Buffalo Gas Light Company Works
Also known as: Jackson Plant; National Fuel Gas Company
Why it's listed
Built in 1859 on West Genesee Street in Buffalo, this gas works replaced an earlier plant on the same site that had lit the city's streets with gas since November 1848. Architect John H. Selkirk gave the retort house a fortress-like south front of brick faced with random ashlar stone, with paired blind arches, an arcade of fourteen arches, buttresses rising into semi-engaged towers and a corbeled cornice. Visitors reportedly mistook it for an armory or prison. A datestone reading 1848 sits beneath the gable. The complex also holds a coal shed, stables, auxiliary buildings and a three-story office building, though many of these were altered in 1870, 1877 and 1898 and in the twentieth century. In the 1890s the plant made Pintsch gas for railroad cars and navigation buoys. It passed to Iroquois Gas in 1923 and now serves National Fuel Gas for offices, parking and storage, with the south facade largely intact.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the works typifies the architectural and industrial heritage of nineteenth-century Buffalo. Its castle-like south facade, with towers, battlements and corbeling, makes it a recognizable downtown landmark and one of the city's most appealing industrial buildings. The company was also the first to supply illuminating gas to the city, and the site has been tied to the gas industry since the mid-1800s.
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 76001215, listed September 1, 1976. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 249 W. Genesee St., Buffalo |
|---|---|
| County | Erie County |
| Listed | September 1, 1976 |
| Reference number | 76001215 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1859, 1870, 1877 and 1898 |
| Architect / builder | John H. Selkirk |
| Architectural style | Norman style (as described in a 1859 press account); castle-like industrial design |
| Areas of significance | Industry, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still in active use by the National Fuel Gas Company as its Jackson Plant, providing offices, parking, warehouse storage and garage space. The retorts and manufacturing apparatus have been removed, and the two gasometers are gone. |
| Acreage | 3 |
| Coordinates | 42.88593, -78.88300 (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 76001215.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4985736
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.