Church Street Historic District
Why it's listed
Church Street Historic District is a residential neighborhood just north of the center of Richfield Springs, in Otsego County, New York. Built up between about 1822 and 1940, it consists mostly of two-story wood-frame houses in styles ranging from Greek Revival and Italianate to Queen Anne and Colonial Revival, many with their original carriage barns. The district also holds two churches, a cemetery, a former hotel and bath house, and a machine shop. Most houses date from the 1870s and 80s, when the village flourished as a summer resort around its sulphur springs, and were homes to middle-class professionals and business owners. Some buildings were part of the resort itself, including a boarding house and the Terrace Hotel. The Presbyterian church was linked to the McCormick family, whose summer estate lay just outside the district. The cemetery, dating to 1822, holds thirteen Revolutionary War soldiers. The Universalist church later served as a synagogue from 1929 to 1971.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · catalog entry. Generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29).
| Styles | Mid-19th Century; Late Victorian; Late 19th & 20th Century Revivals (Greek Revival, Gothic, Italianate, Stick, Queen Anne, Craftsman, Colonial Revival) |
|---|---|
| Areas of significance | Social History, Architecture, Black |
| Acreage | 37 |
| Boundary source | NPS cultural-resource GIS polygon |
| Full listing page | Church Street Historic District (property record) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.