Old Homer Village Historic District
Also known as: See Also:US Post Offices in New York State, 1858-1943, TR
Why it's listed
Homer Village is a 19th-century community about 3 miles north of Cortland, New York, whose historic district takes in Main Street, sections of Cayuga, James, Clinton and Albany Streets, and the village Green. Houses are mostly two-story frame buildings with clapboard and gable roofs, alongside larger brick homes, while the commercial blocks are brick buildings with bracketed cornices. Notable structures include the 1908 Town Hall, the 1863 Jedediah Barber building with its original elevator and upper-floor opera house, the 1887 Brockway Block, the 1816 tavern known as Wisdom's Gate, and an 1853 octagon house. The Green, ringed by churches, reflects the New England origins of Homer's first settlers. The district matters as the product of a century of economic development, driven by merchants such as Jedediah Barber, and it preserves the look of a 19th-century country village in central New York, with a century's range of architectural styles.
Significance in brief: The district is a well-preserved 19th-century central New York village shaped by a century of economic growth, with residences and brick commercial blocks showing many architectural styles. Its village Green, ringed by churches, is described as a New England feature transplanted to central New York by settlers from Connecticut and Massachusetts. Merchant Jedediah Barber's store, homes and civic efforts helped make Homer a commercial center.
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 73001176, listed October 2, 1973. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | N.and S. Main St., Central Park, Clinton, James, Cayuga, and Albany Sts., Homer |
|---|---|
| County | Cortland County |
| Listed | October 2, 1973 |
| Reference number | 73001176 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 19th Century |
| Architectural style | Varied 19th-century styles including Greek Revival, Italianate, Victorian and Romanesque elements |
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Education, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as a viable village with a still prosperous commercial center, well-cared-for residences and a largely intact Green; condition marked good, altered. |
| Acreage | 6.5 |
| Coordinates | 42.63651, -76.18034 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
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 73001176.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14707138
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.