Mack, Gerald, House
Why it's listed
Built around 1850 at 79 North Portage Street in Westfield, this two-story, two-bay brick house combines Greek Revival form with Italianate detail. Broad eaves on the gable roof carry paired brackets, and a one and one-half story brick wing with eyebrow windows extends from the northeast corner. Its most unusual feature is the cast-iron work: window lintels and sills, balcony rails, porch posts and friezes, and an ornate side entrance with sidelights, pilasters and an entablature. The form describes this ornamentation as intact and unique in the village. A frame carriage barn from about 1850 to 1870 stands behind the house. Reuben Gridley Wright, son of one of Westfield's earliest settlers, lived here from 1870 to 1884 with his wife Cora Pierce, a teacher, before building a Queen Anne house on East Main Street. Later the house sheltered nurses working at the Westfield Sanitarium. The house was recognized for its architecture and local associations.
Significance in brief: It is a distinctive mid-nineteenth century Greek Revival house with Italianate features. Its elaborate cast-iron ornamentation at the entrance, lintels, sills, porches and balconies is intact and unique in the village. It is also locally significant for its link to Reuben Gridley Wright, son of an early Westfield settler.
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 83001652, listed September 26, 1983. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 79 N. Portage St., Westfield |
|---|---|
| County | Chautauqua County |
| Listed | September 26, 1983 |
| Reference number | 83001652 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival with Italianate features |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as a residence in fair condition on its original site; the form records its use as a residence, both originally and at the time of the survey. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.32522, -79.58092 (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 83001652.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5549363
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.