Welch Factory Building No. 1
Why it's listed
Welch Factory Building #1 is a three-story brick industrial building at 101 North Portage Street in Westfield, New York. The original factory was built in 1897 by David Sutherland and Bruce Royce, with the architect unknown. Additions followed in 1899 and 1903, producing a rectangular building eight bays wide and ten bays deep. Sandstone lintels and sills trim the double-hung windows, and a stepped parapet was added in 1903. The building matters because of its connection to Welch's Grape Juice, a product that began in 1869 in the kitchen of a New Jersey dentist, Dr. Thomas B. Welch. He and his son moved the business to Westfield in 1897, in the Chautauqua grape-growing region. The factory is the oldest surviving structure associated with the company. Current production takes place in a modern complex across North Portage Street. The old factory no longer serves its original purpose and now houses a newspaper office, but its appearance is much as it was in the early 1900s.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the building is significant for its link to Welch's Grape Juice, the company behind Westfield's internationally known grape industry. It is the oldest surviving structure associated with the company. Its appearance remains much as it was in the early 1900s.
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 83001658, listed September 26, 1983. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 101 N. Portage St., Westfield |
|---|---|
| County | Chautauqua County |
| Listed | September 26, 1983 |
| Reference number | 83001658 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Architect unknown; builder David Sutherland and Bruce Royce |
| Areas of significance | Industry, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | No longer used as a factory; it presently houses a newspaper office (the Westfield Republican). Condition is marked fair. |
| Acreage | 1.1 |
| Coordinates | 42.32649, -79.58174 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
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 83001658.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7980547
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.