Pratt House
Also known as: Langdon-Pratt House
Why it's listed
Elmira's Pratt House, also called the Langdon-Pratt House, is a brick Italianate residence at 413 Lake Street. It began on Union Place and was moved to Lake Street and heavily remodeled by Daniel R. Pratt, probably in 1872. The result is a picturesque building with two asymmetrical towers, a bell-cast roof with cresting, bracketed cornices and round-arched windows. Inside, cherry woodwork, elaborate fireplaces and a long stair hall reflect the wealth of its owners. Jervis Langdon, Mark Twain's father-in-law, once lived in the original house, and the nomination notes its link to the Underground Railroad through John W. Jones. Later owners included Charles R. Pratt and newspaper founder Harry S. Brooks. In 1926 the Elmira Eagles Aerie 941 bought the property and added a large tap room and lodge hall to the west. In 2007 it passed to a non-profit group planning a community arts center.
Significance in brief: It is a largely intact example of large-scale Italianate residential architecture in Elmira and shows how such houses became institutional and fraternal properties. It is also tied to the Langdon and Pratt families, to newspaper publisher Harry S. Brooks, and to the Elmira Eagles Aerie 941. It is also listed as an Underground Railroad site.
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 08001075, listed November 21, 2008. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 413 Lake St., Elmira |
|---|---|
| County | Chemung County |
| Listed | November 21, 2008 |
| Reference number | 08001075 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | ca 1872-ca 1950 |
| Architectural style | Italianate; Arts & Crafts |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Politics/Government, Law, Commerce, Communications |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Ownership passed in 2007 to a non-profit arts organization for a planned community arts center; current function is listed as work in progress. |
| Acreage | 1 |
| Coordinates | 42.09557, -76.80385 (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 08001075.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7238762
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.