Auburn Button Works and Logan Silk Mills
Why it's listed
Built in 1879-1880 on Logan Street in Auburn, New York, this brick industrial complex was designed to house the Auburn Button Works, founded by John H. Woodruff, and later the Logan Silk Mills. The mill, of heavy timber construction with load-bearing masonry walls, originally formed an L-shaped building, and an east wing added by 1882 made it U-shaped. Corbelled brickwork decorates the roofline, and large 12-over-12 windows with segmental brick hoodmolds mark the front. Logan Silk Mills supplied the silk for the gown Caroline Harrison wore at her husband's 1889 inauguration, but it closed in 1890. The Wegman Piano Company then occupied the site until bankruptcy in 1915. A fire on May 1, 1914 destroyed the west wing's third story and led to its separation from the main block. Later tenants made automotive supplies, shoes, and marine hardware. The complex is valued as a rare surviving Italianate industrial building in Auburn.
Significance in brief: The complex is argued to be an intact, representative example of late 19th century vernacular Italianate industrial architecture, once common and now rare in Auburn. It also reflects the city's industrial history, including button, silk, piano, and shoe manufacturing.
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 07001014, listed September 28, 2007. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 9-11 Logan St., Auburn |
|---|---|
| County | Cayuga County |
| Listed | September 28, 2007 |
| Reference number | 07001014 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1879-1950 |
| Architectural style | Late 19th Century Revival: vernacular Italianate |
| Criteria |
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| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Current function is listed as vacant, though the first floor of the west wing still houses a machine shop and parts of the main floor have been used for a recording studio and rehearsal hall; windows are boarded up. |
| Acreage | 1.5 |
| Coordinates | 42.92990, -76.56434 (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.
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 07001014.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4819250
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.