Palmyra Village Historic District

Palmyra's historic core in Wayne County, New York, is protected as a district of 217 contributing and 31 non-contributing resources. It brings together the earlier Market Street and East Main Street commercial districts, Zion Episcopal Church, and 164 additional properties. Masonry commercial, civic and religious buildings line East and West Main Streets, while frame houses extend outward along Jackson, Cuyler and Canandaigua Streets. Four large churches face each other at the central intersection, and the Village Hall, built in 1866-68 and designed by Horatio Nelson White, anchors the civic center. The Wayne County Fairgrounds mark the southwest edge. Most buildings date from about 1830 to 1890, reflecting the Erie Canal era, when Palmyra was a busy port and commercial center. The district also reflects early twentieth-century growth tied to the Garlock Manufacturing Company. Together the properties document the village's commerce, community development and architecture across more than two centuries.