Hovey, Charles C., House and Strong Leather Company Mill
Also known as: See Also:Bainbridge Historic District
Why it's listed
This property in the village of Bainbridge, New York, pairs a Queen Anne style house of 1889 with a long wooden mill built behind it between 1897 and 1903. Both were built by Charles C. Hovey, a businessman who moved to the village in 1887. He helped found its first commercial creamery and was a leading figure in the American Separator Company, whose cream separator became a standard in rural households. He also founded a local newspaper and held several civic offices. The house has multiple gables, mixed clapboard and shingle siding, colored glass windows and an intact interior plan. The mill, which made patent leather under the Strong Leather Company name, has a parabolic roof and iron-rod truss framing that leaves the work floors open. It is one of only two surviving industrial buildings along Newton Creek. After Hovey left in 1905 the mill served many other uses, including silk glove manufacture and storage. Restoration of both buildings is under way.
Significance in brief: The property is significant for its association with Charles C. Hovey (1854-1906), a leading Bainbridge entrepreneur and civic figure. He helped establish the village's first commercial creamery and the American Separator Company, which became a major employer. The mill is also notable architecturally for its parabolic roof and Queen Rod truss framing, and it is one of only two surviving industrial buildings along Newton Creek.
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 96001426, listed December 6, 1996. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 53 W. Main St. and 10 Bixby St., Bainbridge |
|---|---|
| County | Chenango County |
| Listed | December 6, 1996 |
| Reference number | 96001426 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1889-1905 |
| Architect / builder | unknown |
| Architectural style | Queen Anne (house); N/A (mill) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Industry |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The form lists the current functions as single dwelling and vacant. The house is being restored in stages. The mill has a leaking roof, half covered with tarps, and is awaiting foundation and drainage stabilization. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Bainbridge Historic District |
| Coordinates | 42.29597, -75.48290 (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 96001426.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5075998
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.