Zimmerman House
Why it's listed
Set on a 140-by-100-foot lot at 601 Pine Street in Horseheads, this two and one-half story wood frame house was begun in 1888 and designed by cartoonist Eugene Zimmerman, known as Zim. His father-in-law, the local contractor and master carpenter Alvah Beard, built it. The exterior shows Queen Anne character through an irregular hipped roof pierced by steep gables, tongue and groove channel siding with imbricated shingles, a stone foundation, and several porches with turned columns and curved brackets. Inside, Zimmerman also planned the layout and decoration, including carved woodwork, spindle screens, a two-story parlor, and an entrance foyer floor inlaid with his ZIM logo. Lighting, wall coverings, furniture and collected artifacts remain as he left them at his death in 1935. Zimmerman, born in Switzerland in 1862, drew for Puck and then Judge, and did most of his work in Horseheads. The house is valued both for that association and as a well preserved local example of its style.
Significance in brief: The house is considered a remarkably intact, personal interpretation of the Queen Anne style, with interior carved woodwork, furnishings and artifacts left as Zimmerman had them at his death in 1935. It is also tied to Eugene Zimmerman, a nationally prominent cartoonist for Puck and Judge, who lived and worked there for most of his productive life. Reviewers judged it primarily significant for the Zimmerman association and also an excellent local example of the style.
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 83003912, listed October 7, 1983. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 601 PIne St., Horseheads |
|---|---|
| County | Chemung County |
| Listed | October 7, 1983 |
| Reference number | 83003912 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Design by Eugene Zimmerman; builder Alvah Beard (Zimmerman's father-in-law) |
| Architectural style | Queen Anne |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Art, Architecture |
| Level of significance | National |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition is listed as good to excellent with the exterior and interior remarkably intact; no threats known. The form lists the use as residence. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Horseheads 1855 Extension Historic District |
| Coordinates | 42.16232, -76.81978 (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 83003912.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q8072135
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.