Angelica Park Circle Historic District
Also known as: See Also:Old Allegany County Courthouse
Why it's listed
Angelica's Park Circle district covers about ninety acres in western New York and is organized around an octagonal village green, laid out in the early nineteenth century by Evert Van Winkle for the Church family's land tract. Around the green stand the former county courthouse, now village hall, and several churches in Greek Revival and carpenter Gothic styles, including the 1856 Presbyterian church and the 1848 St. Paul's Episcopal Church. West Main Street holds modest brick and frame commercial buildings, some with false fronts, while East Main Street has simple frame homes. The Allegany County fairgrounds, moved to the site in 1865, form the northeast corner of the district, with a race track and about fourteen barns and sheds. The district was listed because the village preserves its New England-influenced plan and a cohesive group of nineteenth-century buildings, and because Angelica long served as county seat and fair site. A 1955 school is the only intrusion noted.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the village is one of the oldest settlements in Allegany County and has changed little since the nineteenth century. It is notable for adapting a New England town plan around an octagonal green and for the distinctive group of religious, governmental and commercial buildings around it. Angelica also served as the former county seat and as the site of the annual agricultural fair.
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) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 78001840, listed January 31, 1978. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Main and White Sts. and Allegany County Fairgrounds, Angelica |
|---|---|
| County | Allegany County |
| Listed | January 31, 1978 |
| Reference number | 78001840 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 and 1900- (boxes checked on the form; no specific dates given) |
| Architect / builder | Evert Van Wickle (builder of 48 East Main Street, c. 1820); Evert Van Winkle laid out the village |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival, Gothic Revival (carpenter Gothic) and simple vernacular commercial and residential buildings |
| Areas of significance | Community Planning and Development, Agriculture, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Form lists the district as occupied, in good condition, with one intrusion: a 1955 school building at 21 East Main Street. |
| Acreage | 90 |
| Coordinates | 42.30587, -78.01220 (NPS GIS) |
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.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 78001840.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4762671
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.