House at 17 Aurora Street
Why it's listed
Located a short distance west of Moravia's Main Street business district, this two-story frame house was built around 1850 on Aurora Street, a former turnpike lined with Federal and Greek Revival residences. Its three-bay, side-entrance temple front has a full gable pediment with a flushboard tympanum, shouldered architraves at the first-story openings, corner pilasters, and a recessed front door framed by a transom and sidelights. Walls are clapboard over a cut stone foundation. Behind the main block are a one-and-one-half-story section and a one-story rear wing. Most windows have been replaced with modern one-over-one sash, though one six-over-six window remains on the front. Inside, the historic floor plan and finishes survive. A barn used as a garage and a later garage stand on the lot. The house was listed for its architecture as an intact and representative Greek Revival residence tied to the village's early settlement and development, from 1789 to 1865. It is now divided into multiple dwellings.
Significance in brief: The house is significant under Criterion C as an intact, representative example of Greek Revival residential architecture from the early development of Moravia. It retains its period features, historic floor plan and finishes, and is described as one of the most intact Greek Revival buildings in the village.
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 95000057, listed February 24, 1995. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 17 Aurora St., Moravia |
|---|---|
| County | Cayuga County |
| Listed | February 24, 1995 |
| Reference number | 95000057 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | ca. 1850 |
| Architectural style | Mid-19th Century: Greek Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Historically a single dwelling; currently used as a multiple dwelling. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.71042, -76.42287 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary for a privately owned home: it does not by itself restrict what an owner may do with their own money, and it does not require public access. Restrictions come from local landmark or historic-district ordinances, which are separate (how they differ).
Owner-occupied houses are not eligible for the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit, which applies to income-producing buildings, but many states offer credits for homeowners. Listing also opens the door to preservation easements and to buying a plaque. Start with what listing means for homeowners, renovating a listed house and selling one.
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 95000057.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14706416
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.