Moss, Horace O., House
Also known as: Preferred Manor
Why it's listed
Built in 1831 for Horace O. Moss, one of Chenango County's leading citizens, this two-story field stone house at 45 South Main Street in New Berlin is a fine example of Federal architecture. It is five bays wide and five deep, with a truncated hip roof topped by a central belvedere, corner chimneys, stone quoins, and two porticos with Ionic columns. A one-story frame addition dates to the 1890s. Inside, a center hall holds a spiral staircase surrounded by scenic wallpaper titled "Chasse de Compiegne," painted by Pierre Jacquemart in Paris between 1801 and 1834. A hand-carved weathervane panel above the stairs connects to the exterior by a rod through the attic. The basement includes cooking fireplaces, an ice house, a cistern and a root cellar. One descendant has speculated that Richard Upjohn designed the house, though this is undocumented. It now serves as a company guest house.
Significance in brief: The house is presented as a substantial and elaborate example of Federal architecture, standing out on a tree-lined street of less pretentious, later houses. Its Federal interior is notable for a circular stairway surrounded by hand-painted scenic wallpaper by Pierre Jacquemart. A descendant's undocumented belief that Richard Upjohn designed it is noted, based on design similarities to Upjohn's 1833 Farrar house.
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 74001224, listed May 17, 1974. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 45 S. Main St., New Berlin |
|---|---|
| County | Chenango County |
| Listed | May 17, 1974 |
| Reference number | 74001224 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1831 (19th Century) |
| Architect / builder | Horace O. Moss, builder; architect unknown (Richard Upjohn design attribution is speculative and undocumented) |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| Areas of significance | Art, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Excellent condition; altered; original site. Used as a guest house by a private company. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.62109, -75.33153 (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 74001224.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14706402
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.