Aurora Village-Wells College Historic District
Also known as: See Also:Aurora Steam Grist Mill
Why it's listed
Aurora is a linear village along the eastern shore of Cayuga Lake, and this district covers both sides of Main Street from the old village at the north to the historic Wells College campus at the south. Oak Park and Ledyard cemeteries are included. Buildings range from the 1793 Patrick Tavern, the oldest in town, to the Federal-style Peter Fort and Riford houses, the Greek Revival Taylor house and a rare wood-frame Greek Revival storefront, the Thompson Block. Churches in Gothic Revival and Italianate design, a Masonic lodge of 1819 and a stone mill add variety. The campus features Gothic Revival, Italianate and English Collegiate buildings arranged along a curving drive above the lake. The district was listed because of its concentration of buildings tied to the village's early commercial importance and to Wells College's growth. Federal and Greek Revival examples are rare in the Finger Lakes region, and the village and college have long depended on one another. Adaptive reuse has left few intrusions.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the district is significant for its concentration of historic buildings tied to Aurora's early commercial importance and to the growth of Wells College. It holds a large collection of Federal and Greek Revival buildings, rare in the Finger Lakes area. The village and college have been mutually dependent for over a century and form a cohesive group of architecturally distinguished buildings.
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 80002595, listed November 19, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | NY 90, Aurora |
|---|---|
| County | Cayuga County |
| Listed | November 19, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80002595 |
| Resource type | District |
| Architect / builder | Samuel Mandell (local architect); A.J. Davis (Henry Wells residence); William H. Ranlett (A.C. Boyer cottage) |
| Architectural style | Federal, Greek Revival, Gothic Revival, Italianate, Queen Anne, Stick Style and other styles |
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Education, Architecture, Religion, Invention |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Marked occupied; condition checked as excellent and good. The village and college continue to reuse historic buildings, and the district has few intrusions, mostly modern houses. |
| Acreage | 104 |
| Coordinates | 42.75118, -76.70115 (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 80002595.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4822623
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.