) is an area important to the history of the Quakers, a religious group known for peace and equality.
- The Genesee Park Historic District in Geneva (listed 2002) is a historic neighborhood.
- The Geneva Downtown Commercial Historic District in Geneva (listed 2014) includes many of the old shops and businesses in the city's downtown area.
- The North Main Street Historic District in Canandaigua (listed 1973) is another important historic area.
- Sonnenberg Gardens in Canandaigua (listed 1973) is a beautiful estate with historic gardens and a mansion.
- The South Main Street Historic District in Geneva (listed 1974) is a historic residential area.
- The Oliver Warner Farmstead in Clifton Springs (listed 1988) is a historic farm.
Places of Worship
Churches and other religious buildings often have deep historical roots in a community.
- The First Baptist Church in Geneva (listed 2002) is a historic church building.
- The First Baptist Church of Phelps in Phelps (listed 1992) is another historic church.
- The Port Gibson United Methodist Church in Port Gibson (listed 1996) is a historic place of worship.
- The St. Bridget's Roman Catholic Church Complex in Bloomfield (listed 1992) includes several buildings important to the Catholic community.
- The St. Francis de Sales Parish Complex in Geneva (listed 2015) is a group of buildings that show how the Catholic population in Geneva grew rapidly starting in 1864.
- St. John's Episcopal Church in Phelps (listed 1978) is a historic church.
- St. Peter's Episcopal Church in Bloomfield (listed 1996) is another historic church.
- The Seneca Presbyterian Church in Stanley (listed 1973) is a historic church building.
Cemeteries and Green Spaces
Even cemeteries can be historic places, telling stories of the people who lived and shaped the area.
- The Washington Street Cemetery in Geneva (listed 2002) is a historic burial ground.
- The Wilder Cemetery in S. Bristol (listed 2003) is another historic cemetery.
- Woodlawn Cemetery in Canandaigua (listed 2014) is the final resting place for many important early residents. It shows how cemeteries changed over time, from small churchyards to larger, more park-like spaces.
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