Drovers Inn and Round Family Residence
Why it's listed
Two buildings on Pumphouse Road in Vestal, New York, record a century of use by one local family. The Drovers Inn was built in 1844 by Ransom Baty Sr. for brothers John D. and Jacob L. Rounds, near a river crossing on the Susquehanna. It served travelers and farmers driving livestock to market. Its Greek Revival form, long rectangular plan and two-story veranda were later overlaid with ornate Victorian decoration around 1880. The inn closed in 1855 and became a family home, then later a funeral home, apartments and a restaurant. Across the road stands the Queen Anne style Rounds Family Residence, built in 1895 for Fayette L. Rounds, the Vestal railroad station master, and designed by Truman I. Lacey. An engaged tower was added in 1912. The house remained in the family until 2001 and retains elaborate original interior finishes. Both buildings are now vacant. Together they illustrate the Rounds family's long presence at this site and the town's growth.
Significance in brief: The buildings are significant for their ties to the development of Vestal and the locally prominent Rounds family, who used the site for about a hundred years. The inn is an intact example of a turnpike-era roadside hotel with Greek Revival details and a later Victorian overlay. The Queen Anne residence, designed by architect Truman I. Lacey, is notable for its lavish interior and exceptional integrity.
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 10000222, listed April 26, 2010. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 2 Pumphouse Rd and 301 Main St, Vestal |
|---|---|
| County | Broome County |
| Listed | April 26, 2010 |
| Reference number | 10000222 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1844-c1912 |
| Architect / builder | Drovers Inn: Ransom Baty Sr., builder; Rounds Family Residence: Truman I. Lacey, architect |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival with c1880 Victorian/Eastlake overlay (Drovers Inn); Queen Anne (Rounds Family Residence) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Both buildings are listed as vacant in current function. The inn was a restaurant from 1987 to 2008, and a new owner hopes to return it to use. |
| Acreage | 5 |
| Coordinates | 42.09130, -76.05431 (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).
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
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 10000222.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5308656
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.