Stage Coach Inn
Also known as: Royal Johnson House
Why it's listed
Built in the early nineteenth century, this two-story house on Clarks Corners Road in Lapeer, Cortland County, served as the home of Royal Johnson and also operated as a stagecoach inn, post office and dance hall. It stood on the stage road between Marathon and Harford at a crossroads later labeled "Lapeer P.O." on an 1876 atlas. Johnson served as town supervisor and postmaster, and the inn became the social center of a rural farming community, hosting musical gatherings into the 1920s. The building is thought to be the earliest European-American structure in the town. Its Greek Revival character shows in the entryway, with pilasters, a full entablature and sidelights, and in the corner pilasters of the main block. The rectangular, five-bay house is unusually deep, with a side door on the east elevation. Inside, the plan is largely intact and modestly finished, and the second-floor ballroom still holds a fiddlers' bench. Later rear wings and siding have altered parts of the exterior.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is significant under Criterion A as what is thought to be the earliest European-American building in Lapeer and a social center of the rural community. It is also significant under Criterion C as an intact example of a prominent citizen's frontier residence with Greek Revival features. Its second-floor ballroom survives.
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 09001080, listed December 11, 2009. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 2548 Clarks Corners Rd., Lapeer |
|---|---|
| County | Cortland County |
| Listed | December 11, 2009 |
| Reference number | 09001080 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | c. 1830-c. 1920 |
| Architect / builder | Royal Johnson (builder) |
| Architectural style | Mid-19th Century: Greek Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Commerce |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed current function is a single dwelling (vacant), though the form also lists a single dwelling for the owner; the main block has later siding over presumed original clapboards. |
| Acreage | 1 |
| Coordinates | 42.44395, -76.09889 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
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 09001080.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7596778
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.