Bly, Smith, House
Why it's listed
On a tree-lined street in the village of Ashville, this white-painted frame house was built in 1835 by Smith Bly for his own use. It has a three-bay, two-story main block and a one-story wing, both under low hipped roofs with wide Greek Revival cornices. Fluted Ionic columns frame the west facades, and the wing has a four-column porch. The recessed main entrance has a carved architrave, sidelights and a transom. Inside, a open-string stairway with turned balusters and a circular ceiling ornament in the northwest parlor stand out. The house cost $7,000, a considerable sum for the time and place. Bly relied on plates from architectural handbooks, including those of Minard Lefever, and brought workmen from Philadelphia to carve the woodwork. Its decoration resembles houses in western Pennsylvania, close to Ashville. The house has been called a nearly perfect example of Greek Revival design and remains largely unaltered.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it a fine provincial example of Greek Revival architecture, described as a nearly perfect one. It shows a carpenter-builder's personal use of the classical orders drawn from architectural handbooks, with woodwork carved by craftsmen brought from Philadelphia. It remains largely unaltered.
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 74001223, listed October 1, 1974. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 4 N. Maple St., Ashville |
|---|---|
| County | Chautauqua County |
| Listed | October 1, 1974 |
| Reference number | 74001223 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1835 |
| Architect / builder | Smith Bly (carpenter-builder, built for himself); woodwork carved by workmen brought from Philadelphia |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed in excellent condition, largely unaltered, on its original site, and used as a private residence. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 41.20953, -73.98793 (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 74001223.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7545073
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.