Bliss, L., House
Why it's listed
Built around 1853, this two-story frame house at 90 West Main Street in Westfield sits on a 2.2 acre lot in a modest residential neighborhood. It is an Italian Villa style residence with a low-pitched hipped roof, broadly overhanging bracketed eaves, and a prominent cupola with a bracketed cornice. Oval panels decorate the broad frieze, and segmentally arched wooden lintels top the four-over-four double-hung windows. A one-story porch with bracketed posts wraps the front and northeast sides, and a two-story wing extends from the east corner. Inside, the oak and walnut woodwork remains intact. The house is considered significant as a distinctive example of its style and as the only surviving wood frame building of this type in the village. It is believed to have been built by Lorenzo Bliss, who owned a brewery near Chautauqua Creek in the mid-nineteenth century. It has been used as a residence since construction.
Significance in brief: It is described as a distinctive example of the Italian Villa style, with a prominent cupola, bracketed eaves and irregular massing of wings. It is the only surviving wood frame example of this style in the village of Westfield. It retains integrity of design and materials inside and out.
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 83001647, listed September 26, 1983. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 90 W. Main St., Westfield |
|---|---|
| County | Chautauqua County |
| Listed | September 26, 1983 |
| Reference number | 83001647 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Architect and builder unknown; believed to have been built by Lorenzo Bliss |
| Architectural style | Italian Villa |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Used as a residence, in good condition, on its original site, with no known threats. |
| Acreage | 2.2 |
| Coordinates | 42.31919, -79.58166 (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 83001647.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6456365
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.