Belmont Hotel
Why it's listed
Built in 1890 at the corner of Schuyler Street and Wells Lane, this three-story brick building served as Belmont's principal hotel and held shops on the ground floor, including a bank, drugstore, post office and barbershop. It replaced the earlier American Hotel, which burned in 1888. A group of local businessmen formed the Belmont Hotel Company and hired architect Enoch A. Curtis, working with William Archer, with Charles S. Whitney as contractor. The design draws on Queen Anne and Commercial Romanesque styles, with cast iron storefronts, an arcaded loggia at the lobby entrance, pressed metal parapets, a grand staircase and a coffered dining room ceiling. Its location beside the county courthouse made it a gathering place for officials, attorneys and travelers. Later owners ran it as a hotel and rented the commercial spaces to varied businesses. The building is recognized for its role in the county's civic life and as one of the finest commercial buildings of its period in Allegany County. Restoration is underway, though water damage has badly affected the north wing.
Significance in brief: The hotel was Belmont's chief hostelry from the late nineteenth century through much of the twentieth, located next to the county courthouse and central to local social, business and political life. It is also an outstanding local example of late nineteenth century commercial architecture, with Queen Anne and Commercial Romanesque influences and notable cast iron storefronts and loggia.
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 01001319, listed December 3, 2001. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 40-48 Schuyler St., Belmont |
|---|---|
| County | Allegany County |
| Listed | December 3, 2001 |
| Reference number | 01001319 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1890 |
| Architect / builder | Curtis, Enoch A., architect, Fredonia, NY; Archer, Wm. arch.; Whitney, Charles S., contractor |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian (Queen Anne and Commercial Romanesque influences) |
| Criteria |
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| Areas of significance | Architecture, Community Planning and Development |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Owned by the Fountain Arts Center, which is in the process of restoring the hotel; parts of the interior, especially the north wing, are seriously deteriorated or collapsing, and one storefront is used as an art gallery. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.22337, -78.03304 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
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 01001319.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4884376
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.