Richardson, William, House
Why it's listed
Built around 1840, this two-story, three-bay brick farmhouse sits on a prominent knoll along Cross Road in Springport, northeast of Union Springs. It has a side ell, a rear wing, fieldstone foundations and gable roofs with exaggerated cornice returns. Details include traceried oval windows in the gables and a front entrance with fluted Ionic columns, faux quoins and half sidelights. Inside, wide baseboards, molded door and window surrounds with corner blocks, Greek Revival mantelpieces and an Adamesque staircase survive. Four frame barns from the late 19th and early 20th centuries stand nearby, and the 80-acre parcel remains a working farm. William Richardson, who married Hannah Yawger, settled here around 1840. The Richardson and Yawger families had earlier made their fortunes mining gypsum for fertilizer. The property was listed for its architecture, as a well-preserved example of late Federal and early Greek Revival style in Cayuga County, and for its link to local agricultural history.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is an outstanding, remarkably intact example of late Federal/early Greek Revival domestic architecture in Springport. The house, four barns and 80-acre farm together reflect the agricultural history of the rural town. It was built for William Richardson, whose family was prominent in the area's gypsum (plaster) mining.
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 05000160, listed March 15, 2005. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 5494 Cross Rd., Union Springs |
|---|---|
| County | Cayuga County |
| Listed | March 15, 2005 |
| Reference number | 05000160 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | ca. 1840 - ca. 1920s |
| Architectural style | Mid-19th Century: Greek Revival (late Federal/early Greek Revival) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Agriculture, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still in use as a single-family dwelling on a working farm; described as remarkably intact. |
| Acreage | 80 |
| Coordinates | 42.88553, -76.67958 (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 05000160.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q8017558
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.