Howland Cobblestone Store
Why it's listed
Built around 1837 at the main crossroads of the hamlet of Sherwood in Scipio, Cayuga County, this small cobblestone building served as a general store for Slocum Howland and now houses a museum. It measures 20 by 32 feet and rises two stories under a gable roof. The walls are gray and light brown field cobbles, 2.5 to 5 inches across, with limestone quoins and lintels and carefully tooled V-shaped joints. Stucco added in the 1850s was being removed during the nomination work. Inside, the large first-floor room was laid out for displaying goods, and an open upper floor served as storage. Its significance lies in its architecture: it is a largely intact, vernacular example of Middle Period cobblestone masonry, one of about 25 such buildings in the county and about 20 cobblestone commercial buildings statewide. The Howland family later used the building for a library and museum collection, but the building was recognized for its construction, not for those associations.
Significance in brief: The store is significant under Criterion C as a largely intact example of cobblestone construction in New York State. It shows the features of the Middle Period (ca. 1835-1845): medium-sized field cobbles, limestone quoins and lintels, and V-tooled joints. The form states that it is a fairly average, vernacular example and that the Howland family history cannot justify significance under Criterion A or B.
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 94000171, listed March 17, 1994. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | N side Sherwood Rd., just E of jct. with Co. Rd. 34B, Scipio |
|---|---|
| County | Cayuga County |
| Listed | March 17, 1994 |
| Reference number | 94000171 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | ca. 1837 |
| Architectural style | Early Republic: Federal (cobblestone construction) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Former general store, now used as a museum; stucco added in the 1850s was being removed and the cobblestones repointed as of the nomination. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.76121, -76.62102 (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 94000171.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5922219
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.