Atwater-Stone House
Why it's listed
Built around 1812, this one-and-one-half-story wood frame house at 29 Water Street is one of the oldest surviving dwellings in Westfield. Around 1850 the main block was extended one bay to the rear and a wood shed was attached to the south side. Windows are double-hung six-over-six sash, placed asymmetrically. Inside, the living room retains exposed hand-hewn chestnut and hemlock beams, oak floors, cherry doors and plank walls. A modern garage behind the house is not part of the historic fabric. The house is tied to Amos Atwater, the first settler to arrive, and his brother-in-law Eber Stone, who came in the winter of 1814; together they operated a lumber and grist mill along Chautauqua Creek. Most of Westfield's surviving buildings date from its later period of growth, so this modest early house is valued as a rare reminder of the small residences built by the first settlers between 1810 and 1840. It remains a private home.
Significance in brief: It is described as a rare surviving vernacular residence from Westfield's earliest settlement period and the only substantially intact structure recalling the village's first settlement. It reflects the small-scale houses built by early settlers between 1810 and 1840, in contrast to the larger later nineteenth-century buildings. It is also associated with Amos Atwater and Eber Stone, who ran a lumber and grist mill on Chautauqua Creek.
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 83003887, listed December 16, 1983. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 29 Water St., Westfield |
|---|---|
| County | Chautauqua County |
| Listed | December 16, 1983 |
| Reference number | 83003887 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Early vernacular house type |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed in excellent condition, in residential use, with original site and no known threats; a modern garage behind the house is non-contributing. |
| Acreage | 0.3 |
| Coordinates | 42.31889, -79.57924 (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 83003887.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4818830
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.