Partridge-Sheldon House
Why it's listed
Perched on a knoll above the Chadokoin River Valley in Jamestown, New York, this three-story frame house at 70 Prospect Street began as a two-story Italianate dwelling built by carpenter Joel Partridge between about 1850 and 1867. Attorney and politician Porter Sheldon bought it in 1871, extended the south wing, added a mansard roof to unify the exterior, and remodeled the interior around 1880. Two Ionic porticoes in Classical Revival style were added in the early twentieth century. The exterior features patterned slate, decorative eave brackets, round-arched dormers and a mansard-roofed front porch with iron cresting. Inside, parquet floors, hardwood molding, carved stair details and ornate mantels survive largely intact. Sheldon served a term in Congress and founded the American Aristotype Company, an early major maker of improved photographic paper later bought by George Eastman. The house was recognized for its architecture and for its link to Sheldon.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is an intact example of high-style nineteenth-century domestic architecture in Jamestown, combining Second Empire and Classical Revival features with a highly intact ca. 1880 interior. It is also significant for its association with Porter Sheldon, a prominent attorney, congressman and founder of the American Aristotype Company, an early major producer of improved photographic paper.
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 00000572, listed June 2, 2000. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 70 Prospect St., Jamestown |
|---|---|
| County | Chautauqua County |
| Listed | June 2, 2000 |
| Reference number | 00000572 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1865-1932 |
| Architect / builder | unknown |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian/Second Empire/Mansard |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Entertainment/Recreation, Invention |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Historic function was a single dwelling; current function is listed as social/meeting/bed and breakfast. |
| Acreage | 1.8 |
| Coordinates | 42.08917, -79.23737 (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 00000572.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7140811
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.