Jones, John W., House
Also known as: John W. Jones Museum
Why it's listed
Built around 1870, this modest wood-frame house at 1250 Davis Street in Elmira was the home of John W. Jones, who escaped slavery in Virginia and reached Elmira in 1844. Jones worked with the Underground Railroad, sending an estimated 800 people toward freedom. He later served as superintendent of Woodlawn Cemetery and supervised the burial of nearly 3,000 Confederate soldiers who died at the Elmira prison camp. Evidence indicates the house was assembled from parts of camp buildings that were sold at auction after the camp closed. The structure has a gable-roofed main block, a rear shed-roofed addition, clapboard siding and a Greek Revival style entrance. It was moved several times on the original Jones farm property, most recently in 2000 when it was saved from demolition. It now serves as a museum, and its exposed framing continues to provide information about its construction and origins.
Significance in brief: The house is tied to John W. Jones, a formerly enslaved man who aided the Underground Railroad in Elmira and supervised the burial of nearly 3,000 Confederate prisoners as cemetery superintendent. Evidence suggests it was built from pieces of buildings from the Elmira prison camp. It is also significant for information it yields about the camp and a late nineteenth-century African American family.
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 03001019, listed October 10, 2003. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 1250 Davis St., Elmira |
|---|---|
| County | Chemung County |
| Listed | October 10, 2003 |
| Reference number | 03001019 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | ca. 1868-1900 |
| Architect / builder | possibly John W. Jones |
| Architectural style | no style; mid-nineteenth century |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Social History, Black |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Now in use as the John W. Jones Museum; moved in December 2000 to avoid demolition and being restored. |
| Acreage | 3.4 |
| Coordinates | 42.10764, -76.82369 (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 03001019.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6262350
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.